Superiority 3/15/12

A pressing issue we discussed in class today was the repeal of Equal Pay Enforcement Act, which was a law passed in July of 2009 that would guarantee women the same pay as men for the same jobs. The law is currently in the process of an attempt to repeal. The original plan for the law was to put an end to workplace discrimination against women who carried the same job title and held the same levels of education as their male counterpart. Any company found guilty of discrimination after the law was passed would have been subject to hefty lawsuits. In the future it poses a problem against women because we lose between $250,000 & 375,000 in the course of our lifetime, that of which is completely unfair because women possess the same skills, and education as men. For the most part women are usually more detail oriented, and more skilled than men in what we do. It seems like women just can't get a break when it comes to trying to be the equal of a male employee. I don't understand the logic behind men making more money than women, if it is going to be based on anything it should be based own effort, and work ethics, not whether you were born male or female. It continues to give males the superiority that they've had from day one and women have worked so hard to be where they are, we deserve more than just a little bit of credit.
-Jae

Rape 3/15/12

Today in class we discussed the rape of Lissla by her father. The king used his superiority as a weapon, or maybe a crutch to get what he wanted. Up until the point that we are now in the book, the king raped Lissla because of her strong resemblance, and features that reminded her father of her mother. I completely think the rape was unacceptable, as it always is, but I will play devils advocate for a minute. Was the king so wrong for his reasoning? He lost his wife and his daughter reminded him so much of her that he felt like he had to have her. So I understand where the king is coming from with his thought process, but maybe he could have chosen a better way to express those feelings. Dr. Hager stated rape is always an issue of power over sexual desire, but in this case was it? I didn't feel like in the rape he was using superiority other than his strength. Was it power or did he really yearn for his wife so bad that maybe he thought his daughter would fulfill the desire? Does anyone else think the rape was an actual sexual desire or is it just me?

-Jae

Oedipus Complex 3/13/12

Oedipus complex theory is when a boy from the womb desires to be close to his mother out of the womb because they were connected at the womb for nine months, and after birth the mother provides the nutrition and emotional factors when it comes to love and breast feeding. Later in life the son desires to be just like his father. As far as the oedipus complex is concerned it makes me wonder is there a certain age where this “complex” just “turns on” for a boy or is it just something that all boys go through at one point in their life? Does every boy go through this stage or just some? For instance for a gay male would he experience the oedipus complex? Does he aspire to be like his father or does he aspire to continue to yearn for his mother. I would think a gay male would not fall into this category because he never makes the decision that he wants to be like his father, because he never does...right? wrong? I’m not sure but I guess because it happened so long ago Freud wasn't contemplating sex between anyone besides a man and a woman so the theory was not designed for a gay man or a gay woman, but its definitely something to think about. I apologize in advance for all of my posts focusing on homosexuality, its my thing. Haha :)

-Jae