Inspiring movies usually leave me elated. Recharging my spirit and reinforcing my ego. By ego, here, i mean self love. Belief and joy in yourself. It had been a while since i saw a mivie of this kind and watched it fully just for the fun of it.
Mona Lisa Smile is a movie about freedom. From the barriers of the mind and from keeping up with the jonses. Its like a refresher course on feminism. On breaking free of the traditional role set for women, and of reaching out to your potential. And, it acted as a rein check for me today.
In many ways, the situation of the girls in Wesly is similar to that faced by many of my friends. All qualified engineers and many still wanting for a job because they got married and are busy settling down. Most of us, though are in a very different situation, with families the fully support and encourage our freedom, and our individuality. what makes the perspective interesting is my strange reaction to it.
two years ago, I would have enjoyed this movie better and agreed with it thoroughly. but today it makes me reflect. not agree. I really used to feel bad for the people who were doing their degree and just waiting to get marriedI wondered at why they bothered to work hard for four years, if their aim was to marry and setup a home... like that was the end of the world. Strong was my ambition to make a mark in my career. To be a person people quoted in textbook, and in business anals. To be someone people yearned to learn from.But, at the same time, somewhere deep inside me, i wanted to someday give my full attention to the same things. to settle down, to take time off and give my attention to the children i hope to have.
Somehow, down the line the 'traditional' point of view got stuck in my mind. Not that anybody taught me by example. Rather, my observation of the world and of life in general, always reinforced the logic behind the traditions. It was always there in the back of my mind and it got a push from the turn of events in my life. Here I am., poised to make leaps and bounds in my career, with two of the industry's most reputed employers backing me and more bekoning..... Yet I think of asking a prospective employer if I can work from home. (!?!?!?)
It is not that i have any less interest or skill in my field. It is just that the patience and mindset required of a home maker are also among my talents. and one that i know will also stand me good stead in my life. People who have known me for long may mistake, that i have been influenced by another. that my gullible nature has betrayed me. and many may feel let down by my thinking.... But these are things that i have always wanted and cherished.
2 comments:
Another one to bite the dust? lol... Unfortunately your overlong blog post was ill timed to suit a poor girl fighting against economic theories of antifeminism that your writing supports... DAMN GENDER SOCIALIZATION!!!!!
ok ok, rant over, no more comments (my only comment a rant? yes, well, big surprise?)
Why does it sound like this is a reaction to something I have said? Or am I simply imagining that?
Anyways, there was so much I had to say about this post, I actually waited for the weekend to be able to do that :D
First of all, feminism as you very well know is not about not wanting a family, neither is it about caring for one's career at the expense of everything else.
The one sentence within this post that captures an important aspect of feminism is the one in which you say you possess the "talent" required of a homemaker apart from being good at your job. To be able to recognize the qualities you have mentioned as talents- that's one of the things feminism stood for.
Secondly, we must remember that we as women are rather fortunate to be part of a generation that does not have to struggle to prove a point. All the sacrifices in terms of having to choose between a family and a career have all been made by women in earlier generations ( I don't mean to say this is true for all women everywhere today). It is because of these social upheaveals of which we were not even part of that we are able to enjoy well rounded lives if we want to.
Basically, all I am trying to say is that the concepts of feminism are as relevant today as they once were. Feminist philosophy, in its own way, has influenced the decisions we make in our lives and that fact that we actually make decisions. And that's what I have to say to you as someone who's known you for long....as you happen to mention the likes of us in the end of the post....and no, I wouldn't say you are influenced by another :)
Phew! *goes looking for a glass of water*
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