our androcentric culture-第13章

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some　observed　forms　of　life；　as　the　kitten　imitates　its　mother's
hunting。

So　far　all　is　natural　and　human。

Now　see　our　attitude　toward　child's　playunder　a　masculine　culture。　
Regarding　women　only　as　a　sex；　and　that　sex　as　manifest　from　infancy；　we
make　and　buy　for　our　little　girls　toys　suitable　to　this　view。　　Being
femaleswhich　means　mothers；　we　must　needs　provide　them　with　babies
before　they　cease　to　be　babies　themselves；　and　we　expect　their　play　to
consist　in　an　imitation　of　maternal　cares。　　The　doll；　the　puppet；　which
interests　all　children；　we　have　rendered　as　an　eternal　baby；　and　we
foist　them　upon　our　girl　children　by　ceaseless　millions。

The　doll；　as　such；　is　dear　to　the　little　boy　as　well　as　the　girl；　but
not　as　a　baby。　　He　likes　his　jumping…jack；　his　worsted　Sambo；　often　a
genuine　rag…doll；　but　he　is　discouraged　and　ridiculed　in　this。　　We　do
not　expect　the　little　boy　to　manifest　a　father's　love　and　care　for　an
imitation　childbut　we　do　expect　the　little　girl　to　show　maternal
feelings　for　her　imitation　baby。　　It　has　not　yet　occurred　to　us　that
this　is　monstrous。

Little　children　should　not　be　expected　to　show；　in　painful　precocity；
feelings　which　ought　never　to　be　experienced　till　they　come　at　the
proper　age。　　Our　kittens　play　at　cat…sports；　little　Tom　and　Tabby
together；　but　little　Tabby　does　not　play　she　is　a　mother！

Beyond　the　continuous　dolls　and　their　continuous　dressing；　we　provide
for　our　little　girls　tea　sets　and　kitchen　sets；　doll's　houses；　little
work…boxesthe　imitation　tools　of　their　narrow　trades。　　For　the　boy
there　is　a　larger　choice。　　We　make　for　them　not　only　the　essentially
masculine　toys　of　combatall　the　enginery　of　mimic　war；　but　also　the
models　of　human　things；　like　boats；　railroads；　wagons。　　For　them；　too；
are　the　comprehensive　toys　of　the　centuries；　the　kite；　the　top；　the
ball。　　As　the　boy　gets　old　enough　to　play　the　games　that　require　skill；
he　enters　the　world…lists；　and　the　little　sister；　left　inside；　with　her
everlasting　dolls；　learns　that　she　is　〃only　a　girl；〃　and　〃mustn't　play
with　boysboys　are　so　rough！〃　　She　has　her　doll　and　her　tea　set。　　She
〃plays　house。〃　　If　very　active　she　may　jump　rope；　in　solitary
enthusiasm；　or　in　combination　of　from　two　to　four。　　Her　brother　is
playing　games。　　From　this　time　on　he　plays　the　games　of　the　world。　　The
〃sporting　page〃　should　be　called　〃the　Man's　Page〃　as　that　array　of
recipes；　fashions　and　cheap　advice　is　called　〃the　Woman's　Page。〃

One　of　the　immediate　educational　advantages　of　the　boy's　position　is
that　he　learns　〃team　work。〃　　This　is　not　a　masculine　characteristic；　it
is　a　human　one；　a　social　power。　　Women　are　equally　capable　of　it　by
nature；　but　not　by　education。　　Tending　one's　imitation　baby　is　not
team…work；　nor　is　playing　house。　　The　little　girl　is　kept　forever　within
the　limitations　of　her　mother's　〃sphere〃　of　action；　while　the　boy　learns
life；　and　fancies　that　his　new　growth　is　due　to　his　superior　sex。

Now　there　are　certain　essential　distinctions　in　the　sexes；　which　would
manifest　themselves　to　some　degree　even　in　normally　reared　children；　as
for　instance　the　little　male　would　be　more　given　to　fighting　and
destroying；　the　little　female　more　to　caring　for　and　constructing
things。

〃Boys　are　so　destructive！〃　we　say　with　modest　prideas　if　it　was　in
some　way　a　credit　to　them。　　But　early　youth　is　not　the　time　to　display
sex　distinction；　and　they　should　be　discouraged　rather　than　approved。

The　games　of　the　world；　now　the　games　of　men；　easily　fall　into　two　broad
classesgames　of　skill　and　games　of　chance。

The　interest　and　pleasure　in　the　latter　is　purely　human；　and　as　such　is
shared　by　the　two　sexes　even　now。　　Women；　in　the　innocent　beginnings　or
the　vicious　extremes　of　this　line　of　amusement；　make　as　wild　gamblers　as
men。　　At　the　races；　at　the　roulette　wheel；　at　the　bridge　table；　this　is
clearly　seen。

