Comments on: Offspring’s eternal http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/ Mon, 21 May 2012 20:54:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Editrix http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3343 Tue, 13 Jun 2006 23:40:55 +0000 http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3343 Paula, I guess I wasn't adequately clear about why I felt so strongly about this new federally sanctioned label. Thankfully, Jeff put what I was trying to get at in terms that were more concise and cogent. I certainly respect your viewpoint, and I'm glad you took the time to share it. Paula, I guess I wasn’t adequately clear about why I felt so strongly about this new federally sanctioned label. Thankfully, Jeff put what I was trying to get at in terms that were more concise and cogent.

I certainly respect your viewpoint, and I’m glad you took the time to share it.

]]> by: 2fs http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3333 Tue, 13 Jun 2006 03:35:20 +0000 http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3333 I think it's both the source - this administration has been anything but woman-friendly - and the tone. If it had been "Here are some suggestions for living a healthy life - and here are some suggestions that apply specifically to women who are or are thinking of becoming pregnant," that would be one thing. Plus, some of the suggestions are just unrealistic: no alcohol ever? no changing the cat-litter ever? And cynical me thinks that no report would ever tell men to change their whole lives around in such control-freak detail, even if there was risk. It'd be more like "here are the facts." I think it’s both the source - this administration has been anything but woman-friendly - and the tone. If it had been “Here are some suggestions for living a healthy life - and here are some suggestions that apply specifically to women who are or are thinking of becoming pregnant,” that would be one thing. Plus, some of the suggestions are just unrealistic: no alcohol ever? no changing the cat-litter ever? And cynical me thinks that no report would ever tell men to change their whole lives around in such control-freak detail, even if there was risk. It’d be more like “here are the facts.”

]]> by: Paula http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3312 Fri, 09 Jun 2006 19:18:27 +0000 http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3312 <i>In essence, the article reduces all women of childbearing age to nothing more than the sum of their reproductive organs and potential to procreate</i>I can see how, if that were the case, that would be upsetting, but I don't think the CDC is suggesting that women are just a buncha baby machines. These are general guidelines for self-care, and a way to get women to think long-term about their health. Most women at least <i>entertain</i> the idea of having children at some point in their lives, so this is helpful information for those folks, so that today's 25-year-old isn't slapping her forehead at 35, saying, "Damn! I should have stopped smoking 10 years ago." And look at the names on the report: half of them are women. I don't get a paternalistic vibe, more a...midwife-y one. I wonder if there is something else that's bothering you about this--are you reading an implicit criticism of childlessness here? Cuz it seems to me that anyone who is not planning on having children can just ignore this advice. I hope that wasn't too personal. In essence, the article reduces all women of childbearing age to nothing more than the sum of their reproductive organs and potential to procreateI can see how, if that were the case, that would be upsetting, but I don’t think the CDC is suggesting that women are just a buncha baby machines. These are general guidelines for self-care, and a way to get women to think long-term about their health. Most women at least entertain the idea of having children at some point in their lives, so this is helpful information for those folks, so that today’s 25-year-old isn’t slapping her forehead at 35, saying, “Damn! I should have stopped smoking 10 years ago.” And look at the names on the report: half of them are women. I don’t get a paternalistic vibe, more a…midwife-y one. I wonder if there is something else that’s bothering you about this–are you reading an implicit criticism of childlessness here? Cuz it seems to me that anyone who is not planning on having children can just ignore this advice. I hope that wasn’t too personal.

]]> by: Terri http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3293 Wed, 07 Jun 2006 01:09:18 +0000 http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3293 This is a highly articulate post with which I completely and whole-heartedly agree, as you might expect. When she was pregnant and now that she's a mother, my sister has told me stories of the presumptuous way that total strangers have treated her that show their complete lack of respect for her as an intelligent human being with a right to privacy and to living her own life and making her own decisions for herself and her child. It's disturbing and insulting. Almost nobody asks this much of men as fathers or <i>potential</i> fathers (though last I heard they play a pretty big role in the whole deal), but women have to answer to the planet. This is a highly articulate post with which I completely and whole-heartedly agree, as you might expect. When she was pregnant and now that she’s a mother, my sister has told me stories of the presumptuous way that total strangers have treated her that show their complete lack of respect for her as an intelligent human being with a right to privacy and to living her own life and making her own decisions for herself and her child. It’s disturbing and insulting. Almost nobody asks this much of men as fathers or potential fathers (though last I heard they play a pretty big role in the whole deal), but women have to answer to the planet.

]]> by: 2fs http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3292 Wed, 07 Jun 2006 00:48:32 +0000 http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3292 I find it offensive that the government can conceptualize women only as baby-machines, and totally overlook their function as sex objects. Thank you, thank you - I'll be here all week. I find it offensive that the government can conceptualize women only as baby-machines, and totally overlook their function as sex objects. Thank you, thank you - I’ll be here all week.

]]> by: Ezra http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3291 Tue, 06 Jun 2006 22:50:09 +0000 http://www.patheticfallacy.org/2006/06/offsprings-eternal/#comment-3291 A-freakin'-men. A-freakin’-men.

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