I feel that it is important to recognize patriarchy as a system because as individuals will align themselves with this system, believe in this system’s values, and perpetuate and strengthen this system; it is this system and its place in our societies itself that promotes and rewards this behavior. As Allan G. Johnson explains, we want to end oppressive systems like patriarchy, and the way to do it is to identify it, find its roots, and in understanding it we can dismantle it. Identifying the privilege and oppression that exists in these systems is also incredibly important in understanding how we can remove them.
In order to understand this system, it’s important to understand how it affects everyone on a personal level. This shows itself in many different forms. the Levels of Oppression is a great way to identify this and to represent how deeply this affects people. The personal level is present in our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, conscious or subconscious. This person-level greatly influences the other levels as patriarchal biases will lead people to act upon their said thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. If you have a belief that your wife has specific responsibilities as a woman, you will bring that into the interpersonal level and act on it. If you are in a place of power, this will even influence your decisions on an institutional level. The accumulation of these thoughts, actions, and policies affect our culture and society as a whole.
Hi Nasser, I agree with you about the message that Johnson’s article has, he concentrates on being able to make anyone see how oppression can manifest itself in different ways. The same system is the one that develops the different types of oppression, but in the same way, the system is ourselves that in its time only accepted what was wrong or right. In the same way, I also strongly agree on how our environment affects and impacts our beliefs, as well as culture and religion can be an important key point in how we see things in reality. Patriarchy is so powerful, because in its time it was seen as very normal for a man to exercise power over a woman, so the system converted it as if it were the “correct” thing to do.
Hi Nasser, I enjoyed reading your post. I agree with you that it’s important that we recognize the patriarchy as a whole system to not perpetuate it. If more people were aware that patriarchy goes further than some sexist men, and cared more about it, we could change it. I don’t think this will happen anytime soon anyway, but it’s possible because each individual participates in the patriarchal system, and only those same participants would be able to change the rules of the game.
Hi Nasser,
Thank you so much for sharing; I truly enjoyed reading and reflecting on your response. I agree with you on your idea of patriarchy. It is very important to understand how patriarchy affects people on a deeper level to truly understand and grasp the depth in which patriarchy has influenced our society as a whole. However, I don’t think we will come to a realization of what patriarchy actually is and how it impacts our culture to move forward to positive and effective solutions.
Hi Nassar i do believe that it is important for us to understand how it affects individuals. Men and women are both affected by this system and it is important we analyze it. That is the only way we can work toward breaking down these systems.
Hello Nassar,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I agree with your say on that it’s important that people should understand how this system affects everyone on a personal level. Overall this system affects men and women.