And it's a good thing.
I posted this Black Pidgeon Speaks video as an addendum to a recent post:
Interestingly, I also recently stumbled into - more breathlessly told about - a book called "The Alphabet Versus the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image". From the description:
This groundbreaking book proposes that the rise of alphabetic literacy reconfigured the human brain and brought about profound changes in history, religion, and gender relations. Making remarkable connections across brain function, myth, and anthropology, Dr. Shlain shows why pre-literate cultures were principally informed by holistic, right-brain modes that venerated the Goddess, images, and feminine values. Writing drove cultures toward linear left-brain thinking and this shift upset the balance between men and women, initiating the decline of the feminine and ushering in patriarchal rule. Examining the cultures of the Israelites, Greeks, Christians, and Muslims, Shlain reinterprets ancient myths and parables in light of his theory. Provocative and inspiring, this book is a paradigm-shattering work that will transform your view of history and the mind.
If you guessed I read the back blurb and ignored it, you're probably right, especially since the Amazon description whitewashes it a bit - the back cover specifically says "initiating the decline of the feminine, and also ushered in teh reign of patriarchy and misogyny"
Interestingly, from what I've been told, it actually brings up something that written today, if the book wasn't centered on how men took over and subjugated women, would drive feminists nuts. men and women are different. Hunters vs gatherers. Different strenghts, spatial skills, etc.
And the introduction of the alphabet was part of a more masculine-oriented thinking, and resulted in men subjugating women. Cue example after example of how judaism, Confucius, etc., all had rules in place to repress women without a hint of self-awareness of the responsibilities and sacrifieces expected odf men.
What amused me though was this. If the alphabet, structured language, math, were originated out of the "masculine" thought structures hardwired into us by evolution, thus allowing us to communicate forwad in time and across space, to keep records, to do engineering, to build bridges, and so on, then civilization is inherently a masculine endeavor, because without these things, we wouldn't have it.
So yes, a male feminist, arguing how we men were horrible in oppressing those women for thousands of years who were just as awesome and capable and smart yet somehow hoodwinked to no advantage for themselves all this time because of the invention of language and writing, basically told us that, as was also put by Camille Paglia, that if it were up to women we'd be living in grass huts.
Incidentally, those matriarchal tribes that only ardent feminists and professional anthropologists know of?
Kindof fits, eh?
