Patterico's Pontifications

3/20/2008

Feminism in a Small Town (Updated)

Filed under: Books — DRJ @ 1:53 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

I can’t imagine putting a bumper sticker on a new car but I saw one today that caught my attention:

Brand new black SUV.

Driven by a young, very pretty (female) brunette.

Bumper sticker: “Well-behaved women rarely make history.”

I wonder if this driver is a devotee of Laurel Thatcher Ulrich? Ulrich first wrote a similar statement in 1976 as a graduate student and now she teaches at Harvard. Amazon summarizes Ulrich’s quote this way (from a Washington Post review):

“At the beginning of her career as a historian of early America, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich published an article entitled “Virtuous Women Found: New England Ministerial Literature, 1668-1735.” Could anything sound more narrowly academic than that — a scholarly examination of a small subset of Puritan funeral sermons? But Ulrich’s paper was destined to have a long history. It opened this way:

“Cotton Mather called them ‘the hidden ones.’ They never preached or sat in a deacon’s bench. Nor did they vote or attend Harvard. Neither, because they were virtuous women, did they question God or the magistrates. They prayed secretly, read the Bible through at least once a year, and went to hear the minister preach even when it snowed. Hoping for an eternal crown, they never asked to be remembered on earth. And they haven’t been. Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

Great quote. Is it true?

UPDATE: What about men: Do well-behaved men seldom make history?

— DRJ

37 Responses to “Feminism in a Small Town (Updated)”

  1. Florence Nightingale, Betsy Ross and Queen Victoria were unavailable for comment at press time.

    Techie (ad1b41)

  2. “read dozens of books
    about heroes and crooks
    and I learnt too much
    to go for their style” ♫

    Well-behaved men and well-behaved women alike rarely made history, did they? Notoriety is often confused with greatness, in both genders.

    ras (fc54bb)

  3. well-behaved women have a shot at it. well-behaved christian women who defer to their husbands, don’t vote and don’t go anywhere except for church, not so much.

    now, would you consider hillary well-behaved? insert best joke here.

    assistant devil's advocate (5042f8)

  4. Margaret Thatcher, Dixie Lee Ray, do I really have to keep listing? Most ill behaved women seldom make history. Headlines do not equate to history.

    Gbear (58b08c)

  5. wanting to be historically known (famous) is likely a sign of personality disorder. is this something to aspire to these days?

    steve (549317)

  6. It could be that those who had to kick over tables were able to excel in spite of society’s obstacles.

    Today, we see success from all types of personalities: Condi Rice (well behaved) to the legend of Martha Stewart (not well behaved). The answer today would be no. The question is when does success also qualify as greatness.

    Vermont Neighbor (a8a46e)

  7. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-0678(197621)28%3A1%3C20%3AVWFNEM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-A

    Yes, the quote is true. The bumper sticker is ubiquitous here in VT.

    Captain Ned (0dd5e9)

  8. Many well-behaved women have MADE history. Just not all of them are openly remembered for it.

    If no one works behind the scenes, then the play fails.

    Steve B (8db3ee)

  9. ras, the quote is:

    Read dozens of books about heroes and crooks,
    And I’ve learned much from both of their styles.

    Jimmy Buffett, Son of a Sailor

    Pol

    Pol Mordreth (dffd87)

  10. Neither do well-behaved men. “Make” is the operative word and it does not mean to be written up in a history book (because if that’s all it means then historians would be “making” history). History-makers are sowers of thunder who shake the foundations of the Earth. And their chronicles are mostly written in blood.

    nk (34c5da)

  11. NK anticipated the update I just added.

    DRJ (a431ca)

  12. I love the quote! In an age when so many ill behaved women make more than their fair share of ‘history‘ (Britney, Lindsay, even Kristin) , this is refreshing.

    Dana (3e870d)

  13. Pol,

    You mean I’ve been humming it wrong all these years? Guess so; thanks for the correction.

    ras (fc54bb)

  14. Seems to me that the ‘well behaved people’ Do all the important stuff:
    Pay the bills
    Go to Work
    Teach the young
    Heal the sick etc.

    I think of the above as “Chronic history making” no parades or holidays to show for it just stuff like civilization,knowledge and traditions. Stalwart values and endurance
    The landmark actions, the Heroic,Histronic and daring are “Acute History making.” they get the statues, holidays and stuff.
    So yes, well behaved women do make history. Chronic History.

    paul from fl (47918a)

  15. The same behavior exhibited by men compared to women can be perceived very differently. A certain act by a man is seen as appropriate; but people perceive the same act by a female to be aggressive or even crazy.

    Us poor men – the soft bigotry of low expectations I suppose.

    Psyberian (d18acc)

  16. I don’t know if I truly “made” history in my previous life
    but my descendant, Zenobia, is now one of my favorite historical babes.

    nk (34c5da)

  17. From a philosophical angle, Nietzsche would say that anyone who just falls in line – and doesn’t make any waves – is mediocre and is basically worthless. Followers get no credit from him. That which is common, is everywhere. What is available everywhere is worthless.

    Don’t get me wrong here though – I don’t completely agree with this although it’s thought-provoking.

    Also, a person doesn’t have to become exceptional only through tyranny or military might. I think that Nietzsche would have recognized Helen Keller as a “Superman” too for example.

