Thoughts on this article about matriarchal societies?

LacklustreFriend · 2020-02-09T03:30:59+00:00

Most alleged matriarchal societies are only matriarchal in the weakest sense of the word. There is often a large conflation between matriarchal and matrilineal. A lot of these kinds of articles have a clear agenda.

The Mosuo are the most commonly cited matriarchal society. If you look past all the fluff pieces you find that the Mosuo aren't actually that different from most communal societies. The division of labour in the Mosuo is absolutely typical - women perform domestic duties and childrearing, men perform hunting, construction etc

The only major distinction between the Mosuo is how marriage works. Unlike how they're commonly portrayed by media, men are abolutely involved in decision making, often taking the leading role. Women (matriarchs) have the leading role in household decisions (which isn't uncommon at all) . The Mosuo 'walking marriage' has lead to matrilineal family units - kids are raised in the mother's family, and sons and brothers live with their mothers. However, within those matrilineal family units, brothers and uncles still have influence and part of the decision making.

Most othee examples are similar - a conflation of matrilineal and matriarchy. Even in "traditional patriarchal societies" matriarchs still exist, I'm sure many people here and generally have or had a very influential grandmother. I know I did. There's a push to portray these societies as more 'matriarchal' as they really are. These kinds of societies are better described as communal than as a patriarchy or matriarchy. If you compared a group like the 'matriarchal' Mosuo to communal or tribal 'patriarchies' such as Nomads in Central Asia or tribes in SE Asia, you would find overwhelming more similaries that differences.

NjalBorgeirsson · 2020-02-12T04:24:43+00:00

As someone who studied anthropology (one of my majors in college), I am surprised this isn't talked about more. Matriarchal societies absolutely exist, and have existed in the past.

In most, women run not only the home but the majority or entirety of politics and relations. In many cases (see the Iriquois, Masuo) there is almost no decision a man can make that a woman cannot overrule.

In less technologically advanced societies, men and women always had roles because sexual dimorphism in strength often necessitated this.

If a matriarchal society developed in a modern age, I am genuinely concerned that there would be no role (roles do not need to be separate or distinct) or opportunity for men to do much of anything. Men would not be needed or wanted for anything beyond sex.

Title	Thoughts on this article about matriarchal societies?
Author	Strikester101
Upvotes	8
Comments	7
Date	February 8, 2020 6:45 PM UTC (6 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/comments/f0vr4q/thoughts_on_this_article_about_matriarchal/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/thoughts-on-this-article-about-matriarchal.1064041 https://theredarchive.com/post/1064041

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