Women in Civilization

Women: The Foundation of Civilization, the Light of Humanity

Today is International Women’s Day. Respect to all the women of the world.

For hundreds of thousands of years, women were, in fact, the heads of families. Male dominance – that is only a matter of a few thousand years of history. Women’s contribution to human survival and the development of civilization is far greater.

Have you ever tried doing several tasks at the same time? How does it feel to do a few things together like that? Does it feel messy? Or not? Doing several things at once is called “multitasking,” and the confusion that occurs while doing it is what researchers call “interference.” The interference created between multiple tasks affects women less than men. In other words, it is easier for a woman to multitask, but a man often gets stuck when he tries to do it. Here, clearly, women are superior to men.

When humans lived in the hunter-gatherer era, men did not need to multitask. They had to devote their time to hunting, which is undoubtedly a single-track or linear task. You cannot keep switching tasks while hunting; rather, you must focus deeply and patiently on one specific task. The skills required for chasing and killing prey demand not rapid task-switching, but the ability to stay focused on the same task. Without that, whatever else happens, there would be no animal protein.

On the other hand, women’s role at that time was to manage the household, look after the children, gather fruits, cook, and so on. In the hunter-gatherer era, women could not afford to keep their minds fixed on just one thing. At any moment, a child’s life could be in danger, or a wild animal could attack the shelter. So women had to keep their ears pricked in all directions all the time, staying alert about everything – that is essentially a kind of multitasking ability. Now, if we bring in the idea of natural selection in evolution, then tell me, which traits would men and women develop? Women would develop multitasking ability, and men would develop the skill of focusing more on linear tasks. That ability of women to do many things at once still remains today.

[Sorry, I have slightly edited the beautiful recitation. All credits for the recitation go to the video.]

Henrik Ibsen’s famous play A Doll’s House centers on the character Nora – who, despite doing her utmost for her husband, children, and household, receives mockery and criticism from her husband. In the end, she is advised not to cross the boundaries of prohibition. She is shown the fear of society and reminded of her responsibilities as a mother. Yet by then Nora has already realized: “Not love, not affection, not rights – women are only for necessity.” Nora waits for the break of dawn, for the sun to which she will offer her message of freedom today. And before leaving, she says – there is an almost equally sacred responsibility that I have towards myself.

All the women of the world become one at a certain point – they are women. Do not respect them just because they are women; at least give them the respect they deserve as human beings. In my view, the biggest obstacle to women’s development in our country is that they themselves think of themselves as “women.” Society has taught them this. If women stop thinking of themselves as “women” and start building the idea of seeing themselves as human beings, then women will move forward much faster.

It cannot be denied that, due to some biological reasons, women need certain physical and mental support. Yet it is these very women who are sustaining the continuation of the human species. For the sake of humanity itself, for the sake of keeping humaneness alive, we must create a bit more opportunity for women.

Some women again sacrifice everything to use themselves as a ladder to climb upward. They are even more harmful to women’s development. Greedy men do not value such women for their competence or skills, but for their personal relationships. Other qualified and experienced men and women are deprived. These ornament-obsessed women and greedy men must be rejected.

The famous filmmaker from West Bengal, Rituparno Ghosh, has won multiple National Film Awards in India. One of his films is called Dahan. You can watch this film with some attention – especially men. You will understand many things, including how women are viewed from the mindset of our society.

It is International Women’s Day. Why should women be valued only for that one day? Why not today, tomorrow, the day after, or every day? The sad thing is that, instead of improving people’s mentality, corporate profiteers have commercialized this day as well. And in 5–6 years, you will see fashion houses also competing to create special gifts for Women’s Day. What we need first is a change in mindset!