Mo9st of this whole problem started with the government decision to
force lending institutions to lend on two incomes.

It forced women into the workforce and forced up the price of housing
dramatically. I know I have said this on OLO previously but it always
amazes me how all commentators on housing costs are ignorant of simple
economics.

In any market place twice as much money into that market and surprise
surprise prices rise to meet the amount of available money.

Surprise surprise borrow on two incomes and you need two jobs to pay the
mortgage.

This forced women into the workforce and delayed childbearing by just
too many years for their own good.
This major change in the role of women disorintated the social
structure and can be laid squarley at the feet of the Pru Gowards of
this world.

Women can thank the feminists for disturbing their age old family
structure and giving them the gynalogical and other health issues
they now suffer.
Unfortunately it is not just in the family that this has caused
problems but in society as a whole including child behaviour and crime.

That is a broad brush I agree, but I am sure you can see a contribution
to the above problems.

I think that society is pushing too much for things to be the same whilst pretending to encourage and support difference. It just works to confuse.

I believe that woman should understand their position and place as should men. Otherwise things get confused.

Confused people do not usually make the best choices.

Robert said:

There are feminists who want equility, unfortunately they don't tend to get the publicity that the extremists get.

Bingo.. how many times have I been woffling on about 'extremists set the agenda' :) yes.. good observation.

What I'd love to see is.... Media portrayls of very warm, loving, sharing male female interaction, which creates the feeling in the viewer that we are all family, that women are like caring sisters, and men are like protective and 'blokey' brothers who are also on the look out for ways to pitch in with making it all happen for everyone.

You only need to visit Manila to see the INCREDIBLE contrast between male female attitudes. It stands out so much... its more like I described above, and then.. if you happen to return to Melbourne on an overcast winters day and you see the sterile, isolationist, me me me, look after number 1, competitive, politically correct, emotionless social desert that Aussieland often is, you could feel tempted to jump right back on the plane and go back to the Phils.

Perhaps one reason is our strong emphasis on 'individuality'... sad.. but true. Bring back the extended family I say.. stay close, think about the help you can give each other in the dark times, and the joy you can share in the high ones.

In a loving society, Patriarchy/Matriarcy really don't figure much, because a loving society is a sharing and caring one.
"As the Father sent me, so I send you" Jesus.
"And this is love, that a man lay down his life for another"
"A new Commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, by this shall all men know, that you are my disciples, that you have love, one for another"

blessings all.

BD, I didn't suggest that extremists set the agenda (although when moderates don't speak up they sometimes do). That's a difference between the way you and I see a lot of issues, you believe that the extremists set the agenda, I think they just get more press and are largely ignored by most. Extremists impact on the agendy, they don't necessarily set it.

Your observations about Melbourne seem close to the mark, don't assume that it's the way the whole country is though.

R0bert

There was an interesting doco on Aunty tonight (Thu 05 April 07) called 'Women of the Holy Kingdom' about, among other women’s issues, women getting the vote in Saudi Arabia wherein one interviewee said:

‘One man said that women cannot make rational decisions because of their period once a month. It is hard to believe that anyone would say such a thing out loud.’ As if this is so obviously absurd that only a moron could believe it, yet women consistently use PMS as an excuse for irrational, including abusive, behaviour.

So when women want responsibility they claim that menstruation does not affect them but when they wish to avoid responsibility they claim they are the victims of it? You would have to be a moron to agree to such a double-standard yet that is apparently what 'intelligent' women expect men to accept.

Women should either admit to be irrational beings in all cases or accept responsibility in all cases as men are expected to do, or would that be too rational? Remember the ‘No Excuses – Never Ever’ campaign? Or was that only supposed to apply to men?.

There is something particularly reprehensible about this 'selective irrationality' based on the extremely rational criterion of what does and does not benefit women in a particular context.

The rules of new feminism are quite clear in the public service.
Equal pay for men and women.
If a woman wants to move her desk then the nearest man is required.
Truck driving women are always welcome.
Large transport companies use women to do pallet drop offs, and use men to do the more heavy lifting jobs.Is this equal or are men being used,for equal pay.
Policewomen have cost the community a 120% increase in the states police wages budget.
The reason is that police women have caused police men to accompany the women on patrols.It is common for most capital police to have two insead of one person on patrol.
The problem has been that Policewomen now spend their time talking to the male officerabout their lives instead of the Police officer concentrating on policing.
Today women are treated in a worse manner by police than when a male only force existed.
Yes I agree with the comment.