OK, maybe three cheers. I came across this article published in Foreign Policy about ten years ago. Surprisingly for this rag, the article promotes the patriarchy:
Throughout the broad sweep of human history, there are many examples of people, or classes of people, who chose to avoid the costs of parenthood. Indeed, falling fertility is a recurring tendency of human civilization. Why then did humans not become extinct long ago? The short answer is patriarchy.
…
Through a process of cultural evolution, societies that adopted this particular social system — which involves far more than simple male domination — maximized their population and therefore their power, whereas those that didn’t were either overrun or absorbed. This cycle in human history may be obnoxious to the enlightened, but it is set to make a comeback.
It’s an interesting read, particularly in light of the post-modern, feminist view of the way society should be organized.
A couple more quotes from the article:
Among states that voted for President George W. Bush in 2004, fertility rates are 12 percent higher than in states that voted for Sen. John Kerry. It may also help to explain the increasing popular resistance among rank-and-file Europeans to such crown jewels of secular liberalism as the European Union. It turns out that Europeans who are most likely to identify themselves as “world citizens” are also those least likely to have children.
…
it is a transformation that occurs as secular and libertarian elements in society fail to reproduce, and as people adhering to more traditional, patriarchal values inherit society by default.
I will add the third cheer but I will do it quietly. (MLH might be lurking.)
Always.
Why are we having trouble getting on BDB’s?
No idea. Maybe you should try boxers.
THAT is hilarious.
***
Women only have one thing on their minds. Changing men.
Why would they quite when they’re ahead!
You’re not going back to talk about the actual topic, are you?
Quit
Thank you D-Lo. Every once in a while I see an article I like in FP. This one looks like a goodie.
As I mentioned on the recent VOTD telecon, I am currently re-reading Stephen Pinker’s magnificent _The Blank Slate_. In that well-written and well-narrated audiobook, Pinker makes the cases for a great number of “conservative” ideals, as the proper interpretation of various phenomena wrongly treated by a highly politicized corrupt science of the left. He remains a man of the left, which comes through loud and clear in his work, and which in no way diminishes the ultimately (Sowellian) conservative conclusions he comes to.
The point you illustrate about patriarchy is well-treated in that book, and I think you would enjoy it.
I read The Blank Slate several years ago (as an audiobook) and may return to it at some point. The thing that struck me about the book is that Pinker was constantly apologizing for having to bring the ‘bad news’ of reality to his (potentially) leftist audience. That got tedious at times.
Returning the favor, I recommend _The 10,000 Year Explosion_ by Cochran and Harpending. I follow their blog (westhunt.wordpress.com). Some of the blog posts are quite technical but most are accessible. Technically, it’s just Cochran’s blog now since Harpending died a couple of years ago. Don’t be put off by Cochran’s combative style. The discussion is lively and (mostly)intelligent. Some very smart people participate.
Doc, I’ve been scrolling down his un-ending front page. Interesting stuff! I’ll throw his site in the Blogroll.
You guys should read “How Civilizations Die” by David Goldman. Fascinating collection of statistics.
Any stats you care to share, Dev?