    Psyberian (d18acc)

  18. I think Nietzsche’s “Ubermensch” would be above desire for the possessions of, and power over, others. He already knows that he is at a height and he would disdain a throne resting on mud. In that sense, he would not make history.

    nk (34c5da)

  19. Phyllis Schlafly comes to my mind. She was a Proverbs 31 wife when her husband was alive–and, I expect, “deferred to her husband” as that term means in Christian belief.(that was for ada)

    At the age of 81, she is still a powerhouse.

    Jerri Lynn Ward (bf2d8c)

  20. Ah, but how did the Superman attain the power or recognition of a Superman? Either through intellectual or physical prowess, no doubt. There is struggle portrayed throughout Nietzsche’s philosophy – an overcoming, an attaining.

    Psyberian (d18acc)

  21. Overcoming and attaining, but not to the point of arrogance. According to the ancients, to be truly great man (and woman) must also be humble.

    DRJ (a431ca)

  22. “…to be truly great man (and woman) must also be humble.”

    Hence the ‘the hidden ones.’

    Dana (3e870d)

  23. Yes, the concept of hubris, arrogance which challenges the gods, predates the Christian sin of Pride. As for what makes an Ubermensch, I could not say, not being one myself. My best guess, from Nietzsche’s use of the diamond/coal metaphor, is that it broader than intellectual and/or physical prowess. More a matter of innate character and constitution.

    nk (34c5da)

  24. A modern writer, Gene Wolfe, illustrated it very well in his “Soldier of the Mist”. His main character, Latro, has total amnesia. He has no previous memory. He remembers new events only for a few hours. Yet he always behaves intelligently, virtuously, honorably and courageously.

    nk (34c5da)

  25. Actually, I believe that Nietzsche thought of himself as a Superman. But he had no real power per se since he wasn’t really taken that seriously as a philosopher in his lifetime. So what did he overcome but the prejudices of his own time? He was ahead of his time and in that, he was exceptional. So you’re right to point out that it isn’t necessarily power over others, but the “will to power” is more general than that even though his work emphasizes leadership.

    Overall, I think that he would recognize it as a waste if there was a great leader, but too few were intelligent enough to realize this leader’s gift. This is what Nietzsche thought that his life was like – there he was a genius, with few smart enough to appreciate him.

    And one of my favorite quotes by him on epistemology:

    Supposing truth is a woman – what then?

    Psyberian (d18acc)

  26. Reminds me of Hemingway.

    DRJ (a431ca)

  27. And one of my favorite quotes by him on epistemology:

    Supposing truth is a woman – what then?

    Beats me. Buy her candy and flowers, remember her birthday and wedding anniversary, and lie when she asks, “Does this dress make look fat?” 😉

    Even the most ardent followers of Nietszche agree that he needed a good editor. Many times he was not merely obscure, he was incoherent.

    nk (34c5da)

  28. Supposing truth is a woman – what then

    The connection between Nietszche and Rand rears its head here: Rand effectively decided not only that truth was a woman, but she was the woman.

    (And, quite seriously, she owed a serious intellectual debt to N.)

    kishnevi (6273ad)

  29. Joan of Arc was extremely well-behaved. An investigator sent by Bishop Cauchon to dig up dirt on her returned to the “holy” court where she was to be framed and burned, and reported that he had been unable to find a single report of Joan that he would not have been pleased to hear about his own sister. The bishop refused to pay him till he found dirt, but there was none to find – which of course had a lot to do with her later being declared a saint.

    Being badly behaved doesn’t make you tough. Being nice needn’t make you weak. Joan was a magnificent killing machine – but a sweetheart about it.

    David Blue (08c619)

  30. NK, that quote from Nietzsche is the very first sentence of Beyond Good and Evil, you have to read the rest to find out what he means by that although he basically starts a diatribe against the dogmatism of philosophers who lived before him. He’s basically saying that the truth is not static nor concrete, but pragmatic and changes with experience.

    Nietzsche may well have been misogynist, but I won’t throw him under the bus. His other ideas and genius outshine that fault. I just have to overlook that aspect of his personality – just as I have to with many of my friends, family and associates.

    Psyberian (d18acc)

  31. Pocahontas, Mother Teresa, and Marie Curie come to mind on the women’s team. Albert Einstein, Ghandi, Doctor Seuss for the men.

    roy (78d4a2)

  32. I’ve always wanted to make bumper stickers that turn popular slogans around. For this, my counter bumper sticker would say:

    Well behaved women often make history.
    Don’t make excuses.

    Tragic Clown Dog (622c23)

  33. Is it not possible that the ones – male and female – who make history are the ones who thoroughly and intensely behave themselves … some well, some badly, yet just strongly behaving themselves ?

    This would cover Mother Teresa *and* Mae West – Adolf Schickelgruber *and* Mahatma Gandhi …

    Alasdair (0c1945)

  34. I’m afraid I have to agree. Through most of history, women were excluded from the areas where history was made as a matter of propriety. There are several reasons for this. Chiefly, men are far more attracted to power than women, because power is evolutionarily advantageous to men (who can have extra offspring). When women appeared on the historical stage, it was often in violation of the proprieties of the time. Jeanne d’Arc and Florence Nightingale were both eccentrics and troublemakers.

    Rich Rostrom (7c21fc)

  35. I know several powerful men, Rich, but all of them are more attracted to women than power. And they have enormous child support payments to prove it.

    DRJ (a431ca)

  36. And they have enormous child support payments to prove it.

    It’s like your peering into my future… 🙂

    Scott Jacobs (d3a6ec)


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