Working Women and the Decline of the Western Civilization

BigRob · 05-02-2007, 03:08 PM

This is a paper I turned in to my English class as a argument. I'm going to post it and let you guys read it and comment on it, then I'll let you know what my peers thought of it and what the teacher graded it as.

In the name of progress numerous changes have been made to certain aspects in human society. In fact, humans are the only species to willing make changes in its social structure against natural instinct in an attempt of improvement. But what if taking the step forward in one area leads to two steps back in other areas? Is there really progress being made or is it really regression? I believe that we,as humans, have abandoned our traditional roles, which have had repercussions and caused many of the problems in todays world. These problems tend to get blamed on everything from television to video games to music, and the real problem lies within us.

Over the last fifty years, the United States had seen a increase of problems in society like never before. The common, prevailing thought is that the 50's were the apex in America. Sure, there was the threat of the influence of Communism, yet overall, the 50's hold a mystique as an era of innocence. Post war, the economy was growing steadily and families were growing. This was the time of "Leave it to Beaver" and "Ozzie and Harriet." Dad would go to work and come home to dinner. The kids were doing homework and dinner was ready on the table. Dinner was served and everyone ate together. After dinner, everyone enjoyed time together doing their favorite past time or just chatting. Then something happened in the name of progress. Women began joining the workforce in large numbers and the decline of the Western civilization began.

It began during the Second World War, when women replaced men in the factories and other jobs as the men went to Europe to fight. The men returned and went back to their normal routines, but some women already had a taste of what they were capable of. Some women chose to keep working, if they were allowed. Then the 50's came, and with it was the baby boom. As families grew, sometimes the fathers paycheck wasn't enough. Eventually, the mother had to go out to make extra income. As people made more money they began to spend more. The more people spent, the more goods needed to be made for demand. The price for the goods went up as
demand increased. In order to meet the demand, manufacturers began adding new shifts so they could manufacture around the clock. The factory had to hire new personnel to work the new shifts. Plenty of women needed jobs because the cost of living had increased. A vicious cycle had begun. Now the women who didn't want to work had to, just to maintain a normal standard of living.

So now women are no longer in the home. The duties they had before, go undone. Society itself begins to quiver as a seemingly innocent, yet totally unnatural, act occurs. The family pillar is gone. The void left by the wives and mothers begin to damage other aspects of society.

America began having a growing problem with obesity. As time has gone on, the age of people labeled obese has gotten younger. There is no coincidence in that this problem corresponds with the rise of the fast food industry. That industry was built on the premise of meals for people in a hurry. Since the woman was working and no longer had time to be in the home preparing a good healthy meal for the husband and kids, the fast food option came about. These meals were not as nutritious as what mom would have made. Nor were the alternative to fast food, the pre-packaged meal.

Another corelation that has developed is the one between women working and the increase in the divorce rate. As women left the home, the chores around the house went undone. As the family returns from work and school there is a rush to maintain the living quarters and do individual personal matters that need to be taken care of. The family bonding time is squeezed out. The levels of stress increase as the bond loosens. This leads to the classic fighting with the children, and the adults will fight with each other. With the positive reinforcing emotions now absent, people will look for them elsewhere. Both men and women want the sense of feeling wanted and appreciated. The easiest, most common place to look is the workplace. The
infidelity often leads to divorce. As the anger from the divorce takes over, the children will suffer most.

America has also developed a problem with gangs. If you ask a gang member about his gang, they will tell you they're his family. One of the most primal of all instincts is to feel accepted and cared for by a group. Normally one's group would be the family, but with mom and dad absent, due to work or other issues, a new family emerges. This new family consist of other disenfranchised youth full of angst and looking for acceptance. These youth cling together as a unit, yet don't have the maturity or morality guiding them since the elder figures aren't there to teach them right and wrong. Without that, the gang runs amok and commit crimes including drug
trafficking, rape, assault, and murder. Without the guidance of their true family, they lose the true value of life and what it means to be alive. Unfortunately, these children too often find themselves in the position of becoming parents themselves, and without the proper role models their children will end up like them.

This leads to another another aspect that has risen to prominence over the last few decades, and that is teen pregnancy. The female child is often left alone and due to the lack of a social structure at home looks for her acceptance elsewhere and in other ways. Again, the want for love and the immaturity combine to create a problem of epidemic proportions. Often the male child involved disappears quickly and leave the girl alone, or he's just financially unable to provide for her and the baby. As a result they end up on welfare and put a burden on the tax system.

