What my paper says

Laura Bates, guest collumnist, writes from the perspective of her new book "Misogynation:The True Scale of Sexism" (Simon and Schuster).
She got me thinking.
Am I a feminist? I think anyone who is in favour of justice is a feminist. Therefore I aspire to be a feminist. Is there more to be done? Having read a number of Victorian novels recently, it is incredible to see how our society, and most societies across the globe, have shifted. But just as builders of modern estates appear to disappear just as  people move into the new houses, leaving numerous jobs 'pending', with the right kind of lens, much work for justice is 'pending'. Reading around my paper I see stories such as 1 in 8 French women report having been raped. Also more discussed about the #MeToo campaign, the Bafta ceremony protest, and BBC claiming it will be a champion for women in the future.

Bates describes six myths that blame women for sexism.  These are:-
1. Women objectify men too. I thought of the two life size cut outs in my female secretaries office of two male film stars.  What would be said of me if I had a lifesize cut out of a female demigod? I think the comparison is different However.  'Power' comes into the equation, and this is subtle. Just as the racism equation goes "prejudice + power = racism" so with male objectification, much as it makes me uncomfortable, as things stand now, the two are not comparable.
2. Women are there own worst enemies.  Again in my paper there is discussion about A French actress has said that men should be allowed to flirt. The 'it's naughty but nice' argument. I am drawn to think of Fritz Fanon's seminal work on mass cultural oppression where he describes the three ways one society can control another. He highlights this as 'alcohol' (keep them pissed), 'gunpowder' (threaten to kill them) and 'factors'. 'Factors' are people from the other side who work for you, like the slave traders. In the year when the Royal Mail printed a set of stamps celebration the sufferagettes (include the extraordinary Princess Sophia Deleep Singh), it is interesting to remember that far more women were signed up to the antisuffrage lobby, than were with the women's movement. However I am sure they were not as passionate about their cause, and not likely to sacrifice much for their cause either.  Much of the status quo was  linked to the Bible, and Christian teaching, which now seems yesterday's battle.
3. There are terrible role models that undermine the cause.  Very true. We are used to seeing women on the red carpet looking pretty cold, with lots of bare flesh. Our society still has a number of clearly unchecked prejudices infavour of young beautiful, women. There some exceptions, and I am a great fan of Clare Baulding, who covered the Winter Olympics beautifully.  As mentioned previously, the book Freakanomics highlights a mathematical examination of prejudice in the American panel show 'the weakest link', showing no bias against women and black players, but clear bias against older players and Hispanics.
4. Women aren't that interested in equality.  As already noted, women in the past did not seem on mass to be motivated to get the vote.  Today I think there would be few who would be willing to turn back the clock.  Indeed, I think that it is a male issue too.  Inequality affects all, and will eventually back fire. It always does.  Britain is still affected by injustices committed by its colonial rule.
5. Why are women not doing more? (Pay gap, leaving violent relationships etc.) I wonder whether one of the reasons for the pay gap is to do with the greater social mindedness amongst women.  Less interested in 'devil take the hind most' self-centred, capitalist motivations. It is known that the women's vote is more to the left wing than men. We now have the women's party, a political movement. It is a well know tactic of oppressors to blame the victim.  We can only be held responsible for our own actions.
A thought I have is to do with our system of democracy. Just as 'Leicester' will be the first Black/Asian majority city in the UK is significant because majorities hold power, when women become truly representative, then they too will hold power. It is therefor essential that majorities treat minorities justly, just as they might like to be treated when it become their turn to be a minority.

Pain Points

One- Pain is good (pain is bad and good is bad).
Having a knee injury helped me understand that the body creates its own natural plaster cast. The pneumatic swelling not only protects the healing joint and keeps it stiff, it also alines the leg. Pain, as with 'anxiety' is there for a purpose.
Pain is bad - we hope for a time when pain and suffering will cease. Some pain, (and some anxiety) is not needed or excessive. But this side of heaven, pain is with us from birth.

Two- Put your worst foot forwards when descending stairs. Opposite when ascending. Is there another metaphysical analogy in there?

