Freedom and Value


Feminism has made great success in increasing women's freedom. The social pressures of her sexuality are removed, along with it are standards of modesty, the shackles of being expected to raise a family, she can now vote, or run for office, or do just about whatever she wants. Even in crime, she is faced with a much smaller incarceration rate for the same crime as men.

These advancements for women are great for them, or so it seems. During first wave feminism, women were opposed to getting the vote on the premise that it would shoulder them with the responsibility of the draft, and to be financially responsible for themselves. But, as history vetted out, not only were those responsibilities not thrust upon them like their male counterparts, they received new freedoms. Technological advances freed her from many hours of laborious wood chopping, floor scrubbing, dish washing, clothes washing, even child rearing. The world became her oyster. Now she was freed to take the jobs she wants, without the financial responsibility to take the jobs the family needs her to have.

However, with those new found freedoms, there became an imbalance. They were no longer responsible. Without a responsibility, an individual becomes...unnecessary. Refusing to have children, refusing to care for her husband, refusing to be pleasant, refusing to work difficult jobs, refusing to take ownership of themselves, some women are finding themselves unneeded, unwanted, and of lesser value.

You old bats who "can't find a good man" know who you are. You bring little to the table, you are a tax liability, you are a liability to your possible husband or roommate, you take up resources and are essentially of no value. Enjoy your freedom, alone, in your section 8 apartment, with your cats. That really sounds like freedom, no really.

On the flip side, those who become responsible for things, they take the promotion, they offer their services, they help out others, they become responsible for a large family, or base of clients. They become needed to a number of people around them. Who is more important?

Christ once said, "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." It is those who serve others is who bring value to the table. Ironically, it is those who have responsibilities on their plate that have the true freedom. They have help from people that they help, they have the support and love of their friends and family. George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life" shows this. People will rally around those who are a positive influence. 

A girl I knew (she was very good, LDS) where I went to college was abducted. For several weeks, search parties (of which I was a part of multiple times) were out, scouring the countryside. Billboards and posters were everywhere. She and her family was obviously well respected and loved by many in our community. For some time, people kept talking about her, giving eulogies in church. 

There was this other girl I knew some time back. She was a troubled kid. Her "mom" adopted her as a teenager. She was a product of the foster care system. She came to church with her mom, and my wife and I tried the best we could to fellowship her and get her on the right track. Eventually, we moved from that town and a couple years later (she was 18-19 at the time) that we heard she was a prostitute that was murdered at a truck stop not far from there. Other than a phone call to her adoptive family, they chalked it up as just another dead whore, I don't know if the police ever found the murderer. It was terribly heartbreaking to see so little attention, especially when contrasted to the girl I previously mentioned.

Moral of the story, be useful if you want to be of value to others. Too many escape any responsibility, and drop in value. One caveat, be useful, but don't be used. If people use you with little return, get out. They are losing respect for you, and you become a slave.





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