If you say something enough than it becomes true.

I am not thinking about black or white, or discrimination against Muslims or Jews or Christians. I was thinking about a bigger problem. In my communication research class I'm taking at my college I had to do a lit-review for a research about self-disclosure and the issue with gender and sex. I've found that much of what was researched was pure bunk. Sociologists and psychologists have put together a string of stereotypes about what determines masculinity and what determines more feminine traits. They view it as an opposite side of the spectrum. They view females as more nurturing, loving and caring. They view males as uncaring, more business like, and more fact-oriented. Women are viewed as more other oriented. Men are viewed as being more oriented with their work life. Women want connection with other people, it is said, while men just want more experiences with other people.

It may generally be true that women may be somewhat more expressive than men, or that men may be more factually oriented than women at times. But this is taken as dogma within the field of communication, sociology, and psychology. This is an abstract of an article that goes on in a bit of what I'm talking about:

Historically, psychologists have viewed femininity and masculinity as opposite poles of a continuum. The more feminine a person was, the less masculine that person could be. In the late 1990s, psychologists, including Sandra Bem, have asserted that femininity and masculinity are independent personality dimensions. Individuals, female or male, who exhibit high levels of both feminine and masculine personality traits are said to demonstrate androgyny. People who have many masculine but few feminine traits are termed masculine; those with many feminine but few masculine characteristics are feminine. People who show few masculine and feminine traits are designated as undifferentiated. Numerous studies indicate that androgynous persons are better adjusted psychologically, more popular, and have higher self-esteem than are masculine, feminine, or undifferentiated persons. In other research, individuals high in masculinity appear as well off as androgynous persons. These results suggest that it is the masculine component of androgyny (e.g., independence, confidence, self-reliance) that is most strongly associated with psychological well-being.

social.jrank.org...


I raise the question if they really are opposite sides of the spectrum. People can be caring and independent. People can exhibit traits of expressiveness while being factually oriented. Women can be business just believe that these various beliefs that people have been spread to mainstream psychology and to the mass media and that's why people talk about it so much.

Sociologists and psychologists and people in these fields will wonder why women aren't equal to men or why men aren't equal to women. But, people have these stereotypes and beliefs about men and women and they put everyone in the same box. Can men ever be nice? Noo, that's a feminine trait. Men are supposed to be more rough and aggressive. Are women supposed to be independent minded? No they're supposed to be nurturing wives and care givers (I'm not advocating against marriage, just the stereotypes).

These things that people say have been accepted for a long time without question. I think it is time to start questioning these stereotypes. Is it really true for instance that women don't value control as much as men do, or is empathy an exclusively feminine trait? Is it true that men don't value connection? Is it true that men are apathetic and that women are SO MUCH BETTER at understanding people's feelings and saying things without hurting their feelings? Is it true that men don't care what people say or about anything that goes on?

I say it's time to smash the dominant paradigm. These beliefs are oppressing people and keeping people in their place, so to say. When will people learn that in order to change society you have to change the philosophy behind it?

Sociologists and psychologists and people in these fields will wonder why women aren't equal to men or why men aren't equal to women. But, people have these stereotypes and beliefs about men and women and they put everyone in the same box. Can men ever be nice? Noo, that's a feminine trait. Men are supposed to be more rough and aggressive. Are women supposed to be independent minded? No they're supposed to be nurturing wives and care givers (I'm not advocating against marriage, just the stereotypes).

Why would we sociologists "wonder" why men and women are not equal socioeconomically, politically, etc? We already know the reason. As you've said: stereotypes. The socially constructed gap that holds progress.

These things that people say have been accepted for a long time without question. I think it is time to start questioning these stereotypes. Is it really true for instance that women don't value control as much as men do, or is empathy an exclusively feminine trait? Is it true that men don't value connection? Is it true that men are apathetic and that women are SO MUCH BETTER at understanding people's feelings and saying things without hurting their feelings? Is it true that men don't care what people say or about anything that goes on?

It's hard for most people to recognize things like this when one has been taught the same things and has seen the same things over and over throughout one's life. Everything becomes normalized and people don't question anything. It's like whiteness. If you're white, you don't feel that you are "privileged" when you get a job over a black person, or when you walk into a store and not become suspect, etc. That's because it is normal "for you." Those that are oppressed can see it; those that aren't, not so much. Education is necessary in combating these issues. It doesn't help when are media reinforces stereotypes and behavior patterns however.

I say it's time to smash the dominant paradigm. These beliefs are oppressing people and keeping people in their place, so to say. When will people learn that in order to change society you have to change the philosophy behind it?

There are those do not understand it, those that do and are powerless, and those that do, but want to keep it this way. Maintaining the status quo...the same "standards of living" is vital for them. It's a long and hard process to combat the dominant group in society. But it has been done many times (just takes a very long time).

Also, to add to your title...things do indeed become true [for those that hear it] if certain beliefs are repeated enough. The Thomas Theorem states:

"Situations that are defined as true will become true in their consequences (definition of the situation)."

In this sense, we create our own realities; they aren't just "out there." If enough people tell a girl that she is fat, then she indeed will conceptualize herself as being that way (because everyone deems it so). This works in just about any other situation.

Credo mutwa says Humans were originally androgynous i.e. both male and female in one body, than one day these reptilian beings came from the sky and told humans that they are god and will give humans great gifts if they worship them. Have a look at this video:



Credo says humans lost their mental powers as a result of these sexual differences. So i would say all those sociologists and psychologists are saying the truth a human being is never complete and in balance if both feminine and masculine aspects are present in him.