Early men and women were equal, say scientists

_pluto_ · 2015-05-16T00:50:16+00:00

My main complaint with this article is that it overstates the idea of "male dominance."

It is true (and this has already been known for decades if not centuries) that hunter-gatherer bands live in peaceful egalitarian societies with relative equality between the sexes.

Once agriculture and complex social organization emerged, we devolved into hierarchies similar to our great ape ancestors. The "alpha male"/psychopath returned to the scene and the rest is history.

However, it is simply incorrect, or at least grossly simplistic, to regard these new societies as "male dominated." They were and are dominated by an elite class made up of both men and women. Both sexes enforce these hierarchies. Though it is true that the man usually (not always) is the ostensible "chief" or "leader," men as a class are no more dominant than women, unless you include being forced to die in wars as a form of domination.

MonkeyCB · 2015-05-16T00:19:12+00:00

Not surprising given that with fewer problems people face, the more they bitch. When you're just surviving, there won't be anything to really worry about outside of eating and not being eaten. Who cares if you have a bigger hut or three spears instead of two.

dydx62 · 2015-05-16T21:56:54+00:00

Is cultural anthropology a science? Physical anthropology seems to be, but cultural anthropologists are so deep in quagmire of cultural relativism, and blank slate dogma that I have difficulty trusting anything they say.

Title	Early men and women were equal, say scientists
Author	tonyespresso
Upvotes	12
Comments	8
Date	May 15, 2015 8:04 PM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/363hhk/early_men_and_women_were_equal_say_scientists/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/early-men-and-women-were-equal-say-scientists.980166 https://theredarchive.com/post/980166

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