In this world which believes in gender equality, in which women are educated and economically dependent, why are they still so dependent on men?
Dr. Jernail S Anand
What type of men and women we like in films? Of course, from men and women characters, we expect exemplary conduct. And we do not like those who fall from grace. Films also represent our life, though here too, some characters are too good and some too bad. Our expectations from the hero or heroine are rather too high. From them, we expect elevated conduct, and highest sacrifice too. The people who see films are great connoisseurs of art, and they know what to expect from their heroes and heroines.
The problem starts when we apply the standards which we expect from them, on our own conduct. Nobody is watching us. Not even gods. So, we feel we have the liberty to deviate from the path of greatness and perform jobs which are not expected of a decent person. In our life, we are bad as sons and daughters and do not care for our parents, but if such a character we find in a film, we shall immediately point out, they are wrong. In the same way, a daughter-in-law, if she is not supportive to her mother-in-law, we are quick to take sides with the old lady, and condemn the DIL’s behaviour. But, in real life, we may be the same villainous stuff.
Women are half the population of the world, and they deserve a better deal
This gap between the artistic and the realistic is what forms the basis of my discussion today. Why we expect from others to play so good, while we easily excuse ourselves from any such trouble.
What particularly disturbs me is the helplessness that marks the roles of women characters. In this world which believes in gender equality, in which women are educated and economically dependent, why are they still so dependent on men? Why a man still dominates the proceedings at home and outside? When they marry, the man is not afraid of the divorce, but the woman feels devastated. When a male child is born, still our society celebrates his birth while a girl child is intentionally not willed.
The respect that we accord to the women characters in films is missing from real life. Crimes against women are on the increase
After marriage, the husband has all the power to decide whether his wife will go for work or not. And, how easily he starts doubting her if he finds her talking on phone to someone. It is the woman who does not want her home to be broken, but man does not bother. These days, under work pressures, they do not want to have marriage. They want live-in relationships. If we go by what is happening in metros, life is in grave danger for working women. Men are still the final arbiters of this world. Woman is still a powerless whisper against a man’s powered voice.
Read – Gender Studies: A Trans-Generational Change from the Spinning Wheel to Laptop
Status Quo
There can be many reasons and one is we love our traditions, and our culture, and want to maintain status quo. Women do not realize it but this is the reason why they are still ill-treated, and why dowry is demanded, and why they are considered the second sex.
The Ultronic Age
In the 3rd book of the Mahakaal Trilogy, ‘The Ultronic Age’, I have fabulated a world in which Queen Ultronia is reigning under the blessings of Goddess Saraswati, who is the Muse of Fine Arts. Gods decided to hand over the post-Kalyuga age to Goddess Saraswati, and under her patronage to Queen Ultronia after it was decided that they had entrusted men with the four Yugas and every Yuga had a seen a great War. Let this new Ultronic Age be handled by a woman. Thus, It is a woman’s world and women are taller than men, and there is no discrimination against them. There is no marriage in the absence of love, and the lovers are required to register their affair. They have to be living together for six years, after which they get permission to marry. If they decide to separate at any stage, the state takes care of the kids. The woman is not to worry who will feed her kids etc. In this way, women enjoy great respect in the society. One major departure is there is no penal code. For any aberrations, there is only one punishment. And it is capital punishment. As a result, there is no crime against women.
Flare up of Knowledge
Flare up of KnowledgeThe respect that we accord to the women characters in films is missing from real life. Crimes against women are on the increase. There are many reasons for this and the most important is the flare up of knowledge unsupported by moral education. The International Academy of Ethics has now come up with a novel idea – An Ethical Alphabet. If this alphabet is made popular among the students, they will gain a moral perspective in their early age. The crime in society is the result of the vacuum caused by a parentless society in which grandparents have ceased to exist. Men live, not by bread, but by their wisdom. The wisdom that comes from behind is not all welcome, because there is so much which can disturb our perspectives. We need a judicious mix of the past and the present to carve out a meaningful future for our younger generations. Women are half the population of the world, and they deserve a better deal. The earlier they shed their traditional makeover, the better. We should prepare them not for the 18th century, but for the 22nd century.
Read: The Cultural Imbroglio and the Society under Transformation
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Dr. Jernail Singh Anand, President of the International Academy of Ethics, is author of 170 books in English poetry, fiction, non-fiction, philosophy and spirituality. He was awarded Charter of Morava, the great Award by Serbian Writers Association, Belgrade and his name was engraved on the Poets’ Rock in Serbia. The Academy of Arts and philosophical Sciences of Bari [Italy] honored him with the award of an Honorable Academic. Recently, he was awarded Doctor of Philosophy [Honoris Causa] by the University of Engg and Management, Jaipur. Recently, he organized an International Conference on Contemporary Ethics at Chandigarh. His most phenomenal book is Lustus: The Prince of Darkness [first epic of the Mahkaal Trilogy]. Email: anandjs55@yahoo.com
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