our androcentric culture-第5部分

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OUR　ANDROCENTRIC　CULTURE；　or；　THE　MAN…MADE　WORLD


III。

HEALTH　AND　BEAUTY。


NOTEThe　word　〃Androcentric〃　we　owe　to　Prof。　Lester　F。　Ward。　　In　his
book；　〃Pure　Sociology；〃　Chap。　14；　he　describes　the　Androcentric　Theory
of　life；　hitherto　universally　accepted；　and　introduces　his　own
〃Gyneacocentric　Theory。〃　　All　who　are　interested　in　the　deeper
scientific　aspects　of　this　question　are　urged　to　read　that　chapter。　
Prof。　Ward's　theory　is　to　my　mind　the　most　important　that　has　been
offered　the　world　since　the　Theory　of　Evolution；　and　without　exception
the　most　important　that　has　ever　been　put　forward　concerning　women。


Among　the　many　paradoxes　which　we　find　in　human　life　is　our　low　average
standard　of　health　and　beauty；　compared　with　our　power　and　knowledge。　
All　creatures　suffer　from　conflict　with　the　elements；　from　enemies
without　and　withinthe　prowling　devourers　of　the　forest；　and　〃the
terror　that　walketh　in　darkness〃　and　attacks　the　body　from　inside；　in
hidden　millions。

Among　wild　animals　generally；　there　is　a　certain　standard　of　excellence；
if　you　shoot　a　bear　or　a　bird；　it　is　a　fair　sample　of　the　species；　you
do　not　say；　〃O　what　an　ugly　one！〃　or　〃This　must　have　been　an　invalid！〃

Where　we　have　domesticated　any　animal；　and　interfered　with　its　natural
habits；　illness　has　followed；　the　dog　is　said　to　have　the　most　diseases
second　to　man；　the　horse　comes　next；　but　the　wild　ones　put　us　to　shame
by　their　superior　health　and　the　beauty　that　belongs　to　right
development。

In　our　long　ages　of　blind　infancy　we　assume　that　sickness　was　a
visitation　frown　the　gods；　some　still　believe　this；　holding　it　to　be　a
special　prerogative　of　divinity　to　afflict　us　in　this　way。　　We　speak　of
〃the　ills　that　flesh　is　heir　to〃　as　if　the　inheritance　was　entailed　and
inalienable。　　Only　of　late　years；　after　much　study　and　long　struggle
with　this　old　belief　which　made　us　submit　to　sickness　as　a　blow　from　the
hand　of　God；　we　are　beginning　to　learn　something　of　the　many　causes　of
our　many　diseases；　and　how　to　remove　some　of　them。

It　is　still　true；　however；　that　almost　every　one　of　us　is　to　some　degree
abnormal；　the　features　asymmetrical；　the　vision　defective；　the　digestion
unreliable；　the　nervous　system　erraticwe　are　but　a　job　lot　even　in
what　we　call　〃good　health〃；　and　are　subject　to　a　burden　of　pain　and
premature　death　that　would　make　life　hideous　if　it　were　not　so
ridiculously　unnecessary。

As　to　beautywe　do　not　think　of　expecting　it　save　in　the　rarely
exceptional　case。　　Look　at　the　facesthe　figuresin　any　crowd　you
meet；　compare　the　average　man　or　the　average　woman　with　the　normal　type
of　human　beauty　as　given　us　in　picture　and　statue；　and　consider　if　there
is　not　some　general　cause　for　so　general　a　condition　of　ugliness。

Moreover；　leaving　our　defective　bodies　concealed　by　garments；　what　are
those　garments；　as　conducive　to　health　and　beauty？　　Is　the　practical
ugliness　of　our　men's　attire；　and　the　impractical　absurdity　of　our
women's；　any　contribution　to　human　beauty？　　Look　at　our　housesare　they
beautiful？　　Even　the　houses　of　the　rich？

We　do　not　even　know　that　we　ought　to　live　in　a　world　of　overflowing
loveliness；　and　that　our　contribution　to　it　should　be　the　loveliest　of
all。　　We　are　so　sodden　in　the　dull　ugliness　of　our　interiors；　so　used　to
calling　a　tame　weary　low…toned　color　scheme　〃good　taste；〃　that　only
children　dare　frankly　yearn　for　Beautyand　they　are　speedily　educated
out　of　it。

The　reasons　specially　given　for　our　low　standards　of　health　and　beauty
are　ignorance；　poverty；　and　the　evil　effects　of　special　trades。　　The　Man
with　the　Hoe　becomes　brother　to　the　ox　because　of　over…much　hoeing；　the
housepainter　is　lead…poisoned　because　of　his　painting；　books　have　been
written　to　show　the　injurious　influence　of　nearly　all　our　industries
upon　workers。

These　causes　are　sound　as　far　as　they　go；　but　do　not　cover　the　whole
ground。

The　farmer　may　be　muscle…bound　and　stooping　from　his　labor；　but　that
does　not　account　for　his　dyspepsia　or　his　rheumatism。

Then　we　allege　poverty　as　covering　all。　　Poverty　does　cover　a　good　deal。
　But　when　we　find　even　a　half…fed　savage　better　developed　than　a　well
paid　cashier；　and　a　poor　peasant　woman　a　more　vigorous　mother　than　the
idle　wife　of　a　rich　man；　poverty　is　not　enough。

