dichotomy? a religious fanaticism? ideological devotion? all? some? none?
After watching the oppressed majority on youtube, the youtube being true to itself, gave me “related” options, one of which was:
Who is Oppressed : Muslim women with Hijab or Western Society Womens?
Seems worth a mention because apart from a good presentation of questionable thinking processes that include a curious false dichotomy.. ie taking parts of Feminist critique, eg body politics and usage of clothing, make up, eyc in the process of control, and then not mentioning Feminism as a possible solution at all, let alone the fact feministic ideas are from contemplating human freedom rather than oppression by fashion or religion – hence false dichotomy. Apart from saying they present facts while neglecting to point they are just manufacturing the very “facts”, they also present what seems like a prevalent yet self defeating idea of freedom.
How is it to be free?
Interestingly the clue is indeed in the name for the videos – oppression. Freedom is talked of as if its an object, a state, a static “thing”. Something you can own rather than a process of questioning, and indeed that requires questioning itself.
I think perhaps in some ways some people might have lost the notion of freedom, referring to Doing as I want as being free – a capitalistic approach. However, as a process, it is that of discovery and education. Of discovering how to open, allow, support – rather than opress – culturally, socially, politically and as it happens religiously. Hence, for example, feminism allows freedom because it can allow people to dress as they might like, it doesn’t as islam does, prescribe a certain and particular way that if you do differently – makes it acceptable for people to tell you off – eg oppress.