In　games　of　skill　we　have　a　different　showing。　　Most　of　these　are
developed　by　and　for　men；　but　when　they　are　allowed；　women　take　part　in
them　with　interest　and　success。　　In　card　games；　in　chess；　checkers；　and
the　like；　in　croquet　and　tennis；　they　play；　and　play　well　if
well…trained。　　Where　they　fall　short　in　so　many　games；　and　are　so　wholly
excluded　in　others；　is　not　for　lack　of　human　capacity；　but　for　lack　of
masculinity。　　Most　games　are　male。　　In　their　element　of　desire　to　win；
to　get　the　prize；　they　are　male；　and　in　their　universal　attitude　of
competition　they　are　male；　the　basic　spirit　of　desire　and　of　combat
working　out　through　subtle　modern　forms。

There　is　something　inherently　masculine　also　in　the　universal　dominance
of　the　projectile　in　their　games。　　The　ball　is　the　one　unescapable
instrument　of　sport。　　From　the　snapped　marble　of　infancy　to　the　flying
missile　of　the　bat；　this　form　endures。　　To　send　something　forth　with
violence；　to　throw　it；　bat　it；　kick　it；　shoot　it；　this　impulse　seems　to
date　back　to　one　of　the　twin　forces　of　the　universethe　centrifugal　and
centripetal　energies　between　which　swing　the　planets。

The　basic　feminine　impulse　is　to　gather；　to　put　together；　to　construct；
the　basic　masculine　impulse　to　scatter；　to　disseminate；　to　destroy。　　It
seems　to　give　pleasure　to　a　man　to　bang　something　and　drive　it　from　him；
the　harder　he　hits　it　and　the　farther　it　goes　the　better　pleased　he　is。

Games　of　this　sort　will　never　appeal　to　women。　　They　are　not　wrong；　not
necessarily　evil　in　their　place；　our　mistake　is　in　considering　them　as
human；　whereas　they　are　only　masculine。

Play；　in　the　childish　sense　is　an　expression　of　previous　habit；　and　to
be　studied　in　that　light。　　Play　in　the　educational　sense　should　be
encouraged　or　discouraged　to　develop　desired　characteristics。　　This　we
know；　and　practice；　only　we　do　it　under　androcentric　canons；　confining
the　girl　to　the　narrow　range　we　consider　proper　for　women；　and　assisting
the　boy　to　cover　life　with　the　expression　of　masculinity；　when　we　should
be　helping　both　to　a　more　human　development。

Our　settled　conviction　that　men　are　peoplethe　people；　and　that
masculine　qualities　are　the　main　desideratam　in　life；　is　what　keeps　up
this　false　estimate　of　the　value　of　our　present　games。　　Advocates　of
football；　for　instance；　proudly　claim　that　it　fits　a　man　for　life。　
Lifefrom　the　wholly　male　point　of　viewis　a　battle；　with　a　prize。　　To
want　something　beyond　measure；　and　to　fight　to　getthat　is　the　simple
proposition。　　This　view　of　life　finds　its　most　naive　expression　in
predatory　warfare；　and　still　tends　to　make　predatory　warfare　of　the
later　and　more　human　processes　of　industry。　　Because　they　see　life　in
this　way　they　imagine　that　skill　and　practice　in　the　art　of　fighting；
especially　in　collective　fighting；　is　so　valuable　in　our　modern　life。　
This　is　an　archaism　which　would　be　laughable　if　it　were　not　so　dangerous
in　its　effects。

The　valuable　processes　to…day　are　those　of　invention；　discovery；　all
grades　of　industry；　and；　most　especially　needed；　the　capacity　for　honest
service　and　administration　of　our　immense　advantages。　　These　are　not
learned　on　the　football　field。　　This　spirit　of　desire　and　combat　may　be
seen　further　in　all　parts　of　this　great　subject。　　It　has　developed　into
a　cult　of　sportsmanship；　so　universally　accepted　among　men　as　of
superlative　merit　as　to　quite　blind　them　to　other　standards　of　judgment。

In　the　Cook…Peary　controversy　of　1909；　this　canon　was　made　manifest。　
Here；　one　man　had　spent　a　lifetime　in　trying　to　accomplish　something；
and　at　the　eleventh　hour　succeeded。　　Then；　coming　out　in　the　rich
triumph　long　deferred；　he　finds　another　man；　of　character　well　known　to
him；　impudently　and　falsely　claiming　that　he　had　done　it　first。　　Mr。
Peary　expressed　himself；　quite　restrainedly　and　correctly；　in　regard　to
the　effrontery　and　falsity　of　this　claimand　all　the　country　rose　up
and　denounced　him　as　〃unsportsmanlike！〃

Sport　and　the　canons　of　sport　are　so　dominant　in　the　masculine　mind　that
what　they　considered　a　deviation　from　these　standards　was　of　far　more
importance　than　the　question　of　fact　involved；　to　say　nothing　of　the
moral　obliquity　of　one　lying　to　the　whole　world；　for　money；　and　that　at
the　cost　of　another's　hard…won　triumph。

If　women　had　co