our androcentric culture-第24章
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〃Spare the rod and spoil the child〃 remains in belief； unmodified by the
millions of children spoiled by the unspared rod。
The breeders of racehorses have learned better； but not the breeders of
children。 Our trouble is simply the lack of intelligence。 We face the
babyish error and the hideous crime in exactly the same attitude。
〃This person has done something offensive。〃
Yes？and one waits eagerly for the first question of the rational
mindbut does not hear it。 One only hears 〃Punish him！〃
What is the first question of the rational mind？
〃Why？〃
Human beings are not first causes。 They do not evolve conduct out of
nothing。 The child does this； the man does that； _because_ of
something； because of many things。 If we do not like the way people
behave； and wish them to behave better； we should； if we are rational
beings； study the conditions that produce the conduct。
The connection between our archaic system of punishment and our
androcentric culture is two…fold。 The impulse of resistance； while； as
we have seen； of the deepest natural origin； is expressed more strongly
in the male than in the female。 The tendency to hit back and hit harder
has been fostered in him by sex…combat till it has become of great
intensity。 The habit of authority too； as old as our history； and the
cumulative weight of all the religions and systems of law and
government； have furthermore built up and intensified the spirit of
retaliation and vengeance。
They have even deified this concept； in ancient religions； crediting to
God the evil passions of men。 As the small boy recited； 〃Vengeance。 A
mean desire to get even with your enemies： 'Vengeance is mine saith the
Lord''I will repay。'〃
The Christian religion teaches better things； better than its expositors
and upholders have ever understoodmuch less practised。
The teaching of 〃Love your enemies； do good unto them that hate you； and
serve them that despitefully use you and persecute you；〃 has too often
resulted； when practised at all； in a sentimental negation； a
pathetically useless attitude of non…resistance。 You might as well base
a religion on a feather pillow！
The advice given was active； direct； concrete。 〃_Love！_〃 Love is not
non…resistance。 〃Do good！〃 Doing good is not non…resistance。 〃Serve！〃
Service is not non…resistance。
Again we have an overwhelming proof of the far…reaching effects of our
androcentric culture。 Consider it once more。 Here is one by nature
combative and desirous； and not by nature intended to monopolize the
management of his species。 He assumes to be not only the leader； but
the whole thingto be humanity itself； and to see in woman as Grant
Allen so clearly put it 〃Not only not the race； she is not even half the
race； but a subspecies； told off for purposes of reproduction merely。〃
Under this monstrous assumption； his sex…attributes wholly identified
with his human attributes； and overshadowing them； he has imprinted on
every human institution the tastes and tendencies of the male。 As a
male he fought； as a male human being he fought more； and deified
fighting； and in a culture based on desire and combat； loud with
strident self…expression； there could be but slow acceptance of the more
human methods urged by Christianity。 〃It is a religion for slaves and
women！〃 said the warrior of old。 （Slaves and women were largely the
same thing。） 〃It is a religion for slaves and women〃 says the advocate
of the Superman。
Well？ Who did the work of all the ancient world？ Who raised the food
and garnered it and cooked it and served it？ Who built the houses； the
temples； the acqueducts； the city wall？ Who made the furniture； the
tools； the weapons； the utensils； the ornamentsmade them strong and
beautiful and useful？ Who kept the human race going； somehow； in spite
of the constant hideous waste of war； and slowly built up the real
industrial civilization behind that gory show？Why just the slaves and
the women。
A religion which had attractions for the real human type is not
therefore to be utterly despised by the male。
In modern history we may watch with increasing ease the slow； sure
progress of our growing humanness beneath the weakening shell of an
all…male dominance。 And in this field of what begins in the nurse as
〃discipline；〃 and ends on the scaffold as 〃punishment；〃 we can clearly
see that blessed change。
What is the natural； the human attribute？ What does this 〃Love；〃 and
〃Do good；〃 and 〃Serve〃 mean？ In the blundering old church； still
androcentric； there was a great to…do to carry out this doctrine； in
elaborate symbolism。 A set of beggars and cripples； gathered for the
occasion； was exhibited； and kings and cardinals went solemnly through
the motions of serving them。 As the English schoolboy phrased it；
〃Thomas Becket washed the feet of leopards。〃
Service and love and doing good must always remain side issues in a male
world。 Service and love and doing good are the spirit of motherhood；
and the essense of human life。
Human life is service； and is not combat。 There you have the nature of
the change now upon us。
What has the male mind made of Christianity？
Desireto save one's own soul。 Combatwith the Devil。
Self…expressionthe whole gorgeous outpouring of pageant and display；
from the jewels of the high priest's breastplate to the choir of
mutilated men to praise a male Deity no woman may so serve。
What kind of mind can imagine a kind of god who would like a eunuch
better than a woman？
For woman they made at last a placethe usual placeof renunciation；
sacrifice and service； the Sisters of Mercy and their kind； and in that
loving service the woman soul has been content； not yearning for
cardinal's cape or bishop's mitre。
All this is changingchanging fast。 Everywhere the churches are
broadening out into more service； and the service broadening out beyond
a little group of widows and fatherless； of sick and in prison； to
embrace its true fieldall human life。 In this new attitude； how shall
we face the problems of crime？
Thus： 〃It is painfully apparent that a certain percentage of our people
do not function properly。 They perform antisocial acts。 Why？ What is
the matter with them？〃
Then the heart and mind of society is applied to the question； and
certain results are soon reached； others slowly worked toward。
First result。 Some persons are so morally diseased that they must have
hospital treatment。 The world's last prison will be simply a hospital
for moral incurables。 They must by no means reproduce their kind；that
can be attended to at once。 Some are morally diseased； but may be
cured； and the best powers of society will be used to cure them。 Some
are only morally diseased because of the conditions in which they are
born and reared； and here society can save millions at once。
An intelligent society will no more neglect its children than an
intelligent mother will neglect her children； and will see as clearly
that ill…fed； ill…dressed； ill…taught and vilely associated little ones
must grow up gravely injured。
As a matter of fact we make our crop of criminals； just as we make our
idiots； blind； crippled； and generally defective。 Everyone is a baby
first； and a baby is not a criminal； unless we make it so。 It never
would be；in right conditions。 Sometimes a pervert is born； as
sometimes a two…headed calf is born； but they are not common。
The older； simpler forms of crime we may prevent with case and despatch；
but how of the new ones？big； terrible； far…reaching； wide…spread
crimes； for which we have as yet no names； and before which our old
system of anti…personal punishment falls helpless？ What of the crimes
of poisoning a community with bad food； of defiling the water； of
blackening the air； of stealing whole forests？ What of the crimes of
working little children； of building and renting tenements that produce
crime and physical disease as well？ What of the crime of living on the
wages of fallen womenof hiring men to ruin innocent young girls； of
holding them enslaved and selling them for profit？ （These things are
only 〃misdemeanors〃 in a man…made world！）
And
