Posted by Vita on July 25, 2000 at 21:48:20:
In Reply to: Re: Thought for the Day posted by Bill R on July 25, 2000 at 21:40:06:
: : : Woman would be more charming if one could fall into her arms
: : : without falling into her hands.
: : : (Ambrose Bierce, US Author, 1842-1914)
: :
: : Hmmmm....
: : Male chauvinist this fella, I presume?
: : How language can reflect the undercurrents in a culture...
: : Fear Huggy, remember your Turkish Trader who was courting you?
: : Hey, these guys are not sooo bad after all.
: : Here is a little comparison:
: : American men call a good looking woman: "knockout," "provocative."
: : Both description show the sex-appeal of the female as something aggressive the men have to protect themselves against, or have to attack = provocative can mean they feel provoked to violate...
: : Turkish men describe a good looking, beautiful or sexy female
: : as: Bir ichim su = "a drink of water"
: : Now, a drink of water is salubrious, refreshing, life giving.
: : Which one would you, as a female, prefer? To be seen as someone who incites violence, or let's use the lesser term: action...
: : or to be seen someone who is salubrious, refreshing, life and health giving?
: : Another thought for the day.
:
: Vita,
: It took me a while, but finally your water comment was put into proper context. That saying comes from a people who find water to be a precious, lifegiving thing. In the middle east, there isnt much that is more valuable than water. So that comment takes on greater meaning once that dawned on me.
: Then too, thinking more, the two comments may also come from different ways of looking at women in the two cultures. In our culture women are accepted as being aggressive, making the first move, being obvious. In Middle Eastern culture women are expected to be quite different. And one final thought about the Turks way of phrasing things.....water is the source of all life.
: You cannot HAVE life without it. The rest of what you said is all true also.
: Now, if I could only get Betty to be a "drink of water" instead of a "knockout"! Yeah, fat chance. She is who she is, and I love her for it - most of the time!
: BillyGnome
Dear Bill,
What a wonderful reply! One tiny disagreement, it really is not true that in the American culture, women are seen as aggressive, making the first move... Though yes, there was the 80's Disco Craze, but also Looking For Mr. Goodbar.
Re. Betty. Even though she is a knockout, she is also YOUR drink of water, right? Without her, you'd expire of spiritual thirst.
Take care and may you and Betty live in love light and laughter, always.