And lastly, even the children under school age are effected by their mothers working. These children are often left in day cares. The job of raising the future generation goes to a day care worker that gets paid little more than minimum wage and doesn't care how the child turns out fifteen or twenty years from now. Will the day care worker care if the child graduates college or ends up in jail? Even with careful investigation there is no guarantee that the service provider has the same values and morals as the parents, and a very important bonding time between mother and child is missed.

I agree women in the workplace have had some positive changes in the way we live. There have been many successful women who had pioneered developments in science and medicine that in the end may have saved the world, or at least ended the suffering of many people. I have no fault with these women. I rather blame the mass exodus of mothers from their homes to the factories. The loss of the wives and mothers from the home to the workplace has damaged large segments of society. A majority of women will tell you they work for financial reasons, as a family capable of comfortably living on a single income grows harder all the time. Others will tell you they want recognition or respect. But what is the cost of the extra income and respect? It is a price the whole of society pays. Women already had the most important job of all, that of raising the next generation.

7960 · 05-02-2007, 03:14 PM

You're saying "working women" are to blame but you don't say anything that's specific to women. Exactly what's the difference between having a mother stay home and having a father stay home?

And btw, there's been a HUGE increase in greyhound adoptions during this same time. Since you're saying obesity and gangs and divorce can be blamed on working mothers I'm sure you can also see the correlation between working mothers and greyhound adoptions, too, right?

DosEquis · 05-02-2007, 03:28 PM

I agree that society is suffering from the lack of parental influence. It is unfortunate that a lot of people can't afford to not have both parents working. While it was women back then, I don't know if it would matter a whole lot if it was women or men working. As long as one of them was there to be an influence and keep the kids in check.

BigRob · 05-02-2007, 03:33 PM

I feel the need to point out the title of my paper was "The Most Important Job"

Somehow I missed it when I copied and pasted.

IminWonderland · 05-02-2007, 03:59 PM

I think that I have a hard time stomaching this paper.

But, there are not specific examples of what women actually have done and further some claims should be sourced.

DosEquis · 05-02-2007, 04:03 PM

I am leaning toward it being a compliment in a wierd way. Society has been on a ethical and moral decline since the mom hasn't stayed home and has been working. Though back then it was for a different reason. Women stayed home because they were supposedly less capable than a man at work and their job was to raise the family and cook dinner. Take the very capable women out of that job of home maker...and we see home/family life start to decline in some qualities. To me that shows women were doing a good job raising families.

IminWonderland · 05-02-2007, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by DosEquis

I am leaning toward it being a compliment in a wierd way. Society has been on a ethical and moral decline since the mom hasn't stayed home and has been working. Though back then it was for a different reason. Women stayed home because they were supposedly less capable than a man at work and their job was to raise the family and cook dinner. Take the very capable women out of that job of home maker...and we see home/family life start to decline in some qualities. To me that shows women were doing a good job raising families.

Yeah, what is the worth of this "good job" when it's unappreciated, not paid, and abuse was typical in many forms?

Any man in the same role would either revolt or quit. It only took women centuries to be able to even have a dialogue if being a baby farm and a dinner maker were the only things females were capable of.

What good is a capable woman, if she is not fufilled in what she does? Doesn't a man want his work to mean something to him? Why is a family and children an automatic fufillment for a woman?

DosEquis · 05-02-2007, 04:25 PM

Originally Posted by IminWonderland

Yeah, what is the worth of this "good job" when it's unappreciated, not paid, and abuse was typical in many forms?

Any man in the same role would either revolt or quit. It only took women centuries to be able to even have a dialogue if being a baby farm and a dinner maker were the only things females were capable of.

What good is a capable woman, if she is not fufilled in what she does? Doesn't a man want his work to mean something to him? Why is a family and children an automatic fufillment for a woman?

I can't really speak for the cases which lack appreciation or the abuse that may have taken place in some homes. As far as pay is concerned they were typically married and the husband brought home the bacon. In a good home the husband would spread the wealth around so that she could go buy her some clothes or whatever else she wanted that they could afford. In some homes, even today, the women managed the money and the husband waited for his "allowance" after the family took what they needed.

I do think it is a free country and that women have the right to work. I think women can do well in most positions including being president of the united states. Everyone should be able to fulfill themselves in what they do. It used to be exclusive for women back then when they were deemed less capable.

BigRob · 05-02-2007, 06:04 PM

This paper didn't allow for sources. It was supposed to be a persuasive argument based on opinion. There was a requirement to take note of the opposition and rebutt them.

My paper actually was to show the strenth of the American woman and her importance in a stable society as a mother.

It was meant to be complimentary. In fact, most women who have read it previously said "finally a man that gets it." Most say I nailed it. The only decenter was the ultra-liberal teacher.

