Monday, May 08, 2006

A Capitalist Approach

to feminism.

Reader's Digest Version: Indian women are in shorter and shorter supply because Indian women are selectively aborting female babies to avoid the financial burden posed by the Dowry's required (and possibly also not to give life to a child who will live a more unpleasant life than her brothers). They want to make this practice illegal. But keeping the practice legal will eventually result in more equality for women, as the supply is limited, and women will have their pick of suitors, it will no longer be the women with the dowrys. Though I think the eventual goal should always be equality, both in numbers and in stature, this seems like a reasonable solution to me. Limit supply to increase demand, right?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Though I think the eventual goal should always be equality, both in numbers and in stature, . . .

Are you proposing to overturn the laws of biology?

Shinobi said...

Laws were made to be broken after all.

But I guess I don't know what you're talking about? I mean there will always be variance in the numbers of men and women, duh. But I just don't want people jumping on me irrationally and saying I'm a man hater which seems to happen a lot. Ultimately I think we should not mess with the balance of nature. But since these women are doing it, for a pretty reasonable reason, I say let them.


Also, if you're talking about the use of the word stature:
stat·ure ( P ) Pronunciation Key (stchr)
n.
1. The natural height of a human or animal in an upright position.
2. An achieved level; status.

I meant definition #2. Though I am taller than most men, so that particular law of biology doesn't apply here. :-)

Anonymous said...

Shinobi, I'm happy to see you posting more frequently. See if you can get Kav to do likewise.

My comments: I have heard China has been suffering unintended (or at least unforseen) consequenses of this practice. ie a sizable young male population with no sexual outlet (makes them restless). I think this is the wrong way to apply economic theory. full disclosure: I am against most abortions.

Anonymous said...

Clarification: I realize that's actually the goal that the author is getting at, but I just don't think it has really been thought through. I'm guessing that many other scenarios are possible besides women becoming more valuable.