Concerning the differences in male and female points of view, I just want to add something. Men have been blamed for pretty nearly every bad thing that ever happened, for decades, now. Who knows (well, actually, I know) how resentment might build up in the male mind at being blamed for having been born male. I think men have had more than enough of this. You will see us fighting back.
In my own substack essay, I attempted to answer the question of why there are people who blindly refuse to see through the propaganda and blithely and unthinkingly respond when questioned that Trump is a threat to democracy. I thought that part of the answer was contained in Mattais Desmet's "Psychology of Totalitarianism" and his theory of mass formation. I thought the other part was explained by a condition known as "Amygdala Hijack" which is when a fight-or-flight response to stress or fear disables the rational functions of the frontal lobes. The media pushes fear porn, especially about Trump, and some people loose the ability to think clearly, also referred to as TDS.
I still think that is true, but your essay took a subset (some women), and explained in a very rational way why they are behaving in an irrational manner. Well written and thought provoking.
The irrationality is apparent with your example of abortion rights. SCOTUS did not ban abortion but tossed it back to the States because their was no constitutional authority for Roe v Wade. No State has successfully banned abortion though some have tried. Young women should realize that any attempt to ban abortion by Trump or to restore Roe v Wade by Harris would both be found unconstitutional by SCOTUS. A rational view would suggest that if a woman takes responsibility for herself, then she has available to her, numerous technologies not available 50 years ago to do just that. Wanting the ability to procrastinate past the point of fetus viability is not a endorsement of reproductive rights, as much as it is a desire to be irresponsible and camouflage the irrationality with virtue. I absolutely believe a woman has the right to decide but should exercise that right before the baby has its own rights at viability. I concede that viability is ill-defined, but the current consensus is 24 weeks which is more than enough time to decide.
Another minor example of irrationality, is that many of the people who believe my body my choice, were perfectly willing to deny that choice to others concerning vaccinations.
I have long put the divergence of attitudes between the sexes as the result of ever more females going to college to the point that they outnumber the males in all but STEM fields. My experience with teachers before I retired was that I had less in common with them the larger the age gap. Could women's higher level of agreeableness make them more susceptible to bad ideas? There is some anecdotal evidence that young women are more vulnerable to cults. I suppose that a higher level of neuroticism also makes them more sensitive to disharmony. Heather, you've spent a lot longer in higher education than I have. Do you think young women are more easily radicalized than young men?
"signing up for voluntary sterilizations, which I know some women in their 20s to have done. This, on the basis that they are “certain” that they will never want children."
This idea of being "certain" ties into the abortion debate because pro-choice proponents will tout the "her body, her choice" mantra with the premise that every woman choosing to have an abortion is doing so with the certainty that they are making the right/best decision for themselves (as well as their unborn child, in the case of pregnant women in poverty, abusive households, lack of support networks, etc.).
Just as the discussion of detransitioners is stigmatized, so too is the topic of abortion regret, to the point that as a society we are failing to acknowledge it exists or dismissing the conversation when women attempt to bring it up.
I speak from the standpoint as someone with an immediate family member who had an abortion the first time she was pregnant, and who would go on to later have 2 children with her now husband who are now into their 30s. This family member, who was at that point pro-choice and had herself convinced she was certain it was the best decision (she was not in a committed relationship when she became pregnant and the guy in question walked away when informed of the pregnancy. She also did not have higher education, did not hold a stable job, and was living in an apartment with roommates at the time).
But years later after having her own children, fell into a major depression over her abortion regret, and to this day does not forgive herself for killing her unborn baby and depriving her future children of their sibling. She is now pro-life and genuinely wishes she faced more barriers when accessing abortion because it may well have stopped her from following through with it.
Concerning the differences in male and female points of view, I just want to add something. Men have been blamed for pretty nearly every bad thing that ever happened, for decades, now. Who knows (well, actually, I know) how resentment might build up in the male mind at being blamed for having been born male. I think men have had more than enough of this. You will see us fighting back.
Good.
In my own substack essay, I attempted to answer the question of why there are people who blindly refuse to see through the propaganda and blithely and unthinkingly respond when questioned that Trump is a threat to democracy. I thought that part of the answer was contained in Mattais Desmet's "Psychology of Totalitarianism" and his theory of mass formation. I thought the other part was explained by a condition known as "Amygdala Hijack" which is when a fight-or-flight response to stress or fear disables the rational functions of the frontal lobes. The media pushes fear porn, especially about Trump, and some people loose the ability to think clearly, also referred to as TDS.
I still think that is true, but your essay took a subset (some women), and explained in a very rational way why they are behaving in an irrational manner. Well written and thought provoking.
The irrationality is apparent with your example of abortion rights. SCOTUS did not ban abortion but tossed it back to the States because their was no constitutional authority for Roe v Wade. No State has successfully banned abortion though some have tried. Young women should realize that any attempt to ban abortion by Trump or to restore Roe v Wade by Harris would both be found unconstitutional by SCOTUS. A rational view would suggest that if a woman takes responsibility for herself, then she has available to her, numerous technologies not available 50 years ago to do just that. Wanting the ability to procrastinate past the point of fetus viability is not a endorsement of reproductive rights, as much as it is a desire to be irresponsible and camouflage the irrationality with virtue. I absolutely believe a woman has the right to decide but should exercise that right before the baby has its own rights at viability. I concede that viability is ill-defined, but the current consensus is 24 weeks which is more than enough time to decide.
Another minor example of irrationality, is that many of the people who believe my body my choice, were perfectly willing to deny that choice to others concerning vaccinations.
Dick Minnis
removingthecataract
I have long put the divergence of attitudes between the sexes as the result of ever more females going to college to the point that they outnumber the males in all but STEM fields. My experience with teachers before I retired was that I had less in common with them the larger the age gap. Could women's higher level of agreeableness make them more susceptible to bad ideas? There is some anecdotal evidence that young women are more vulnerable to cults. I suppose that a higher level of neuroticism also makes them more sensitive to disharmony. Heather, you've spent a lot longer in higher education than I have. Do you think young women are more easily radicalized than young men?
For what it's worth, I've been calling progressivism a cult for years.
"signing up for voluntary sterilizations, which I know some women in their 20s to have done. This, on the basis that they are “certain” that they will never want children."
This idea of being "certain" ties into the abortion debate because pro-choice proponents will tout the "her body, her choice" mantra with the premise that every woman choosing to have an abortion is doing so with the certainty that they are making the right/best decision for themselves (as well as their unborn child, in the case of pregnant women in poverty, abusive households, lack of support networks, etc.).
Just as the discussion of detransitioners is stigmatized, so too is the topic of abortion regret, to the point that as a society we are failing to acknowledge it exists or dismissing the conversation when women attempt to bring it up.
I speak from the standpoint as someone with an immediate family member who had an abortion the first time she was pregnant, and who would go on to later have 2 children with her now husband who are now into their 30s. This family member, who was at that point pro-choice and had herself convinced she was certain it was the best decision (she was not in a committed relationship when she became pregnant and the guy in question walked away when informed of the pregnancy. She also did not have higher education, did not hold a stable job, and was living in an apartment with roommates at the time).
But years later after having her own children, fell into a major depression over her abortion regret, and to this day does not forgive herself for killing her unborn baby and depriving her future children of their sibling. She is now pro-life and genuinely wishes she faced more barriers when accessing abortion because it may well have stopped her from following through with it.
Excellent article!