We look at the past as being misogynistic and sexist.
Women were oppressed, stayed at home, cooked and cleaned, and raised the kids. The man of the house was the only guy to work.
But keep in mind that
these things made perfect sense to the family back then. To deviate, that is, for a woman to go outside and get her own job, is a breach of the mutual expectations they had for each other - much like nowadays when you go into a relationship there's a mutual expectation that there will be no cheating. Who knows, in the future promiscuity may be encouraged, and people look back and think "what a fucked up and oppressed society. I mean, people can't even have sex when they feel like it?!"
It's not fair to the people of the past to look at their society condescendingly and click our tongues at the asshole-ness of men in the traditional household. Because it wasn't just the men oppressing the women. The women were oppressing themselves too, in a way. It's in their entire mindset about what a marriage should and shouldn't be.
So what I'm saying is, until we get it perfect (we don't), we don't have a right to ridicule other methods.
This holds true for condescension towards your peers. A few people tout their own opinions as facts. Opinions extrapolated from what little they actually know about the topic. The complicated thing involved is when you start waving "credentials". Which is often an older sibling who has done the HSC, gone to uni, etc etc.
Firstly of first, just because your sibling has been there, doesn't mean you know shit. And does not mean we have not done any research.
Secondly of first, just because your sibling has gone to (we'll use uni as an examples because it's the first to pop in my head) does NOT mean that he/she has extensive knowledge of entrance procedures, course details etc, of EVERY BLOODY COURSE AT UNI. Even less likely is the fact that they have passed any knowledge onto you.
Firstly of second, as a younger sibling it's easy to believe everything your older sibling says. They're like the fountain of knowledge that comes in junior size, and is easily accessible to you. So you take from it regardless, blindly, no matter how dodgy and obviously half-assed the answer is. If you are a younger sibling and find this hard to read (mainly because it may sound
exactly like you), then consider this: The amount of times you have waved your brother/sister's
"utterings of truth
" in front of other people's faces suggests you admire them more than you care to admit to yourself.
So that went off on a tangent, but the point is:
-Just because you heard it, it does not mean he/she is answering your properly (or at all). I cannot imagine the amount of times I have said "yes" without listening to the question.
-Just because your sibling said it, does not mean it's true.
-Just because your sibling is somewhat involved in it, does not mean that
you have ANY knowledge on the topic
And finally
-Just because you think so, doesn't mean you're right.
