Part of the reason why marriage exists in this scheme of dominance is to give individual men the carrot of dominance within their own homes. That way they are not fighting with each other in the streets. The quotes you give from ancient law demonstrate how domestic violence has been used as a respectable expression for the need to dominate, as opposed to cooperation. In this system women are actually supposed to contain and absorb male violence.
I have no words for how I feel about Jordan Peterson's "teachings", except for one. Sad. I was going to write "disgust", but I actually think underneath this superficial feeling of disgust is sadness. Utter sadness that people buy into his philosophy which, as I see it, is one of anger, resentment, hatred, fear....Our world doesn't need more of this. Our young men, who seem to be his target audience, don't need more of this.
It is sad. It’s really sad. He’s seen as such a professional intellectual with his fancy words and degrees but his words are garbage. It’s so sad how many men worship him.
Hate lawns? Do what we do in Arizona - get rid of the lawn, plant native plants, spread some gravel paths so rain can soak into the ground. As for "women are chaos" - shame on Jordan Peterson. There are people who cause chaos, and I'd bet at least half are men. Just look at a certain ex-pres., now candidate, and all the chaos he has caused here. And just who has started all the wars in history? You don't hear of too many women who did, they are usually the ones who try to end them. Not to mention they are the ones who suffer from them. Maybe it's time to switch to matriarchies?
The historical reason men have been able to place themselves in charge and dominate women is only because they’re bigger and more violent, and women had to defer so they could survive! Not because men’s genitals and hormones make them more orderly and competent than women. JP, bro… I’m gonna hold your hand when I tell you this… cavemen got their way because they could beat up the cavewomen. That’s it. That’s the historical root of patriarchy. *sighhhhhh*
we grew clover instead of grass in our backyard, and it’s great! We have bees (gotta watch our step) come to the flowers, and it makes for a nice snack for our backyard chickens.
Yes, yes, yes! Your writing is so thought provoking, I love it. I always look at things differently after reading. I hate lawns! For all the environmental reasons you cite. And now I have another reason to add to my list of why I hate lawns. I'm passionate about growing food and every time I see a lawn I see a missed opportunity to grown your own food. I live in the forest of Northern Arizona (contrary to popular belief, not all of Arizona is desert) and don't have a lawn. I prefer to let Mother Nature work her magic.
I also can't stand Jordan Peterson or men like him. Feminine is chaos?!? Has he looked at the chaos present in the world today? Sorry Jordan, but it's a result of men. The historical track record isn't any better. Looking to the past is just moving backward. Perhaps if we look at the present and make choices based on the present conditions, we can make a better future. And part of a better future is dismantled patriarchy. My current hope for this country is a woman!
LOL, too true! Luckily Australia doesn't have anything like HOAs...you can do whatever you damn well please with your lawn :P
But, yes, a very good analogy.
Also remember reading that often, with Russian peasants, a man would basically beat his wife not because he wanted to but it was almost a social obligation so as not to become an outcast in your own community (pretty much tantamount to death in those days). There's a story where the woman was much larger than the man so he had to ask her to stand next to a bench so that he could climb on it so that he could reach her cheeks to slap her.
I kind of see all these people like Peterson as basically whiners. Just about for the first time in history we are about to achieve a state where we can actually make every person feel welcome and loved, no matter their sexual orientation, skin color, gender, etc. But we have these people in the corner just muttering and whining and annoying everyone. Just a shame, really:)
I love the way your brain works. I followed you all the way down the rabbit hole and am a better person for it. I had a wonderful time. You inspire me to start writing. Thank you for sharing.
Middle Assyrian Law 55 (see below) impacted my life and the life of my mother in 1960! That's how powerful patriarchy is and especially when it's in religion.
The trauma and damage was complete for my mother. She died in 2012. I am finally digging out from under it in my 60s. Healing and naming. Patriarchy is no joke. Neither are lawns.
Thanks again.
