Wolfe: Misogynist Or Realist?

b sharp · 20 Oct 2006, 15:03 · from 2006-October.txt.gz

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From: bsharporflat at hotmail.com (b sharp)
Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 11:03:47 -0400
Subject: (urth) Wolfe: Misogynist Or Realist?
Message-ID: <BAY103-F232DDCA666C50BF59CFFAED70D0 at phx.gbl>

I'll follow up on Jeff's, Adam's and Daniel's biological posts to note with 
evil irony that
the European and Islamic codes of chivalry which extend such great 
protection to females (and their purity) can be seen as the product of 
barbarian cultures, hell-bent on warfare, global expansion and maximum 
population growth and tacit or open polygamy (polygyny).

In contrast, the female infanticide found in China and India was the product 
of mature, peaceful civilizations interested in population control, 
monogamy, balance and harmony. (all this being historical argument based on 
pre- modern birth control time periods and surely subject to much dissent 
and hackle raising ;-)).

The topic of protecting females from war reminds me..., Hmph writes:

>I seem to remember rather liking the female soldier in, is it the third or 
>the fourth part of TBotNS? I forgot her name and don't have time to look it 
>up now. Also, wasn't there a >sympathetic female sailor in TUotNS?

I can't think of a female soldier in BotNS, but the female sailor is surely 
Gunny, whose younger version goes by Burgundofora.  I guess both are 
sympathetic characters though they both betray Severian, one in a minor way, 
one in a major way.

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