Housewifery offers women freedom only as a negative, empty form.
Evidence
But the deep inequality stems from the fact that the husband finds concrete accomplishment in work or action while for the wife in her role as wife, freedom has only a negative form: the situation of American girls, among others, recalls that of the emancipated girls of the Roman decadence. We saw that they had the choice between two types of behavior: some perpetuated the style of life and the virtues of their grandmothers; others spent their time in futile activity; likewise, many American women remain “housewives” in conformity with the traditional model; the others mostly whittle away their energy and time. — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1369
Categorization
- XREF: Echoes the ancient Roman matron comparison from earlier in the book and anticipates Arendt on the distinction between labor and action. — connects to: Housework never produces lasting results, trapping women in a perpetual present — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 1221; Feminism offered few real options for unskilled housewives; Granting woman freedom while denying her transcendence yields only negative freedom — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 406 (+1 more)
Broader Connections
- Granting woman freedom while denying her transcendence yields only negative freedom
#corroborates(0.90) — Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, 406 - Feminism offered few real options for unskilled housewives
#expands(0.85) - For many housewives feminism threatened identity more than it promised opportunity
#expands(0.85) — Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Jesus and John Wayne, 149