'Middle Assyrian Law 55 deals in detail with the rape of a virgin:
“If a married man rapes a virgin who lives in her father’s house whether it was within the city or in the open country or at night in the street or in a garden or in a festival of the city, the father of the virgin shall take the wife of the ravisher (the rapist) of the virgin and give her to be dishonored (raped). He shall not give her back to her husband, but shall take her (own her). The father shall give his daughter who has been ravished (raped) as spouse to her ravisher (rapist). If the rapist has no wife, he must pay the price of the virgin to the father, marry the girl and know that he can never divorce her.”
Also thought to have been written around 1700 BCE, the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy 22:28-29, which is part of my Judeo-Christian tradition, states:
“28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.”"
Can we extend this analogy to the most sprawling lawns in the modern era — golf courses— and their historical exclusion of women (and Jews and Black peoples and and and…) from economic opportunities as it relates to business deals and networking?
I laughed. I cried. I stopped hating my backyard for refusing to keep grass alive and decided to embrace the mushrooms, clover, dandelions, ground cover etc…
That last footnote struck a chord. As a child, the only time my father ever hit me, was because I made his wife cry. She also just happened to be my mother, but that part of it was irrelevant to him. Ownership indeed.
After the last two news stories, Gisèle Pélicot & Rebecca Cheptegei, each a neon sign, a bat signal that the patriarchy is definitely not working. At least not for women. I know, #notallmen but too many.
A stunning analogy that’s literally right in our faces. No clue until tonight about the history of the gd lawns. 🤦🏽♀️ The turf wars over weekend time and “but someone has to cut the grass”… all traced back to King Fucking Louis. Of course. 👏🤯
Part of the reason why marriage exists in this scheme of dominance is to give individual men the carrot of dominance within their own homes. That way they are not fighting with each other in the streets. The quotes you give from ancient law demonstrate how domestic violence has been used as a respectable expression for the need to dominate, as opposed to cooperation. In this system women are actually supposed to contain and absorb male violence.
Ugh so true and so so depressing
Wait a minute. His proof of masculine competence is global history of war, slavery, rape, murder, and general destruction? Yikes.
Yikes indeed. I had the same thought- THIS is competence????
Exactly.
I have no words for how I feel about Jordan Peterson's "teachings", except for one. Sad. I was going to write "disgust", but I actually think underneath this superficial feeling of disgust is sadness. Utter sadness that people buy into his philosophy which, as I see it, is one of anger, resentment, hatred, fear....Our world doesn't need more of this. Our young men, who seem to be his target audience, don't need more of this.
It is sad. It’s really sad. He’s seen as such a professional intellectual with his fancy words and degrees but his words are garbage. It’s so sad how many men worship him.
Hate lawns? Do what we do in Arizona - get rid of the lawn, plant native plants, spread some gravel paths so rain can soak into the ground. As for "women are chaos" - shame on Jordan Peterson. There are people who cause chaos, and I'd bet at least half are men. Just look at a certain ex-pres., now candidate, and all the chaos he has caused here. And just who has started all the wars in history? You don't hear of too many women who did, they are usually the ones who try to end them. Not to mention they are the ones who suffer from them. Maybe it's time to switch to matriarchies?
Here for the matriarchy!
We may not have started many wars, but plenty have been started over us as in men fighting over their supposed right to own us.
Mr Peterson and lawns make my skin crawl. So much waste.
This is great. Nothing like a good takedown of JP to start the afternoon off right 😌
The historical reason men have been able to place themselves in charge and dominate women is only because they’re bigger and more violent, and women had to defer so they could survive! Not because men’s genitals and hormones make them more orderly and competent than women. JP, bro… I’m gonna hold your hand when I tell you this… cavemen got their way because they could beat up the cavewomen. That’s it. That’s the historical root of patriarchy. *sighhhhhh*
Simply amazing analogy! Well done! Fight the patriarchy and the lawniarchy! Currently trying to grow micro clover in my yard! Less mowing & watering!
we grew clover instead of grass in our backyard, and it’s great! We have bees (gotta watch our step) come to the flowers, and it makes for a nice snack for our backyard chickens.
We did that too! It stays green with no watering!
I have a lot of crabgrass. I think I might have to kill that first and start over with micro clover.
