Linda Hirshman "Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women and the World""

  • Thread starter Thread starter WenckebachCath
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
W

WenckebachCath

Guest
Interview with Ms Hirshman, Click here

This woman has rather extreme views regarding women in the workforce. I’ve always worked outside the home, albiet parttime. We are very financially secure, but I’ve always enjoyed keeping my hand in nursing. I have many friends in nursing, and I enjoy getting out of the house and contributing. Yet, I think work at home is just as valuable.

Ms Hirshman apparently believes that women who stay at home harm society. She’s written a small book titled Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women and the World. She has a website. gettoworkmanifesto.com/index2.htmPeople are taking her seriously.

I wonder if baby boomer women, who have opted out of motherhood, become extremely successful, and perhaps have regrets, have too much influence and money? Another thought is that this type of philosophy is entirely geared towards high achieving educated women from privileged backgrounds. I truly think many leading feminists are totally out of touch with the struggles of the working class.
 
WenckebachCath said:
Interview with Ms Hirshman, Click here
I wonder if baby boomer women, who have opted out of motherhood, become extremely successful, and perhaps have regrets, have too much influence and money? Another thought is that this type of philosophy is entirely geared towards high achieving educated women from privileged backgrounds. I truly think many leading feminists are totally out of touch with the struggles of the working class.
Click to expand...
The working class and poor women work outside the home as they have always done. The whole concept of how women should work outside the home is a conceit of the middle and upper classes who have always had the privilege of the option of not working outside the home. However, these baby boomer women fought for the right and won the right for all women to work outside the home and get the same pay as any other person doing the same job.

I don’t think it harms society for a women to take a decade off while she has young children if she can afford it. And I think it should be up to each individual how they’ll govern their own life.
 
WenckebachCath said:
? Another thought is that this type of philosophy is entirely geared towards high achieving educated women from privileged backgrounds. I truly think many leading feminists are totally out of touch with the struggles of the working class.
Click to expand...
I agree totally, I thought that in the 60s when the same ideas were current among some of the more rabid feminists, and intensive study of American history, labor history and women’s history have solidified my opinion. I have been called a “parasite upon society” in the years I was home raising children, and been called an unnatural mother in the years I had to work to feed my family. You can’t win so ignore them and do what works for you.
 
My wife and I were usually the victims of the opposite view… When ever I told a boss I needed to stay home because a child was sick, drive a child to a Dr. appointment, could not make an early morning meeting because I was driving the school car-pool, I’d get the “look” and a comment like: “My wife stayed home to raise our children.”

My mother worked way back when it was so uncommon people thought we were freaks. Dad worked 1st shift; Mom 3rd or 2nd when 3rd was not available. I grew up responsible for myself and as an assistant to the housework. I had to walk or ride my bike to and from school, be responsible for getting places on time, feeding myself, and other things when both parents were working, sick or tied up with other family matters.

My wife use to work for one of the highest rated companies by “Working Woman” Magazine for working mothers… until they told her she could no longer work part time. “Full time or forget it!” She’s been “off” for a year.

That said, my wife still has little time to clean house. Her biggest passion is volunteering at our kid’s school. Between that, church, religious education, and the other “opportunities of life” she’s almost as busy as when she was being paid to work AND do all this stuff, too.

Without reading the book, I don’t like to comment on such things. But I would hope that Ms.Hirshman would acknowledge the efforts by the volunteers of the world. Or is the pretense that you can only contribute to society if money exchanges hands?
 
Women like this infuriate me. Was not the feminist movement about choice? These women don’t want choice, they want to force their views on everyone. They are the epitome of selfishness. They care about no-one but themselves. It’s wrong and harmful for women to stay at home - harmful to whom? Other feminists and other women, according to her. How about the children involved? She doesn’t seem to be concerned about the hrm being done to them via their working moms. :mad:
 
From the interview:

You seem to be saying that a woman who chooses to stay at home with her kids rather than working is harming all women in our society.

Right. (her response)

Dear Women of Society,
I am terribly sorry that I have negitivly affected all of you by my decision to stay home & take care of my children while they are young. How terribly selfish of me.

