My 94 year-old grandmother is always telling me how shocked she is whenever she sees a kid out playing in the park with their Dad. She lives next to a park, so she's shocked quite often. She spent her life raising younger siblings, children and grandchildren believing firmly that men were not biologically capable of caring for children. The evidence to the contrary both creates feelings of pleasant surprise and deep deep resentment. So yes, it's good to not tie child rearing to any kind of biological trait. We all are able to care for our children and to receive the consequential emotional rewards.
I also want to point out that my grandmother did not raise any children in a capitalist society. Women's labor is subject to exploitation not just by capitalism. Doesn't mean that capitalism doesn't add it's own flavor to it, but it may also be responsible for pushing more men to take interest in raising their children to help maximize the earning potential of their spouses and therefore their family's as a whole.
Thanks, Anya, yes I think the aim should be societies where we are all enabled to care deeply for others.
I feel that capitalism has taken over most of the planet, though it looks different in different places. It’s true that the nuclear family isn’t the dominant family structure in many places and that women’s labor gets exploited within those other family structures too. And capitalism definitely didn’t invent patriarchy but sure does rely on it.
Laura, I so resonate with the postpartum period being the most intense physical and mental learning curve of my life (all the while feeling like I just ran a marathon). So appreciate both you and Jeremy and your work! xx
My 94 year-old grandmother is always telling me how shocked she is whenever she sees a kid out playing in the park with their Dad. She lives next to a park, so she's shocked quite often. She spent her life raising younger siblings, children and grandchildren believing firmly that men were not biologically capable of caring for children. The evidence to the contrary both creates feelings of pleasant surprise and deep deep resentment. So yes, it's good to not tie child rearing to any kind of biological trait. We all are able to care for our children and to receive the consequential emotional rewards.
I also want to point out that my grandmother did not raise any children in a capitalist society. Women's labor is subject to exploitation not just by capitalism. Doesn't mean that capitalism doesn't add it's own flavor to it, but it may also be responsible for pushing more men to take interest in raising their children to help maximize the earning potential of their spouses and therefore their family's as a whole.
Thanks, Anya, yes I think the aim should be societies where we are all enabled to care deeply for others.
I feel that capitalism has taken over most of the planet, though it looks different in different places. It’s true that the nuclear family isn’t the dominant family structure in many places and that women’s labor gets exploited within those other family structures too. And capitalism definitely didn’t invent patriarchy but sure does rely on it.
Laura, I so resonate with the postpartum period being the most intense physical and mental learning curve of my life (all the while feeling like I just ran a marathon). So appreciate both you and Jeremy and your work! xx
Thanks so much, Adriana - it’s a wild ride, isn’t it!