Hannah Arendt, Being Political

I’ve been following a lecture series on philosophers of the 20th century and one lecture was about Hannah Arendt. One point of the lecture stuck with me and I took the following question home with me:

Are we not involved enough in politics anymore? Do we have a duty to get involved?

Hannah Arendt saw the public sphere as the sphere of freedom, in the sense of freedom of speech, etc.; and as the sphere in which we can claim our rights. Our lecturer also mentioned her belief that the ‘animal laborans’ (working animal) is dominating the ‘zoon politikon’ (political being) in our times. It’s been a while since the lecture and I must admit I’ve forgotten her main argumentation, but as I said, it stuck with me.

I’ve never considered myself a very political person. There was a time when I didn’t even watch the news because they depressed me and I felt there wasn’t anything I could do, anyways. Still, lately the feeling’s been nagging on me that maybe I should do more, put my thoughts into words, do something. Anything.

This blog started with the idea of sharing photography, lifestyle, food recipes and such and while there is nothing wrong with those things and I love, adore and admire many blogs focussing on those or one of those things, it’s not all there is to life. I don’t have the time, energy or political involvement to write a political blog, nor am I sure I’d want to. Consider this a fair “warning”, though: There might be political thoughts on this blog from now on. Or just thoughts in general.

It is my blog, after all. And a little depth never hurt anyone, right?

It’s okay to…

• plan your day through down to the last detail
• mess up piles of fallen leaves with childish abandon (else the wind will do it for you)
• keep one (or more) stuffed animals around even if you’re supposedly an adult
• light candles to spoil yourself with delicious smells and wonderful atmosphere
• follow your dreams, whatever they may be

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It’s okay to…

… carry a camera with you everywhere, even if you’re the only one.

… smile at people you don’t know.

… eat left-overs from dinner for breakfast.

… sleep in without feeling guilty.

… love yourself.

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Feminism and femininity

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I’m not a feminist – or at least I don’t define myself as such – and I don’t know much about feminist theories or even the history of feminism. That doesn’t mean I don’t have some thoughts on the matter, though, and inspired by this and this post by AlreadyPretty and VulgarMoon respectively, I’d like to share them with you.

It seems to me that at times, people who define themselves as feminist declare that one thing or another is not done if you’re feminist. That by wearing high heels or dresses you conform to the expectations of the patriarchy. That by choosing to have a family over having a career, you become anti-feminist.

As I said above, I don’t know much about feminist theories or the history of feminism, but it seems to be that feminism should not be about exchanging one set of values with another. Those people preaching that only one thing is feminist and another is not are, in my opinion, doing the exact same thing that men/society/the patriarchy did to women for the longest time – imposing pre-set values on them. In my opinion, feminism is – or should be – about having a choice.

Should a woman who wants to have a family and stay at home not be allowed to do so without hearing discriminations that she is betraying feminism? Should a woman who prefers her career over starting a family not be free to do so? Why should a woman who likes wearing high heels not do so, and why should a woman who hates high heels be forced to wear them? Shouldn’t we all be free to make the choices we want, regardless of what they are?

Saying that women should choose their career over a family takes away the choice from the woman in much the same way saying that all women belong in the kitchen does. I cannot believe that should be the point. It should be about giving women choices, not about telling them which choices to make.