essentialism, and a bit of recreational bashing

[Mary C. Simmons, Hydrologic Assistant, Albuquerque, NM]

Essentialism is defined as "an educational theory that ideas and skills basic 
to a culture should be taught to all alike by time-tested methods" and "a 
philosophical theory ascribing ultimate reality to essence embodied in a thing 
perceptible to the senses."  (Webster's 9th Collegiate dict.)

Whatever that means.


Al.  Thank you for taking on the role of resident scapegoat, er I mean sexist. 
 I am happy to flame you, in the most considerate way possible.

First,  WE ARE NOT PATTERNING OURSELVES AFTER MEN!!!!!!!  Personally, I am 
patterning myself after me, a human female who desires to learn and know and 
love and be, without constraints.  I AM NOT ACTING LIKE A MAN!!!!!  I am being 
me--there are hoardes of things that have been denied to women because of 
certain chromosomal differences, and if we want these things back, it is NOT 
because we want to act like men....we want the same PRIVILEGES as men, the 
same RIGHTS, the same CONSIDERATION, the same FREEDOMS (even to do dumb 
things), the same RESPECT.....

TEll us what you mean by feminists..."distinctly acting like men".  Does 
"acting like men" just mean being a whole and complete human?

I agree with you that there are a lot of differences between men and women and 
that's fine with me, except when this is used as a barrier against which we 
are not allowed to cross.  I don't want to be like men, I only want the 
freedom to be.

Lets NOT ignore differences.  Please lets not be "politically correct"-how 
very DUMB and un-real.  Yes. lets deal with the paradox.  But please see women 
as women and not ersatz men.  please.


and you said:

"P.S.   Good point on the entropy thing.  I didn't mean to say that life 
        violates the Laws of Thermodynamics; just that it works at odds 
        with them.  Life does an incredible job of making order out of 
        chaos, but ultimately depends on a continuous flow of energy from 
        the sun."

And when the sun winks out due to entropy........?? (not to worry-its about 
4.5 billion years away--we DO have more pressing problems)

Mary.
_________________________________________________________________________
Mary Simmons
U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division  
Albuquerque, New Mexico 
(505)262-5332
[EMAIL PROTECTED]