LIVED DOMESTICITIES
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Is Female to Male as Nature is to Culture
I have a simple inquiry about this article. Is Ms. Ortner stating that women, because of their biological functions and because of their upbringing, are in fact not integral to human society except for procreation? It seems to me like she is providing evidence towards this. It is strange for a female to take that kind of position. Especially since she seems to contradict her analysis by stating that women provide the link between culture and nature by teaching children the elements and rules of culture but in a more intimate manner similar to other animals.
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I dont think Ortner is necessarily contradicting herself when stating that women provide the link of culture and nature by teaching her children, i think she is further proving how a woman's job biologically then naturally is to reproduce and nurture her children and part of that if you have a boy she must do the same but i believe more with the fathers involvement. i think the analysis of a womans biological make up being the root of her existance and purpose can bring up the question, does this anything have to do with expression mothers intuition where a woman is more in touch with her nature where as in a man can be more cultural and intellectual. I found it interesting when she states, "Thus the pattern replicates that in the area of socialization --women perform lower level conversions from nature to culture, but when the culture distinguishes a higher level of the same functions, the higher level is restricted to me" (20) because she is discussing the work of cooking where a woman does is to keep her family fed and its a natural "duty" of a woman although she does have to observe and learn it. When it changes to another level where its more intellectual regarding variety and specificity of recipes a man turns into a job (chef). This once again rises the concept nature vs culture.
ReplyDeleteKaren, this is a great response and I like the examples from Ortner you cite here to illustrate your point.
ReplyDeletePaul- I wouldn't say Ortner contradicts herself-remember she state women are closer, not equivalent, to nature.