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Our Androcentric Culture； or The Man Made World
by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
CONTENTS
I。 AS TO HUMANNESS。
II。 THE MAN…MADE FAMILY。
III。 HEALTH AND BEAUTY。
IV。 MEN AND ART。
V。 MASCULINE LITERATURE。
VI。 GAMES AND SPORTS
VII。 ETHICS AND RELIGION。
VIII。 EDUCATION。
IX。 〃SOCIETY〃 AND 〃FASHION〃
X。 LAW AND GOVERNMENT。
XI。 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT。
XII。 POLITICS AND WARFARE。 （with WOMAN AND THE STATE。）
XIII。 INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS。
XIV。 A HUMAN WORLD。
OUR ANDROCENTRIC CULTURE； or THE MAN…MADE WORLD
I。
AS TO HUMANNESS。
Let us begin； inoffensively； with sheep。 The sheep is a beast with
which we are all familiar； being much used in religious imagery； the
common stock of painters； a staple article of diet； one of our main
sources of clothing； and an everyday symbol of bashfulness and
stupidity。
In some grazing regions the sheep is an object of terror； destroying
grass； bush and forest by omnipresent nibbling； on the great plains；
sheep…keeping frequently results in insanity； owing to the loneliness of
the shepherd； and the monotonous appearance and behavior of the sheep。
By the poet； young sheep are preferred； the lamb gambolling gaily；
unless it be in hymns； where 〃all we like sheep〃 are repeatedly
described； and much stress is laid upon the straying propensities of the
animal。
To the scientific mind there is special interest in the sequacity of
sheep； their habit of following one another with automatic imitation。
This instinct； we are told； has been developed by ages of wild crowded
racing on narrow ledges； along precipices； chasms； around sudden spurs
and corners； only the leader seeing when； where and how to jump。 If
those behind jumped exactly as he did； they lived。 If they stopped to
exercise independent judgment； they were pushed off and perished； they
and their judgment with them。
All these things； and many that are similar； occur to us when we think
of sheep。 They are also ewes and rams。 Yes； truly； but what of it？
All that has been said was said of sheep； _genus ovis；_ that bland
beast； compound of mutton； wool； and foolishness。 so widely known。 If
we think of the sheep…dog （and dog…ess）； the shepherd （and
shepherd…ess）； of the ferocious sheep…eating bird of New Zealand； the
Kea （and Kea…ess）； all these herd； guard； or kill the sheep； both rams
and ewes alike。 In regard to mutton； to wool； to general character； we
think only of their sheepishness； not at all of their ramishness or
eweishness。 That which is ovine or bovine； canine； feline or equine； is
easily recognized as distinguishing that particular species of animal；
and has no relation whatever to the sex thereof。
Returning to our muttons； let us consider the ram； and wherein his
character differs from the sheep。 We find he has a more quarrelsome
disposition。 He paws the earth and makes a noise。 He has a tendency to
butt。 So has a goatMr。 Goat。 So has Mr。 Buffalo； and Mr。 Moose； and
Mr。 Antelope。 This tendency to plunge head foremost at an
adversaryand to find any other gentleman an adversary on
sightevidently does not pertain to sheep； to _genus ovis；_ but to any
male creature with horns。
As 〃function comes before organ；〃 we may even give a reminiscent glance
down the long path of evolution； and see how the mere act of
buttingpassionately and perpetually repeatedborn of the beliggerent
spirit of the maleproduced horns！
The ewe； on the other hand； exhibits love and care for her little ones；
gives them milk and tries to guard them。 But so does a goatMrs。 Goat。
So does Mrs。 Buffalo and the rest。 Evidently this mother instinct is
no peculiarity of _genus ovis；_ but of any female creature。
Even the bird； though not a mammal； shows the same mother…love and
mother…care； while the father bird； though not a butter； fights with
beak and wing and spur。 His competition is more effective through
display。 The wish to please； the need to please； the overmastering
necessity upon him that he secure the favor of the female； has made the
male bird blossom like a butterfly。 He blazes in gorgeous plumage；
rears haughty crests and combs； shows drooping wattles and dangling
blobs such as the turkey…cock affords； long splendid feathers for pure
ornament appear upon him； what in her is a mere tail…effect becomes in
him a mass of glittering drapery。
Partridge…cock； farmyard…cock； peacock； from sparrow to ostrich； observe
his mien！ To strut and languish； to exhibit every beauteous lure； to
sacrifice ease； comfort； speed； everythingto beautyfor her