"You have chosen a controversial issue for the paper& the topic is effective for an aurgument, however, my major concern is that the topic is a bit too broad for this size of assignment, which made most of the examples underdeveloped. Also, you did not explain the connection between women-in detail- for a few of the reasons. Finally, there is faulty logic (for the conclusion and some of the examples) basically all of the problems you mentioned existed in the 1950's when roles were traditional. Remember, generalization like this one often excludes important exceptions that can weaken an argument."

The paper was peer reviewed previously by two woman who loved my paper. The teacher replied on their reviews

"I'm surprised these women were so mild in their response"

I scored a 14/20

It's confusing how I got 5/5 for clarity and 4/5 for organization, yet in the side antedotes she has "vague", "where are you going with this?", and "need to explain more."

I just think her bias' got in the way of an otherwise good,effective argument paper. Unfortunately, dispite eleven other women who read it liking it and agreeing, she's the teacher and hers is the opinion that makes up the grades. The point was to grade the assignment in and of itself, not argue back based off her own beliefs.

But I have the pride in myself in knowing my intentions and that others have recognized them. In fact, my GF was so proud of the paper she emailed it to her Mum and she said she was sending a copy to her local parliment because they're having similar problems in England.

Question I need to ask my teacher:
How can a mother being the most important job be faulty logic?

If everyone else loves the paper and you hate it, don't you think the problem may be with you?

How can I be confusing yet score perfect for clarity?

DosEquis · 05-02-2007, 06:11 PM

iminwonderland graded your paper sounds like

05-02-2007, 06:17 PM

So now women are no longer in the home. The duties they had before, go undone. Society itself begins to quiver as a seemingly innocent, yet totally unnatural, act occurs. The family pillar is gone. The void left by the wives and mothers begin to damage other aspects of society.

No offense, but you're wondering why you only received a 14/20? That's a pretty bold statement you made above, and one that is sure to strike deep into the hearts of every mother who has ever worked.

I'm with IminWonderland on this one. I had a really hard time stomaching it, and I don't see how it is flattering to women at all. What a way to blame the downfall of society on women.

DosEquis · 05-02-2007, 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by 03 white zx3

No offense, but you're wondering why you only received a 14/20? That's a pretty bold statement you made above, and one that is sure to strike deep into the hearts of every mother who has ever worked.

I'm with IminWonderland on this one. I had a really hard time stomaching it, and I don't see how it is flattering to women at all. What a way to blame the downfall of society on women.

I would say it gives credit to women holding society together. Thats how i interpreted it when i read it anyway.

05-02-2007, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by DosEquis

I would say it gives credit to women holding society together. Thats how i interpreted it when i read it anyway.

Maybe that's the difference between a man reading it and a working mother reading it

BigRob · 05-02-2007, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by DosEquis

I would say it gives credit to women holding society together. Thats how i interpreted it when i read it anyway.

That's the way I intended it. Your actually getting the point.

BigRob · 05-02-2007, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by 03 white zx3

Maybe that's the difference between a man reading it and a working mother reading it

The other ladies that read it and liked it are working mothers and/or grandmothers. And the teacher is single without children.

05-02-2007, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by BigRob

The other ladies that read it and liked it are working mothers and/or grandmothers. And the teacher is single without children.

I'm just sharing my opinion. I obviously don't agree with you blaming the downfall of society on women alone. Men had a tremendous amount to do with it as well. You mention in the paper that in most cases, a working mother seems to be a necessity (although you do also say that it comes at a huge cost to society and the family itself). You don't touch on the fact that men are NOT "picking up the slack" so to speak. Working mothers obviously do more. They are still (for the most part) responsible for the housework, the cooking, and the childrearing. We are quite literally in some cases "trying to do it all". The term "supermom" is now used. Are we running ourselves dry attempting to do it? Absolutely. Some women are able to find balance, some aren't. But here is my question. What are their husbands doing to help prevent this from happening? Why are they so absent from your paper? Doesn't it deserve a little bit of balance (and yes, I realize that it is an opinion based piece focusing on mothers)?

That is what I don't like about it. You are focusing the blame in one spot, when in reality the blame should come from many different areas, mothers, fathers and society as a whole. NOT just working mothers.

DosEquis · 05-02-2007, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by 03 white zx3

Maybe that's the difference between a man reading it and a working mother reading it

Don't you have some dishes to do? You should probably just post nudes and finish vacuuming, and let the water go under the bridge.

j/k

05-02-2007, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by DosEquis

Don't you have some dishes to do? You should probably just post nudes and finish vacuuming, and let the water go under the bridge. j/k

Dishes? I'm a pregnant working mother, I don't do dishes anymore.