Question for conservatives re: role of women

[adios]

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I'm all for tying women to the kitchen sink, just not for washing up!



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So you believe that but just resign yourself to that not being possible anymore? That's not how I know Americans. In every economic, military, or political issue they fight to the bitter end to make the world what they want it to be. Why not this one? Is it just not important enough? Maybe it's just me but I see it as the key to almost everything in life.

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I see that you're not from the U.S. I don't agree with your perception about the U.S. trying to make the world what they want it to be but that's an issue for another thread. Your characterization about what "conservative men" in the U.S. see the role of women as is just way, way too narrow minded. I'd venture to say that not too many are looking for another "June Cleaver" (a 1960's family sitcom where the wife sat at home and raised the kids).

[lehighguy]

Culture is different from government. For instance, even if pro-women working policies were adopted in Japan, I doubt we would see much improvement in the station of women in the workplace. Simply put, Japanese culture subjagates women and doesn't see them as career workers. If you want to improve the plight of women in Japan you need to change the attitude of thier male bosses, and government can't change attitudes.

There is a temptation to think government can change culture. A cultural revolution if you will. Such efforts historically have some pretty bad side effects. For instance, lets say you adopt a law saying that a women must be rehired several years after a pregnancy. Knowing the diffuculty this will cause, employers don't hire women in the first place because they don't want to deal with the whole mess. It is comparable to how French companies can't fire people, so they don't bother hiring them.

I don't really know what the conservative cultural stance is, if there is one. Personally, I want my wive to make our kids breakfast in the morning and pick them up from school at 3pm, at least while they are still young. I don't want them raised by a maid. Naturally, this schedule will probably preclude most careers. I imagine that volunteer work is mostly what she might be able to do between 8am and 3pm. I plan on hiring a maid to do the housework, it's the raising our kids thing I want done ourselves.

It is unfortunate that most of the smart women won't want to do this, and I really wanted to marry a smart women. But there seems little way around it.

[vulturesrow]

My wife is a college grad, very smart and she is not working right now. We agreed a long time ago that she wouldnt go back to work until all the bambinos were in school. We arent quite there yet not to mention another isnt out of the question. As for the OP, Im not sure there is much government can do in this case without making a total hash of things.

[Darryl_P]

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There is a temptation to think government can change culture. A cultural revolution if you will. Such efforts historically have some pretty bad side effects.

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I think it's safe to say that government CAN change culture, as communism's rise and fall have proven in my part of the world. Government changed then the culture changed, in that order, both in the years following WW2 and in the years following the fall of communism.

The more important issue, though, (and on this one I agree with you) is that the results will almost certainly be different from the original intention, sometimes radically so.

Maybe it's better to examine the question from a cultural point of view, but posed as a political question it highlights the huge ramifications the issue has on all the macro aspects of life.

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It is unfortunate that most of the smart women won't want to do this, and I really wanted to marry a smart women. But there seems little way around it.

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I agree. One way is to hook up with an Eastern European woman but that requires a lot of effort and risk, especially considering the best ones don't speak English too well.

[Darryl_P]

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As for the OP, Im not sure there is much government can do in this case without making a total hash of things.

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Probably true.

Based on the responses so far I'm probably overestimating the correlation between modern American conservatism and a belief in traditional family values. It seems society has declined (some say advanced) much too far to make the traditional family the norm without some sort of major war or revolution.

And to adios may I offer an alternative to Mrs. Cleaver ...

http://aprettywoman.com/d.cgi/3141Y5....2521126625361

[lehighguy]

Sometimes you don't need to actually enact or lobby for policy to make people believe your in favor of some vague idea or notion. Both parties use this for thier advantage. Family values in one of those things everyones in favor of, but there really aren't any policy initiatives closely assosciated other then trite blather.

[SheetWise]

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Maybe pre 1942.

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Of course, the Democrats as well.

[OtisTheMarsupial]

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... Personally, I want my wive to make our kids breakfast in the morning and pick them up from school at 3pm, at least while they are still young. I don't want them raised by a maid. Naturally, this schedule will probably preclude most careers. I imagine that volunteer work is mostly what she might be able to do between 8am and 3pm. I plan on hiring a maid to do the housework, it's the raising our kids thing I want done ourselves.

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It's really strange that you would use the word "ourselves" when in the context, it's your future wife who will be doing the actual childcare.

Why are you ignoring the possibility of flex time work schedules and shared childcare? I'm sure you can find a smart woman would would be willing to care for your children in the AM if you took over in the PM.

Instead of:
Husband works 8-5 outside the home, no work inside home
Wife works 6-8am inside, 8-3 volunteer work, 3-10pm inside home
Maid picks up husband's slack

Try:
Husband works 8-1pm ouside home, 1-8 inside home
Wife works 6am-1pm inside home, 1-6 ouside home
Shared evening childcare and housework or maid picks up slack from both spouses.

[lehighguy]

What job are you working at that is 7 hours a day? All serious jobs today are at least 12 hour days. And lucky if you get weekends. Mines even longer.

[FishHooks]

What was that, an I work more hours than you so my work must be more important post?