Monday, April 14, 2008

In Decisions, Decisions, Decisions, Enloe brings up some interesting points. I was thankful that midway through the reading, she gives her definition of militarization, which is " the step-by-step process by which something becomes controlled by, dependent on, or derives its value from the military as an institution or militaristic criteria." This definition went along with my own definition of militarism which I got from reading this, which is basically anything that is influenced by the military. This reading was fairly boring and quite repetitive, but I got the point. Basically she was saying that everything has had some influence from the military, and that pretty soon aspects of western culture, such as rape, liberation, peacekeeping, femininity, and sneakers will be able to be militarized. In my opinion, some of her views for the future and militarization are a bit far fetched.

One section of Uma Narayan's Contesting Cultures: "Westernization," Respect for Cultures, and Third World Feminists from Dislocating Cultures: Identities, Traditions, and Third World Feminisms that really stood out to me was when she was talking about her experiences with her parents. She discussed how her mother used to always silence her, but in turn her mother used to get silenced by her mother-in-law. I think that often times, when people get treated a certain way, no matter how much they do not like it, they impose the same treatments on otters because it gives them a source of power. I was raised by my grandmother, and I know that many of the times that I questioned her on why she reprimanded me a certain way, her answer was basically because that is how her mother did it. I really feel where Narayan is coming from because for the 11 years that my mother raised me I was always taught to ask questions. When I started living with my grandmother, I did not understand why I couldn't speak at certain times or why I was told that a child should be seen and not heard. I think that the archaic ways of raising children should be left back in archaic times because this hegemonic view that children should be seen and not heard can really be detrimental, especially when it comes to little girls. If they are taught to sit pretty and not say anything, this can be harmful when it is time to stand up for what you believe in.

2 comments:

Blakelymarie said...

It is really sad to think that mothers are teaching their young daughters to be silent, not to ask questions or to speak out about what is being done to them. But then I ask myself do I only feel this way because I am a viewing this with "Western eyes"? If I was raised in India or another third world country would i find fault with my culture or would I accept this treatment as a part of every day life and act as a "good little Indian wife"?

dev_2010 said...

I thought I comment on what my sister wrote underneath me. I mean I think if I was raised India or in another third world country I wouldnt really know what exactly is going on in these other countries just like I do now. I believe that I wouldn't know what was right or what was wrong all I would know is what I see on a day to day basis within my own culture. I know that sounds really bad and just ignorant but it is how we live now as citizens of the United States.