Three- Mindfulness worked for me.  Some people think that mindfulness is distraction, going into another world, or relaxation.  It's not.  It's seeing pain as one of many feelings we experience, and not giving it preference over the others. It's accepting it without judgement.  The pain is neither good nor bad - it's just happening and I am experiencing it.  By looking straight at it, again as with the analogy of anxiety, I can see it's extent, power and influence, and how it is shrinks or grows. I live with it, but with everything else as well. It therefore is less dominant and demanding.

Isn't most learning through experience? Perhaps another reason why things are the way they are this side of heaven.

A feat worse than...

Yesterday I accidentally ”knee-capped” myself,
I tripped forward in haste, and backward in health.

Now nursing my leg, find I’m musing the fate,
Meated out to informers in a land full of hate.

Time in this bed I put at less than three days,
Considerably different to the price a traitor pays.

Very much the ‘mild end’ I think it’s safe to put,
I will also be avoiding ‘shooting myself in the foot.’

Middlemarch- a tribute

This is brilliant-
Page 720 Raffles has died under Boulstrode’s care; Lydgate, being the attending doctor. His prescription for the dying man was to administer a strict quantity of opium with no alcohol, even if strongly pressed. Boulstrode, not unaversed to the idea of a speedy demise of Raffles, decides not to tell his housekeeper about the limits placed on the use of opium. He also allowed his her to acquiesce to the demands of his alcoholic unwanted guest. He gives her access to his spirits cabinet.

The burgers of Middlemarch smell a rat. They are not keen on Boulstode, and Mr Hawley, a lawyer, does some investigating.

“For hardly anyone doubted that some scandalous reason or other was at the bottom of Boulstrode’s liberality to Lydgate (he had just paid off his debts with a large loan of money). Mr Hawley, indeed, in the first instance, invited a select party, including the two physicians, with Mr Toller and Mr Wrench, expressly to hold a close discussion as to the probabilities  of Raffle’s illness, reciting to them all the particulars which had been gathered from Mrs Able in connection with Lydgate’s certificate, that the death was due to delirium tremans, and the medical gentlemen, who all stood undisturbedly on the old path in relation to this disease, declared that they could see nothing in these particulars which could be transformed into a positive ground of suspicion.”
In other words, their medical practice was so out of date that they could not see the crime before their eyes.

The sad epitaph given to Lydgate goes as follows- page 737
“Only those who know the supremacy of the intellectual life - the life which has a seal of ennobling thought and purpose within it- can understand the grief of one who falls from serene activity into the absorbing soul washing struggle with worldly annoyances.”


Casauban's interest in Xisuthrus, Sumerian 'Noah', is mocked.  What about Atrshasis from Gilgamesh, or Utnapishtim from Babylonia?

The Epigraph

George Eliot provides many epigraphs throughout Middlemarch.  Many are left unattributed and are therefore believed to be her own.

My favourite so far-
"Pues no podemos haber aquello que queremos, queramos aquello que podremos."
"Since we cannot get what we like, let us like what we can get."  Spanish Proverb

He was a squyer of low degree,
That loved the king's daughter of Hungrie.  Old Romance

"Inconsistencies." answered Imlac, "cannot both be right, but imputed to man they may both be true." Rasselas (Samuel Johnson)

1st Gent. Where lies the power, there let blame lie too.
2nd Gent. Nay, power is relative, you cannot fright
The coming pest with border fortresses,
Or catch your carp with subtle argument.
All force is twain in one: cause is not cause
Unless effect be there; and action's self
Must needs contain a passive. So command
Exists but with obedience. G Eliot

"He beats me and I rail at him. O worthy satisfaction! would it were otherwise - that I could beat him while he railed at me."  Troilus and Cressida

1st Gent. Our deeds are fetters that we forge ourselves.
2nd Gent. Ay, true: but I think it is the world that brings the iron. G Eliot

"Qui vent delasser hors de propos, lasse." Pensees, Pascal 1670
"Those who divert themselves aimlessly tire of diversions."

'Tis  one thing to be tempted, Escalus,
Another thing to fall.  Measure for Measure.