A Different Way: Living Simply in a Complex World

[catherine]

Do you really think men have less complicated lives or fewer obligations?

I think it's a pretty well-known assumption that women are the multi-tackers, more likely to be put in a position of juggling multiple roles.

[herbgeek]

Do you really think men have less complicated lives or fewer obligations?

Traditionally, yes. The man went to work and then came home and was waited upon. Raising children and taking care of household responsibilities was the woman's job. It was enough for a man to just bring home a paycheck. Conversely, there really weren't many roles for men. Fewer choices to make.

I think the norms for that are changing, but not as quick or as widespread as we might like/think.

[creaker]

The class is starting to pick up the pace and people are really opening up with each other.

Crowd-sourcing this question:
Invariably these classes are almost all women; for instance, this class is 8 women and me (the only guy). Any guesses as to why this might be the case?

Men don't ask for directions?

[catherine]

I think the norms for that are changing, but not as quick or as widespread as we might like/think.

'

Good point. UL, what are the ages of the women in your group? When I look at my two married sons, they are definitely "co-creators" of their homes. In fact, to be honest, my oldest son does a tremendous amount of housework and childcare--possibly even more than DIL. She's a huge clean freak (but he does a lot of that, too), and she also does the child care (feeding and bathing 2 very young kids), while DS picks up the kids from child care and makes all the meals and cleans up.

I know my second son and his wife are equal partners when it comes to housework.

So, herbgeek, maybe you're right. I think my generation still feels the "Superwoman" pinch, but maybe that's going away. I hope so!

[razz]

I know it is rare these days, perhaps even more rare in your nation, but I have an intellectually curious mind. I ask questions when I see trends or anomalies.

Believe or not, Canada has its share of the curious minds, including mine.
I was just wondering what part of the question triggered your interest.

As Catherine mentioned, women over the centuries have had to find solutions and often by collaborating with others who shared the communal space. Warriors, sheep-herders or the hunter-gatherers were often on their own and dealing with the situation as they found it and solved it. DH and I talked at length about things; I did the research, he found a solution based on the research that met our needs. It worked well so I never questioned it.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Crowd-sourcing this question:
Invariably these classes are almost all women; for instance, this class is 8 women and me (the only guy). Any guesses as to why this might be the case?

if the focus of the classes are household things, then yes women are more focused on household things, on keeping up a home, they just are.

They may have more time, but not if they are working full time as well (then they don't have much time of course). A social responsibility focus will also more often attract women although that's probably not central.

[Ultralight]

I think it's a pretty well-known assumption ...

[Ultralight]

Traditionally, yes. The man went to work and then came home and was waited upon.

This is a far distant memory to men in our current era.

[Ultralight]

Good point. UL, what are the ages of the women in your group?

It varies. One woman is 24, another is about 35. There are some in their 50s and 60s.

So, herbgeek, maybe you're right. I think my generation still feels the "Superwoman" pinch, but maybe that's going away. I hope so!

I think the "superwoman" thing is still going strong. Nearly every woman I know thinks that women can "have it all and do it all."

I think this is a bad idea though...

[iris lilies]

This is a far distant memory to men in our current era.

It's not "traditional" for most of the history of mankind, and certainly was not the standard for my family who lived on farms. Also for DH's father who worked a full time job and akso ran a farm groeing corn, beans, and pigs and cows.