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A survey was taken recently involving young women. The majority of the women were more interested in being involved with things like, dancing with the stars rather than winning the nobel prize. My question is, percentage wise, have young women resigned themselves to the idea that they cannot be more than what men expect of them? Do they still feel like they are somewhat inferior in the sense that they are only able to achieve just so much, because they are women?I hope they do not feel this way in general. Because they are so much more valuable than they could ever know.

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@Elmud,

Elmud wrote:

A survey was taken recently involving young women. The majority of the women were more interested in being involved with things like, dancing with the stars rather than winning the nobel prize. My question is, percentage wise, have young women resigned themselves to the idea that they cannot be more than what men expect of them? Do they still feel like they are somewhat inferior in the sense that they are only able to achieve just so much, because they are women?I hope they do not feel this way in general. Because they are so much more valuable than they could ever know.

As a young woman I am interested in seeing this survey question and the results. Can you direct us to it?

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@patchouli phil,

patchouli wrote:

As a young woman I am interested in seeing this survey question and the results. Can you direct us to it?

I heard it on the radio. CNN news I think. Not sure.

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@Elmud,

Elmud wrote:

A survey was taken recently involving young women. The majority of the women were more interested in being involved with things like, dancing with the stars rather than winning the nobel prize. My question is, percentage wise, have young women resigned themselves to the idea that they cannot be more than what men expect of them? Do they still feel like they are somewhat inferior in the sense that they are only able to achieve just so much, because they are women?I hope they do not feel this way in general. Because they are so much more valuable than they could ever know.

the obsession with celebretism and lack of nobel icons leads to much of this result, and there could be other factors too like lack of access to opportunities, i dont think we've resigned ourselves to what men expect of us, (i havent but then im not young but i was once albeit a very long time ago and i felt the same then), these days unless your a real old fashioned sexist most women are born into the modern view of woman and that is these days you can be anything you want, more than just what some men expect of you. many woman in the past have produced great works but you dont see it because the world was sexist then too, (through out history), so i conclude it is what we value today in society, (celebrity), that influences what young women do today, sadly.

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@Elmud,

The only people who thought and think women are inferior are men not the women themselves.

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@Caroline,

Surveys can dictate certain answers by the way questions are asked. There are other sly strategies also. I tend not to like surveys. Interesting though. Damn Kids and their Dancing!! Seriously though, its minute to argue the world would be better with more Nobel prize winners then dancers. Its a statement that implies knowledge is more important then Art. Don't even go there. Technology hasn't fed the entire world yet.

The other side is that there is of course cultural habits that we all acknowledge. Just don't do it yourself, that's how you change it. If women want to do something, they're strong enough to rise to the occasion.

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@Joe,

I'd think it's more because men in general have a higher contest instinct, therefore, "achieving much" and earning fame is more important to them than to women in general. Men fighting for fame and power are actually just like little boys playing games against each other, if you think about it.

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@Elmud,

If this is true, why is it bad?

In a related subject, it has been suggested that the pay gap between genders is not a result of skewed socio-economic scales, but of the preferences of women, specifically in the role of "homemaking" and child raising. Of course, this is met with hissing and accusations of chauvinism and misogyny as if homemaking were an inferior choice.

I don't want to debate which side of the argument is correct, I just want to know how we went from one authoritarian opinion on what women should think to another authoritarian opinion as to what women should think.

If young women want to grow up to be dancers or celebrities rather than scientists, let them.

Note: at no point does any of this apply to specifics. Simply because there are tendencies amongst either gender, I would not make the mistake of assuming all of a gender follow the tendencies.

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@Mr Fight the Power,

i'm not sure what else was involved with the survey but it might have more to do with our culture in general having more interest in superficial entertainment... did the survey suggest that men were more interested in Nobel prize winners than other popular "male t.v. shows?"

anyway assuming the survey does suggest that women have more interest in superficial entertainment then men, i would say that it has something to do with how women feel they need to be in order to have people perceive them as feminine.

also i think women have a tendency to try to nurture men by nurturing their ego which indirectly involves dumbing themselves down. Personally, as a female who likes having intelligent discussions and who is not acquainted with a lot of intellectual people, i feel that guys that take interest in me are often put off by the fact that i am thinker, and like to discuss ideas and things that matter. I'm not sure if its b/c they view it as threatening or if they just aren't interested in having real discussions... either way i feel like my intellect pushes men away... i'm guessing other women have had similar experiences...

so i guess i'm saying that its possible that women subconsciously equate some superficialness with being perceived as feminine....

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@Elmud,

Yea, I'd like to see such a survey because from what I've seen, relatively few wanna be, "... dancing with the stars".

Also, do young women care much what men want or expect ...at all? I'm just not completely sure that men have much relevance to women any more.

Who knows... one can't justifiably generalize I suppose

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@Elmud,

Elmud wrote:

A survey was taken recently involving young women. The majority of the women were more interested in being involved with things like, dancing with the stars rather than winning the nobel prize. My question is, percentage wise, have young women resigned themselves to the idea that they cannot be more than what men expect of them? Do they still feel like they are somewhat inferior in the sense that they are only able to achieve just so much, because they are women?I hope they do not feel this way in general. Because they are so much more valuable than they could ever know.

I think I found your survey. Not sure - but if this *is* it, you might've mis-read.

Only, "... 25 percent of those questioned would rather win the "America's Next Top Model" TV show than the Nobel Peace Prize" (Link is here).

1 Reply

@Khethil,

Khethil;55491 wrote:

Yea, I'd like to see such a survey because from what I've seen, relatively few wanna be, "... dancing with the stars".

Also, do young women care much what men want or expect ...at all? I'm just not completely sure that men have much relevance to women any more.

Who knows... one can't justifiably generalize I suppose

From my personal observations I would say women definitely care, they probably don't consciously think about it a lot, but its ingrained in social expectations for sure. However, you're definitely right; you really can't generalize how much women care b/c it varies greatly from woman to woman.

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@paisleypea,

paisleypea wrote:

also i think women have a tendency to try to nurture men by nurturing their ego which indirectly involves dumbing themselves down.

Nurturing. I like that word.thanks.

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@paisleypea,

paisleypea wrote:

i feel that guys that take interest in me are often put off by the fact that i am thinker, and like to discuss ideas and things that matter. I'm not sure if its b/c they view it as threatening or if they just aren't interested in having real discussions... either way i feel like my intellect pushes men away... .

Maybe they are just intimidated. You may unintentionally expose a few of their intellectual inadequacies. Feeling that way, they may resign themselves to the idea that they just don't measure up. You have exceeded their expectations of what a woman should be. As for me, the sky is the limit for you. I have three daughters who are probably close to your age. the sky is the limit for them too. Sooner or later, you'll be accepted as you are, and not as you're expected to be. Hopefully, the nurturing characteristic of women will remain intact while yet still reaching for the stars.

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@Elmud,

Nah i was brought up to enjoy intellectual conversation and with other people i think if someone said i belonged in the kitchen we would've all laughed at the poor guy. I have intellectual conversation with men too in the past thouugh i dont think some expected it and my biology teacher once asked me if i was a dumb blond, (nice).

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@Khethil,

Khethil wrote:

I think I found your survey. Not sure - but if this *is* it, you might've mis-read.

Only, "... 25 percent of those questioned would rather win the "America's Next Top Model" TV show than the Nobel Peace Prize" (Link is here).

Its that twenty five percent that i would be concerned with. But, if thats all, then thats a good thing.

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