Sex and Society: Studies in the Social Psychology of SexThomas, William Isaac
Science
Sex and Society: Studies in the Social Psychology of Sex
Thomas, William Isaac
Sex; Women -- Social and moral questions; Women -- Social conditions
The outcome of this closer attention of the woman to the industrial
life is well seen among the ancient Hebrews:
A virtuous woman ... seeketh wool and flax, and worketh
willingly with her hands. She is like the merchant ships: she
bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet
night, and giveth meat to her household, and their task to her
maidens. She considereth a field and buyeth it; with the fruit
of her hands she planteth a vineyard.... She perceiveth that
her merchandise is profitable: her lamp goeth not out by
night. She layeth her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold
the spindle. She spreadeth out her hand to the poor; yea, she
reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of
the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed
with scarlet. She maketh for herself carpets of tapestry; her
clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the
gates, when linen garments and selleth them; and delivereth
girdles unto the merchant.[183]
There must come a time in the history of every group when wild game
becomes scarce. This time is put off by successive migrations to
wilder regions; but the rapid increase of population makes any
continent inadequate to the supply of food through the chase
indefinitely. Morgan estimates that the state of New York, with its
47,000 square miles, never contained at any one time more than 25,000
Indians.[184] Sooner or later the man must either fall back on
the process represented by the women, taking up and developing her
industries, or he must change his attitude toward animal life. In
fact, he generally does both. He enters into a sort of alliance with
animal life, or with certain of its forms, feeding them, and tending
them, and breeding them; and he applies his katabolic energies to the
pursuits of woman, organizing and advancing them. Whether the animal
or the plant life receives in the end more attention is a matter
turning on environment and other circumstances.
When the destructive male propensities have exhausted or diminished
the food stores on the animal side, and man is forced to fall back on
the constructive female process, we find that he brings greater and
better organizing force to bear on the industries. Male enterprises
have demanded concerted action. In order to surround a buffalo
herd, or to make a successful assault, or even to row a large boat,
organization and leadership are necessary. To attack under leaders,
give signal cries, station sentinels, punish offenders, is, indeed, a
part of the discipline even of animal groups. The organizing capacity
developed by the male in human society in connection with violent
ways of life is transferred to labor. The preparation of land for
agriculture was undertaken by the men on a large scale. The jungle
was cleared, water courses were diverted and highways prepared for the
transportation of the products of labor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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