sakethis is the nature of the he…bird of any species； the
characteristic； not of the turkey； but of the cock！ With drumming of
loud wings； with crow and quack and bursts of glorious song； he woos his
mate； displays his splendors before her； fights fiercely with his
rivals。 To buttto strutto make a noiseall for love's sake； these
acts are common to the male。
We may now generalize and clearly state： That is masculine which belongs
to the maleto any or all males； irrespective of species。 That is
feminine which belongs to the female； to any or all females；
irrespective of species。 That is ovine； bovine； feline； canine； equine
or asinine which belongs to that species； irrespective of sex。
In our own species all this is changed。 We have been so taken up with
the phenomena of masculinity and femininity； that our common humanity
has largely escaped notice。 We know we are human； naturally； and are
very proud of it； but we do not consider in what our humanness consists；
nor how men and women may fall short of it； or overstep its bounds； in
continual insistence upon their special differences。 It is 〃manly〃 to
do this； it is 〃womanly〃 to do that； but what a human being should do
under the circumstances is not thought of。
The only time when we do recognize what we call 〃common humanity〃 is in
extreme cases； matters of life and death； when either man or woman is
expected to behave as if they were also human creatures。 Since the
range of feeling and action proper to humanity； as such； is far wider
than that proper to either sex； it seems at first somewhat remarkable
that we have given it so little recognition。
A little classification will help us here。 We have certain qualities in
common with inanimate matter； such as weight； opacity； resilience。 It
is clear that these are not human。 We have other qualities in common
with all forms of life； cellular construction； for instance； the
reproduction of cells and the need of nutrition。 These again are not
human。 We have others； many others； common to the higher mammals； which
are not exclusively oursare not distinctively 〃human。〃 What then are
true human characteristics？ In what way is the human species
distinguished from all other species？
Our human…ness is seen most clearly in three main lines： it is
mechanical； psychical and social。 Our power to make and use things is
essentially human； we alone have extra…physical tools。 We have added to
our teeth the knife； sword； scissors； mowing machine； to our claws the
spade； harrow； plough； drill； dredge。 We are a protean creature； using
the larger brain power through a wide variety of changing weapons。 This
is one of our main and vital distinctions。 Ancient animal races are
traced and known by mere bones and shells； ancient human races by their
buildings； tools and utensils。
That degree of development which gives us the human mind is a clear
distinction of race。 The savage who can count a hundred is more human
than the savage who can count ten。
More prominent than either of these is the social nature of humanity。
We are by no means the only group…animal； that ancient type of industry
the ant； and even the well…worn bee； are social creatures。 But insects
of their kind are found living alone。 Human beings never。 Our
human…ness begins with some low form of social relation and increases as
that relation develops。
Human life of any sort is dependent upon what Kropotkin calls 〃mutual
aid；〃 and human progress keeps step absolutely with that interchange of
specialized services which makes society organic。 The nomad； living on
cattle as ants live on theirs； is less human than the farmer； raising
food by intelligently applied labor； and the extension of trade and
commerce； from mere village market…places to the world…exchanges of
to…day； is extension of human…ness as well。
Humanity； thus considered； is not a thing made at once and unchangeable；
but a stage of development； and is still； as Wells describes it； 〃in the
making。〃 Our human…ness is seen to lie not so much in what we are
individually； as in our relations to one another； and even that
individuality is but the result of our relations to one another。 It is
in what we do and how we do it； rather than in what we are。 Some；
philosophically inclined； exalt 〃being〃 over 〃doing。〃 To them this
question may be put： 〃Can you mention any form of life that merely 'is；'
without doing anything？〃
Taken separately and physically； we are animals； _genus homo_； taken
socially and psychically； we are； in varying degree； human； and our real
history lies in the development of this