Yes, yes, yes! Your writing is so thought provoking, I love it. I always look at things differently after reading. I hate lawns! For all the environmental reasons you cite. And now I have another reason to add to my list of why I hate lawns. I'm passionate about growing food and every time I see a lawn I see a missed opportunity to grown your own food. I live in the forest of Northern Arizona (contrary to popular belief, not all of Arizona is desert) and don't have a lawn. I prefer to let Mother Nature work her magic.
I also can't stand Jordan Peterson or men like him. Feminine is chaos?!? Has he looked at the chaos present in the world today? Sorry Jordan, but it's a result of men. The historical track record isn't any better. Looking to the past is just moving backward. Perhaps if we look at the present and make choices based on the present conditions, we can make a better future. And part of a better future is dismantled patriarchy. My current hope for this country is a woman!
LOL, too true! Luckily Australia doesn't have anything like HOAs...you can do whatever you damn well please with your lawn :P
But, yes, a very good analogy.
Also remember reading that often, with Russian peasants, a man would basically beat his wife not because he wanted to but it was almost a social obligation so as not to become an outcast in your own community (pretty much tantamount to death in those days). There's a story where the woman was much larger than the man so he had to ask her to stand next to a bench so that he could climb on it so that he could reach her cheeks to slap her.
I kind of see all these people like Peterson as basically whiners. Just about for the first time in history we are about to achieve a state where we can actually make every person feel welcome and loved, no matter their sexual orientation, skin color, gender, etc. But we have these people in the corner just muttering and whining and annoying everyone. Just a shame, really:)
I love the way your brain works. I followed you all the way down the rabbit hole and am a better person for it. I had a wonderful time. You inspire me to start writing. Thank you for sharing.
I love this! So well written. Thank you, Celeste.
Middle Assyrian Law 55 (see below) impacted my life and the life of my mother in 1960! That's how powerful patriarchy is and especially when it's in religion.
I write about it on my Substack- https://thecontemplativespace.substack.com/p/i-write-because-i-feel-a5c
The trauma and damage was complete for my mother. She died in 2012. I am finally digging out from under it in my 60s. Healing and naming. Patriarchy is no joke. Neither are lawns.
Thanks again.
'Middle Assyrian Law 55 deals in detail with the rape of a virgin:
“If a married man rapes a virgin who lives in her father’s house whether it was within the city or in the open country or at night in the street or in a garden or in a festival of the city, the father of the virgin shall take the wife of the ravisher (the rapist) of the virgin and give her to be dishonored (raped). He shall not give her back to her husband, but shall take her (own her). The father shall give his daughter who has been ravished (raped) as spouse to her ravisher (rapist). If the rapist has no wife, he must pay the price of the virgin to the father, marry the girl and know that he can never divorce her.”
Also thought to have been written around 1700 BCE, the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy 22:28-29, which is part of my Judeo-Christian tradition, states:
“28 If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, 29 he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.”"
Oof that Deuteronomy verse hits hard 😩 thanks for sharing your story with us 💔❤️
So basically raping a woman is a great way to force her to belong to you forever. Fantastic! 🤮
I love this.
Can we extend this analogy to the most sprawling lawns in the modern era — golf courses— and their historical exclusion of women (and Jews and Black peoples and and and…) from economic opportunities as it relates to business deals and networking?
Yesssss- golf courses are the Epsteins of lawns- the richest, most wasteful with the ugliest history.
"the Epsteins of lawns" 💯💯💯!
I laughed. I cried. I stopped hating my backyard for refusing to keep grass alive and decided to embrace the mushrooms, clover, dandelions, ground cover etc…
This is all I could ever ask for as a reaction to my words. 😍 you’re a dream maker Jamee
That last footnote struck a chord. As a child, the only time my father ever hit me, was because I made his wife cry. She also just happened to be my mother, but that part of it was irrelevant to him. Ownership indeed.
After the last two news stories, Gisèle Pélicot & Rebecca Cheptegei, each a neon sign, a bat signal that the patriarchy is definitely not working. At least not for women. I know, #notallmen but too many.
A stunning analogy that’s literally right in our faces. No clue until tonight about the history of the gd lawns. 🤦🏽♀️ The turf wars over weekend time and “but someone has to cut the grass”… all traced back to King Fucking Louis. Of course. 👏🤯