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From the L.A. Times review of Linda R. Hirshman's new book Get to Work: A Manifesto for Women of the World:
"Get to Work" showcases a concern for the fate of elite, educated women in the U.S. that is both off-putting in its narrow scope and refreshing in its candor. The polemic expands on her December "American Prospect" article "Homeward Bound," which argued that these women, especially, should stay in their jobs after they have kids, so that they are in a position to effect real change in the world, and so that they can force men to shoulder more of the workload at home.
...
This is her chaos theory of work-life balance: Women shouldn't constantly worry about whether the milk's gone sour or their husband's socks are strewn across the kitchen table. In the case of "a choice between something that engages your full human capacities and gives you power, honor, wealth and so forth in the world on the one hand, and something that's repetitious, physical, low-level on the other hand, do the higher thing," she said.
But is corporate law, for example, the "higher thing"? Reached by phone, Katha Pollitt, a columnist for the Nation and author of the forthcoming book "Virginity or Death!"" said she admired Hirshman for "laying down the law like the anti-feminists" who are "very free in telling people what to do." But Pollitt also said, "There's a lot of work that isn't very exciting, and you can easily find yourself thinking: 'What's this all for?' Then the notion of putting your energies toward the family seems very appealing because the alternative is continuing to do something that's not all that interesting or fulfilling." And, indeed, some women might enjoy working in the home. "Well, everybody needs a hobby," Hirshman said at this suggestion. "I am an elitist in that I believe people have different capacities."
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Dashes, some say, “are particularly useful in a sentence that is long and complex.” Emdashes—like an em dash itself—provides a thoughtful pause amid the hubbub.
Emdashes, founded in 2004, is written and drawn by Emily Gordon, Martin Schneider, Pollux, Jonathan Taylor, and Benjamin Chambers, as well as occasional guest contributors. All posts before October 2008 are by Emily Gordon.
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Additional drawings are by Carolita Johnson and Pollux (author of our web comic, "The Wavy Rule"). The Emdashes pencil logo is by Jennifer Hadley, based on a 1943 Dorothy Gray ad.
Other writing by Emily Gordon
- Reviews: theater writing (for Time Out Chicago)
- Profile: Valerie Casey, Designers Accord founder, is spearheading the design of sustainability (for SXSW World)
- Feature: Rea Irvin: visionary art director, bon vivant, New Yorker founding father (for Print)
- Slide show: the Coney Island Mermaid Parade (for NYCgo.com)
- Feature: Muslim immigration iconography in the Netherlands, and an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (for Print)
- Review: King's Gambit: A Son, a Father, and the World's Most Dangerous Game by Paul Hoffman (for Newsday)
- Homage: Celebrating lindy-hop legend Frankie Manning (for NYCgo.com)
- Inquiry: Does a New Republic redesign mean a change of tune? (for Print)
- Interview: James Surowiecki on what's next for the wisdom of crowds (for Assignment Zero)
- Interviews: four up-and-coming designers under 30 (for Print)
- Profile: novelist and dance critic Laura Jacobs (for Newsday)
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Comments
And what’s wrong with making men shoulder more of the housework whether you raise kids or not? As a single woman I certainly realize that I do a LOT of housework and errand-running just for myself! Ideally living with someone (especially someone you love and care about) should result in alleviating that amount of drudgery for both parties, not just one (ie, the man).Even better, let both parties split the fee of a housecleaning person to lighten the load and provide a little paid work for someone. Just give up cable TV, have sex or take long walks and talk instead, and it’s totally affordable!Fair is fair, right? I’m a fair-is-fair-ist, not a feminist!