Sincerely,
Carol Marie
Lowly Mother & Homemaker

Where’s the vomit smiley when I need it?
 
The vomit smiley sure gets a lot of requests around here! From me too.

Didn’t Jesus predict that the time would come when good was called evil…?

Feminists like this crack me up. Does nobody notice that most of them are miserable and bitter? Doesn’t seem like the philosophy is working too well. Seems to me that feminism commited the classic liberal mistake: identify a REAL and serious injustice - then come up with a ‘solution’ that makes it worse! While the woman of the 1950’s WAS, in fact, taken for granted, not valued, abused and generally exploited by men, the solution is not to make women into men! The solution is to demand that women be respected for who they ARE AND what they do. Instead, the modern feminist AGREES with the 50’s pig-man and asserts that the wife/mother is worth less than he is.
 
The working class and poor women work outside the home as they have always done. The whole concept of how women should work outside the home is a conceit of the middle and upper classes who have always had the privilege of the option of not working outside the home.
Click to expand...
This I fully agree with!! I sincerely believe that many middle class people forget that there are those who HAVE to work in order to provide for their families. I have continual jabs thrown at me, people telling me they feel sorry for me etc all because I HAVE to work outside the home. Would I rather be home with my daughter? Of course I would…but some of us don’t have that luxury right now.
 
you are absolutely right!! I think motherhood is way more satisfying than a career and all the extremely successful women that I have talked to (Like the President of my company) have admitted that they regret the decision of not having kids…
after all, when you look at it, when you are laid off or quit, you are replaced the very next day but you can never be replaced in your family!!!
 
At the same time I fully disagree with these crazy feminists!!! They seem to have the opposite attitude that every woman who stays at home is no good and not contributing to society! This is insane and these women don’t think with their heads on straight.
 
st_ignatius110 said:
This I fully agree with!! I sincerely believe that many middle class people forget that there are those who HAVE to work in order to provide for their families. I have continual jabs thrown at me, people telling me they feel sorry for me etc all because I HAVE to work outside the home. Would I rather be home with my daughter? Of course I would…but some of us don’t have that luxury right now.
Click to expand...
This is true, but I think some people also think that if you’re a SAHM you’re wealthy. That is not the case for many moms. Some of us sacrafice a lot, cut expenses where we can, and do without so that we can be a SAHM. Just b/c we SAHM doesn’t mean we’re wealthy. I gave up a good paying job to be a SAHM. I’m not saying you think that, but some do…
 
carol_marie said:
Dear Women of Society,
I am terribly sorry that I have negitivly affected all of you by my decision to stay home & take care of my children while they are young. How terribly selfish of me.

Sincerely,
Carol Marie
Lowly Mother & Homemaker

Where’s the vomit smiley when I need it?
Click to expand...
Apology accepted carl marie 😉 😛

Sincerely,
LilyM
Lowly working woman and supportive sister of several lowly mothers and homemakers (I and they prefer the term ‘domestic goddess’ 😃 )
 
This is true, but I think some people also think that if you’re a SAHM you’re wealthy. That is not the case for many moms. Some of us sacrafice a lot, cut expenses where we can, and do without so that we can be a SAHM. Just b/c we SAHM doesn’t mean we’re wealthy. I gave up a good paying job to be a SAHM. I’m not saying you think that, but some do…
Click to expand...
I don’t know one working mom who actually thinks this…thank goodness!! I know what it is to be poor and make sacrifices whether a stay at home mom or not. My mom stayed home our entire childhood and we were poor. There is nothing wrong with that. What would have been wrong is this. If my dad had to work 3 or 4 jobs to support us and we never had a relationship with him or if we went hungry. I have no doubt there are those out there who assume that a SAHM is wealthy. You know, I just thought about this though…the stay at home moms I know I would never consider wealthy…but many of them I would consider at least well off. Perhaps many look at SAHM moms as though they are wealthy merely because of their status in society. I live among the working poor…and none of them can be a SAHM no matter how badly they wish to be. Perhaps this is why they would view a SAHM as wealthy? I am not saying it is a correct view but maybe that sheds some light on the reasoning behind it all.
 
In my opinion, no book with the word “Manifesto” in its title can be taken seriously.
 
