Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Sunday, March 11. 2012

Women vs. the State

A young woman recently commented to me that she thought one reason she was in love with a certain man was because he "made her feel safe." "Safe from what?" I asked. She thought for a minute and said "Safe from the world, I guess."


It's not an unusual topic of conversation among some of my more conservative lady pals to speculate about why women have some tendency to vote more Leftist than men do.


We have lots of theories, but more questions than anything else.


For some examples, Women are more caring and nurturing, less aggressive or more needy than men (maybe, possibly, I sort of doubt it but, if so, why would women think of government as a vehicle for those feelings?)


Or, Women are fearful of losing a man, and want government to step in as a husband if needed


Or, many women don't have a man, and would rather lean on government than on charity


Or, Women are more prone to parental transferences to powerful government, while masculine pride resists accepting government "help" because it makes them feel diminished


We have other theories too.


Here's a piece on a related topic at Reason: "Women vs. the State. It’s time to liberate ladies from unequal and unjust government policies."

Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss in Our Essays, Politics, Psychology, and Dr. Bliss, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 15:31 | Comments (10) | Trackbacks (0)

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A new blossom blooms every time you post, DJB. Thank-you.
#1 Steve in CT on 2012-03-11 17:00 (Reply)
de Rugy comes close but never reaches the obvious conclusion that the so-called marriage penalty caused by our progressive income tax rates---intended, we are told, to make the rich pay their fair share---could be fixed with a flat-tax system that focuses (as it should) on raising the revenue that's needed to run the government instead of on social engineering whose main goal these days seems to be to penalize the success of rich people.
#2 Agent Cooper on 2012-03-11 17:52 (Reply)
The trouble is not that your young woman likes to feel safe. Pretty much everybody likes to feel safe and not everyone votes left. Nope, the question of why women vote left cannot be isolated to any single reason. And it is certainly not because all or most women are more caring or nurturing. It's truly unfortunate if you believe women are morally superior. Broadly speaking, it's a matter of practicality, as they have been conditioned to see it. I would submit that most women know government policies, programs, regulations and laws place women in a most favored status. They SHOULD know, the government tells them every day. Thus, voting for more of that stuff is understood (falsely) to be in their interest. Protected as a minority, unjustly enriched in divorce, able to imprison any man on her word and legally advantaged in educational and employment opportunities. So, there's that. In addition, women still enjoy all of those old-fashioned courtesies the 'equality' seeking feminists leaders not long ago complained were evidence of male dominance. I don't see them, or any women, complaining about those courtesies now though. Please let me get that door for you miss. No, I'll pay for the dinner, drinks, theater tickets, etc. Instead, the 'benefits' just keep stacking up. And yet the 'searching for yourself' navel gazing never lets up. Funny stuff. Now, Sandra Fluke presages government provided contraceptives, subway tokens, clothing (shoes?) and anything else women want. Because wanting it is enough. No, women are not the only creatures who want stuff, we all do. But, in this culture, women write their own ticket. It's nice of you and your conservative lady pals to wonder why some women vote left in the sense that it's a bad thing. Which it certainly is. But I'm putting my money on the dominance of the entitlement expectation. Which is why I expect to see women, in general, becoming more unstable and confused about their roles and their feelings.
Ladies, you are lovely, cuddly, smart and sassy and men love you for that. So shake off that government harness and live. Unless you do, there's no way the retarded house-pets you've become can be expected to understand your feelings or the real world. Thanks for your excellent blog ladies.
#3 W. C. Taqiyya on 2012-03-11 18:49 (Reply)
She thought for a minute and said "Safe from the world, I guess."

How have our women devolved from the strong-willed pioneers of yesteryear to the timid souls of today who take refuse behind the equivalent of a psychological and intellectual burqa?
#4 Agent Cooper on 2012-03-11 21:27 (Reply)
Whoops, that's REFUGE, not refuse, but I'm sure you all knew what I meant to type, right?
#4.1 Agent Cooper on 2012-03-11 22:27 (Reply)
It's weird.

One of the deal clinchers for my Significant Other was that I "make her feel safe".

I had always assumed that it meant she felt protected from outside threats so I asked what she meant after reading this post.

She thought about it for quite awhile and replied,

"You are a man who does not bring trouble down on his home. You are an adult. You successfully problem solve in your day-to-day life and in a business where the stakes are incredibly high and there are no guarantees. You farm because you want to and at the end of your day, you are happy and content. That defines success in this life by my book... and successful men make this woman feel very safe.


Finally, although I tease you to the contrary, you are a whole human being without me in your life. That is a very good thing because needy, whiny, baby-men do not make women feel safe... ever. Just like the bad boys.. baby-men wind up alone in the end."

FWIW
#5 feeblemind on 2012-03-12 00:15 (Reply)
It sounds like you and your wife are lucky enough to have a two-grownup household!
#5.1 Texan99 (Link) on 2012-03-12 11:37 (Reply)
It has ever been so.
1. Protect my babies and me from the wolves.
2. Bring home the bacon.
3. Help me civilize these wild barbarian children.
4. Show me you care by giving me shiny things, so that I have protection against the future when you are lost.

And these days, why should any man do so? Why should a man give up his plans of adventure and conquest to become a good and faithful provider? What can the woman offer in return that would be worth it? There is no advantage to being a man in today's world.

In lieu of one man, today's woman deals with the devil. Because of our massed political power, take 2-4 from the rich men and women, by force if necessary, and give it to us. But this will last only as long as the wolves are in retreat. The wolves will return, and who will save you then?
#6 John A. Fleming on 2012-03-12 16:07 (Reply)
yup, what John said.
#6.1 W. C. Taqiyya on 2012-03-13 21:46 (Reply)
If memory serves, in the 1950's women voters leaned to Republican or British Tory parties. They wanted the police on the street and especially the stronger armed forces to prevent another war. I grew up with the impression that women were the right- wing gender.
#7 A.E.Altizer on 2012-03-15 11:51 (Reply)

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