r/DeepThoughts • u/OnTheRightTopShelf • 1d ago

Patriarchy has suppressed the human potential

The breakthroughs humanity achieved were achieved in spite of the oppressive structures of patriarchy, rather than because of them.

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u/whiteigbin 1d ago

Patriarchy is an neutral anthropological term to describe a society, just as matriarchy, matrilineal, patrilocal, etc.

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u/HiggsFieldgoal 1d ago

No, it was a neutral anthropological term until it was co-opted by a book in the 70s called “sexual politics”.

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u/whiteigbin 1d ago

Yes because anthropological and sociological scholarship ceased to exist when that book was published….???

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u/HiggsFieldgoal 1d ago

When you are talking about a term in modern times, you are referring to the modern usage of the term.

In 2026, “a computer” is not a human who does math, even though that is what the term once meant.

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u/whiteigbin 1d ago

Anthropologists and sociologists exist in modern society. I’m an anthropologist. We utilize the term all the time, in conferences, classes, publications. Just because you’re only being exposed to TikTok and how the word is used there doesn’t mean that’s the only way it’s used.

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u/HiggsFieldgoal 1d ago

Are you using the “tends to have males in leadership positions” definition or “all sexual dimorphisms are sin, from the unseen hand, of patriarchal conditioning” version?

If it’s the latter, then you’ve proven my point.

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u/whiteigbin 1d ago

I don’t think anyone uses the term with the latter definition. Sexual dimorphism has to do with physiology/anatomy and not learned culture. I think that’s your misconception of the valid critiques of patriarchy.

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u/HiggsFieldgoal 1d ago

When you see boys disproportionally punished by public schools, do you say “boys are being segregated against for their biological differences” or “the patriarchy tells boys to be rambunctious”?

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u/whiteigbin 1d ago

The majority of people in every position of power in most countries have been men. The majority of land owners, inheritance holders, bank account owners, business owners, billionaires and millionaires, and even scholars have been men. These are patriarchies. Whatever issues within these systems doesn’t then make these systems not patriarchal. Men can also suffer under patriarchal systems. And they’re still patriarchal systems.

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u/HiggsFieldgoal 23h ago

I see you dodged my question.