Lowly working woman and supportive sister of several lowly mothers and homemakers (I and they prefer the term ‘domestic goddess’
Click to expand...
HAHAHAHHHA. :rotfl: That is hilarious! I love the term Domestic Goddess…can I still use it even though I have to work?? lol…:bowdown2: ( me bowing to all the domestic goddesses out there )
 
This woman’s rationale for her theory that SAHMs are hurting their working sisters is absolutely convoluted. It’s totally illogical. For one thing, removing competition from the workforce is better for those in it, because they can command higher wages due to fewer workers available. We see this in nursing. There actually isn’t a nursing shortage, only a shortage of nurses who remain in the active workforce. Therefore, nurses are in demand and can command a very good wage.

Secondly, I’m totally certain that this woman is pro-choice. Yet, she would dare to denigrate the choice of those who prefer a different lifestyle than herself. Have you ever noticed how hypocritical the radical left can be? She probably thinks of herself as a very tolerant, but listen to her words:

Are you angry or frustrated with women who stay home with their kids?

I think they’re making a mistake. The most frustrating thing about the whole business is the nonsensical stories that they tell themselves and me about what they think they’re doing. The delusional quality of it is a little weird.
Where do you think that comes from?
I’m not sure what is going on. If they, in fact, believe the things that they tell me, then they are incredibly stupid and foolish. I’m hoping that they’re reciting it like a mantra: “choice, choice, choice, choice,” or “I never met a man who wished on his deathbed he spent more time at work.” These are mantras that these women recite; they send them to me in e-mails. And so, when the whole society is telling you a set of things, it becomes very easy to just recite it.

The interesting question is why they are unwilling to think through what they’re doing. And I think it’s because what they’re doing is destructive and dangerous and they’re afraid to face it

Can you believe these words came out of this woman’s mouth? It’s really hard to imagine an intelligent person saying that.:rolleyes:
 
I was going to stay out of this discussion for a few reasons, one, I didn’t want to read what this woman said as I knew it would only make me angry and upset, and two, I hold strong views about women being home with their children and I don’t want to make women who need to work feel bad (I used to have to work as well, I understand the angst most women feel leaving their children and I feel so blessed to be able to stay home and have a large family).

Anyway, this last post quoting her just really gets my goat…She really thinks children are best taken care of in daycare or by the state than by a child’s own parents (be that mom OR dad). This whole mindset just staggers me. I think most working moms struggle with the desire to be home with their children and know, in a perfect world that it’s the best. However, we live in a world that is far from perfect, so many moms have to work. This woman isn’t helping anything except spreading dischord and making women feel bad about choices they make.

My mom had to work, but she always tried to choose a shift that didn’t interfere with her being home with me. When that wasn’t always possible, there were close friends and family that would look after me. We made many creative arragements. She knew that my having easy access to her was important even though she had to work. She was nearly always available for fieldtrips and chaperoning, etc. I know she worked hard to make me feel loved and cared for, esp through some difficult times growing up. She didn’t really have a career so much as a job she had to do to feed us both. She totally supports my decision to be home and thinks its the best choice for all of us.

Anyway, I hope we can all have a good discussion about this.

Jennifer
 
This person needs to occupy herself with more time in the workplace; away from women (and men, house-husbands) who actually form the minds of our future, educate those minds, train them, mold them, and bring them to an acceptable level of humanity fit for social interaction- and she should mind her own business while she’s at it.
 
It seems to be an extension of the culture of death, and the lack of value given to “squalling brats”, or what you and I call children.
I am not against women working, they always have, and many of them need to, but I am against putting your career before your children.
How many women have forgotten, or do not care about the value of their own mother’s/grandmother’s contribution to their upbringing by staying home. We insult the efforts of women for generations by dengrating the efforts of SAHM.
It is also a symptom of our consumer/materialist culture-I earn £0 for my efforts, therefore, since we are rated by how much we earn, I am worth nothing.
I really feel sorry for so many children who are in care for hours on end, and see their parents for maybe an hour a day-are not these children as good as orphans?
I laugh at our government, who while disgusted with teenagers having babies, encourage parents to leave their children with teenagers, while they go to work.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top