I'd like to start this post by saying that the e-letter written by Mr. Straks was written in such a manner that made him seem arrogant and snobby, having said that, he raises some very good points. He discusses the fact that we as a country are becoming more an more prone to fighting and forcing our way into finding new things to argue about. He also speaks about women's role in the business world and how that is effecting their parenting skills. This argument seems very outdated considering that we have very few single income families anymore but maybe he has a point. Maybe these young girls are not learning how to be young ladies but ruthless, sometimes even harsh individuals. He asks his audience in his letter if "women are changing business or is business changing our women?" Is business making our women more aggressive? Are they losing their values to become more aggressive, confrontational beings to compete in a "male dominant" business world? If this is true then what role does this play in the raising of today's little girls? Their sense of nature verses nurture could be thrown way out of whack, for lack of better words, and could throw off our entire society. Yes women should learn to be more assertive and stand up for themselves and their rights but where do we cross the line? Where do we stop before this effects our entire argument culture. Women, as well as men, need to learn to leave business at work and turn on that parenting switch when they come home to their families. These children need to learn values, morals, right-from-wrong, and their place in society. They need to learn respect and most of all they need to learn how to function as people; as friends, parents, role models; not big important executives or business people. What if they grow up and decide not to go into business? What if they want to create beautiful paintings, or sing in front of thousands of people, of act in the next big blockbuster? They won't have that sense of self or creativity, all they'll have is ruthlessness and a thirst for money and power, and the notion that everything is a struggle, a fight or an argument that has to be won. I don't think this is what we need in our society.
As for me, I would like to think that I don't much contribute to our argumentative culture but probably have a big impact on it with my extremely competitive nature. With the sports I play, when tension is high and emotions are running wild, I'll admit I may make a point to be an instigator just to shake things up a bit. I could definitely save a lot of verbal and physical fights by spreading a better sense of sportsmanship throughout my athletic endeavours.
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if the girls were raised to be competitive, then they wouldnt think about making a painting, singing, or acting, just being the type that you said. good analysis over all though. everyone becomes an instigator at one point, and sports is a great place to see this.
ReplyDeleteI agree with npeters, but it can also be said the other way around. If girls were not raised to be competitive, would there even been any female singers, actors, or artists? But I do like what you had to say.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the point that our society has a ruthlessness and thirst for power and money, however i think that our society does need this sometimes. If everyone was unmotivated and was not trying to achieve a goal, may more people would be on well fare. So in a strange way, the argumaentative nature of our society might actually be helpful to our economy.
ReplyDeletei agree with you about the instigator part, everyone does it to stir up trouble once in awhile. I think its human nature to instigate, without it we wouldn't be human.
ReplyDeleteWait a minute, Mr. D. Didn't you write a paper to allow street fighting. That's pretty aggressive. That is interesting that you pointed out how women sometimes feel they have to act aggressively like men in the business world.
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