http://www.google.com/search?q=stepford+wife
My current estimation is that a Stepford Wife is one of those subservient wives.
I have some speculations on this topic
There is something to be said of the supposed depression of feminists these days. Now that they are liberated, they find that they are distant from their husbands, children, etc.. and some are writing books to their fellow XX-chromos to go back to the home be the "good wives" that they were meant to be.
// side note: once again language is corrupted. I have been butchered for my views on gender for so long that it's natural that what follows is one of the most appeasing statements on the matter, but whatever, back to your regularly scheduled blogging //
I think relationships are matters of synergy.
1 + 1 has to somehow equal 3
if the two parties are equal in many regards, then one doesn't need the other, and that's why divorce rates are so high.
So, the angst of marriage in America I think is evidence of a transition state.
or rather, there are three marriage/relationship archetypes, or rather three salient points along a spectrum.
1) the woman is dominant 2) the woman and man are equal 3) the man is dominant.
the first one, the matriarchal archetype has actually been more prevalent for a longer time in modern humans (so I read once). Only after the invention of war do we begin needing men to dominateo.
Philippines is a matriarchal society, btw.
the women still cook n' stuff, but they make all the decisions. The man usually manages the farm or something; often though, the woman also does a lot the farming herself.
Actually, in philippino society, it seems the men have little roles at all, even less than stepford wives.
but the thing is, I don't think philipino men care.
the disparity between male and female dominance is so large that the weaker sex just accepts the situation and is happy with it.
I think that's an important concept in general. My dad always told me that in running a race, if people are near you they are apt to throw monkey wrenchs at you, but when you are too far ahead or too far behind, then they don't care, and then they become cheerleaders or enfranchisers.
which makes sense to me. So maybe America marriage is in such a sad state because of too precise of an equality.
when it comes to decisiveness, one head is better than two, and so that's where a dominant position comes into play. a duopoly can get complex and lead to incredible contension.
of course there are benefits to pure equality....
but my common sense and intuition tells me to seek disparities.
// maybe that's how I was raised.