Then　we　say　ignorance　explains　it。　　But　there　are　most　learned
professors　who　are　ugly　and　asthmathic；　there　are　even　doctors　who　can
boast　no　beauty　and　but　moderate　health；　there　are　some　of　the　petted
children　of　the　wealthy；　upon　whom　every　care　is　lavished　from　birth；
and　who　still　are　ill　to　look　at　and　worse　to　marry。

All　these　special　causes　are　admitted；　given　their　due　share　in　lowering
our　standards；　but　there　is　another　far　more　universal　in　its
application　and　its　effects。　　Let　us　look　back　on　our　little　ancestors
the　beasts；　and　see　what　keeps　them　so　true　to　type。

The　type　itself　set　by　that　balance　of　conditions　and　forces　we　call
〃natural　selection。〃　　As　the　environment　changes　they　must　be　adapted　to
it；　if　they　cannot　so　adapt　themselves　they　die。　　Those　who　live　are；　by
living；　proven　capable　of　maintaining　themselves。　　Every　creature　which
has　remained　on　earth；　while　so　many　less　effective　kinds　died　out；
remains　as　a　conqueror。　　The　speed　of　the　deerthe　constant　use　of
speedis　what　keeps　it　alive　and　makes　it　healthy　and　beautiful。　　The
varied　activities　of　the　life　of　a　leopard　are　what　have　developed　the
sinuous　gracile　strength　we　so　admire。　　It　is　what　the　creature　does　for
its　living；　its　daily　life…long　exercise　which　makes　it　what　it　is。

But　there　is　another　great　natural　force　which　works　steadily　to　keep
all　animals　up　to　the　race　standard；　that　is　sexual　selection。　
Throughout　nature　the　male　is　the　variant；　as　we　have　already　noted。　
His　energy　finds　vent　not　only　in　that　profuse　output　of　decorative
appendages　Ward　defines　as　〃masculine　efflorescence〃　but　in　variations
not　decorative；　not　useful　or　desirable　at　all。

The　female；　on　the　other　hand；　varies　much　less；　remaining　nearer　the
race　type；　and　her　function　is　to　select　among　these　varying　males　the
specimens　most　valuable　to　the　race。　　In　the　intense　masculine
competition　the　victor　must　necessarily　be　stronger　than　his　fellows；　he
is　first　proven　equal　to　his　environment　by　having　lived　to　grow　up；
then　more　than　equal　to　his　fellows　by　overcoming　them。　　This　higher
grade　of　selection　also　develops　not　only　the　characteristics　necessary
to　make　a　living；　but　secondary　ones；　often　of　a　purely　aesthetic
nature；　which　make　much　of　what　we　call　beauty。　　Between　the　two；　all
who　live　must　be　up　to　a　certain　grade；　and　those　who　become　parents
must　be　above　it；　a　masterly　arrangement　surely！

Here　is　where；　during　the　period　of　our　human　history；　we　in　our　newborn
consciousness　and　imperfect　knowledge；　have　grieviously　interfered　with
the　laws　of　nature。　　The　ancient　proprietary　family；　treating　the　woman
as　a　slave；　keeping　her　a　prisoner　and　subject　to　the　will　of　her
master；　cut　her　off　at　once　from　the　exercise　of　those　activities　which
alone　develop　and　maintain　the　race　type。

Take　the　one　simple　quality　of　speed。　　We　are　a　creature　built　for
speed；　a　free　swift　graceful　animal；　and　among　savages　this　is　still
seenthe　capacity　for　running；　mile　after　mile；　hour　after　hour。　
Running　is　as　natural　a　gait　for　_genus　homo_　as　for　_genus　cervus。_　
Now　suppose　among　deer；　the　doe　was　prohibited　from　running；　the　stag
continuing　free　on　the　mountain；　the　doe　living　in　caves　and　pens；
unequal　to　any　exercise。　　The　effect　on　the　species　would　be；
inevitably；　to　reduce　its　speed。

In　this　way；　by　keeping　women　to　one　small　range　of　duties；　and　in　most
cases　housebound；　we　have　interfered　with　natural　selection　and　its
resultant　health　and　beauty。　　It　can　easily　be　seen　what　the　effect　on
the　race　would　have　been　if　all　men　had　been　veiled　and　swathed；　hidden
in　harems；　kept　to　the　tent　or　house；　and　confined　to　the　activities　of
a　house…servant。　　Our　stalwart　laborers；　our　proud　soldiers；　our
athletes；　would　never　have　appeared　under　such　circumstances。　　The
confinement　to　the　house　alone；　cutting　women　off　from　sunshine　and　air；
is　by　itself　an　injury；　and　the　range　of　occupation　allowed　them　is　not
such　as　to　develop　a　high　standard　of　either　health　or　beauty。　　Thus　we
have　cut　off　half　the　race　from　the　strengthening　influence　of　natural
selection；　and　so　lowered　our　race…standards　in　large　degree。

This　alone；　however；　would　not　have　hid　such　mischievous　effects　but　for
our　further　blunder　in　completely　reversing　nature's　order　of　sexual
selection。　　It　is　quite　possible　that　even　under　confinement　and
restriction　women　could　have　kept　up　the　race　level；　passably；　through
this　great　function　of　selection；　but　here　is　the　great　fundamental
error　of　the　Androcentric　Culture。　　Assuming　to　be　the　possessor　of
women；　their　owner　and　master；　able　at　will　to　give；　buy　and　sell；　or　do
with　as　he　pleases；　man　became　the　selector。

It　seems　a　simple　change；　and　in　those　early　days；　wholly　ignorant　of
natural　laws；　there　was　no　suspicion　that　any　mischief　would　result。　　In
the　light　of　modern　knowledge；　however；