About slavery, I'd add that the system depended on both men and women. Much of the administration of any plantation was by the mistress. It was her household, and her function was managerial (not merely holding garden parties and attending to her own children). And when her husband was away in commercial centers attending to business, she was in charge of everything on the plantation--including its daily administration and the disciplining of slaves. Whether mistresses and masters were kind as individuals (and some were), both actively supported the slave economy and were therefore morally and legally responsibility for doing so. This is well documented.
There was a time, not so long ago, when boys in class had no choice but to confess their guilt for being boys. Nowadays, though, there is a choice. They can claim to be girls. Not many boys actually do that, and fewer boys than girls make choices of this kind due to social contagion, but any boy can and some boys do.
So interesting Paul. You so often bring a different and helpful perspective. I had never thought about the women slave owners. So obvious, but so rarely discussed. Interesting too the idea that boys do have that one choice, to become girls. And since testosterone pushes boys to strive for status they will usually move towards where the status lies and that is surely not in being male. ugh
Excellent, Tom, as usual.
About slavery, I'd add that the system depended on both men and women. Much of the administration of any plantation was by the mistress. It was her household, and her function was managerial (not merely holding garden parties and attending to her own children). And when her husband was away in commercial centers attending to business, she was in charge of everything on the plantation--including its daily administration and the disciplining of slaves. Whether mistresses and masters were kind as individuals (and some were), both actively supported the slave economy and were therefore morally and legally responsibility for doing so. This is well documented.
There was a time, not so long ago, when boys in class had no choice but to confess their guilt for being boys. Nowadays, though, there is a choice. They can claim to be girls. Not many boys actually do that, and fewer boys than girls make choices of this kind due to social contagion, but any boy can and some boys do.
So interesting Paul. You so often bring a different and helpful perspective. I had never thought about the women slave owners. So obvious, but so rarely discussed. Interesting too the idea that boys do have that one choice, to become girls. And since testosterone pushes boys to strive for status they will usually move towards where the status lies and that is surely not in being male. ugh