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unnecessary pain； but it compares very favorably with natural evolution。
As we grow wiser； as our social consciousness develops； we are beginning
to improve on nature in more ways than one； a part of the same great
process； but of a more highly sublimated sort。
Nature shows a world of varied and changing environment。 Into this
comes Lifeflushing and spreading in every direction。 A pretty hard
time Life has of it。 In the first place it is dog eat dog in every
direction； the joy of the hunter and the most unjoyous fear of the
hunted。
But quite outside of this essential danger； the environment waits； grim
and unappeasable； and continuously destroys the innocent myriads who
fail to meet the one requirement of lifeAdaptation。 So we must not be
too severe in self…condemnation when we see how foolish； cruel； crazily
wasteful； is our attitude toward crime and punishment。
We become socially conscious largely through pain； and as we begin to
see how much of the pain is wholly of our own causing we are overcome
with shame。 But the right way for society to face its past is the same
as for the individual； to see where it was wrong and stop itbut to
waste no time and no emotion over past misdeeds。
What is our present state as to crime？ It is pretty bad。 Some say it
is worse than it used to be； others that it is better。 At any rate it
is bad enough； and a disgrace to our civilization。 We have murderers by
the thousand and thieves by the million； of all kinds and sizes； we have
what we tenderly call 〃immorality；〃 from the 〃errors of youth〃 to the
sodden grossness of old age； married； single； and mixed。 We have all
the old kinds of wickedness and a lot of new ones； until one marvels at
the purity and power of human nature； that it should carry so much
disease and still grow on to higher things。
Also we have punishment still with us； private and public； applied like
a rabbit's foot； with as little regard to its efficacy。 Does a child
offend？ Punish it！ Does a woman offend？ Punish her！ Does a man
offend？ Punish him！ Does a group offend？ Punish them！
〃What for？〃 some one suddenly asks。
〃To make them stop doing it！〃
〃But they have done it！〃
〃To make them not do it again； then。〃
〃But they do do it againand worse。〃
〃To prevent other people's doing it； then。〃
〃But it does not prevent themthe crime keeps on。 What good is your
punishment？〃
What indeed！
What is the application of punishment to crime？ Its base； its
prehistoric base； is simple retaliation； and this is by no means wholly
male； let us freely admit。 The instinct of resistance； of opposition；
of retaliation； lies deeper than life itself。 Its underlying law is the
law of physicsaction and reaction are equal。 Life's expression of
this law is perfectly natural； but not always profitable。 Hit your hand
on a stone wall； and the stone wall hits your hand。 Very good； you
learn that stone walls are hard； and govern yourself accordingly。
Conscious young humanity observed and philosophized； congratulating
itself on its discernment。 〃A man hits meI hit the man a little
harderthen he won't do it again。〃 Unfortunately he did do it againa
little harder still。 The effort to hit harder carried on the action and
reaction till society； hitting hardest of all； set up a system of legal
punishment； of unlimited severity。 It imprisoned； it mutilated； it
tortured； it killed； it destroyed whole families； and razed contumelious
cities to the ground。
Therefore all crime ceased； of course？ No？ But crime was mitigated；
surely！ Perhaps。 This we have proven at last； that crime does not
decrease in proportion to the severest punishment。 Little by little we
have ceased to raze the cities； to wipe out the families； to cut off the
ears； to torture； and our imprisonment is changing from slow death and
insanity to a form of attempted improvement。
But punishment as a principle remains in good standing； and is still the
main reliance where it does the most harmin the rearing of children。
〃Spare the rod and spoil the child〃 remains in belief； unmodified by the
millions of children spoiled by the unspared rod。
The breeders of racehorses have learned better； but not the breeders of
children。 Our trouble is simply the lack of intelligence。 We face the
babyish error and the hideous crime in exactly the same attitude。
〃This person has done something offensive。〃
Yes？and one waits eagerly for the first question of the rational
mindbut does not hear it。 One only hears 〃Punish him！〃
What is the first question of the rational mind？
〃Why？〃
Human beings are not first causes。 They do not evolve conduct out of
nothing。 The child does this； the man does that； _because_ of
something； because of many things。 If we do not like the way people
behave； and wish them to behave better； we should； if we are rational
beings； study the conditions that produce the conduct。
The connection between our archaic system of punishment and our
androcentric culture is two…fold。 The impulse of resistance； while； as
we have seen； of the deepest natural origin； is expressed more strongly
in the male than in the female。 The tendency to hit back and hit harder
has been fostered in him by sex…combat till it has become of great
intensity。 The habit of authority too； as old as our history； and the
cumulative weight of all the religions and systems of law and
government； have furthermore built up and intensified the spirit of
retaliation and vengeance。
They have even deified this concept； in ancient religions； crediting to
God the evil passions of men。 As the small boy recited； 〃Vengeance。 A
mean desire to get even with your enemies： 'Vengeance is mine saith the
Lord''I will repay。'〃
The Christian religion teaches better things； better than its expositors
and upholders have ever understoodmuch less practised。
The teaching of 〃Love your enemies； do good unto them that hate you； and
serve them that despitefully use you and persecute you；〃 has too often
resulted； when practised at all； in a sentimental negation； a
pathetically useless attitude of non…resistance。 You might as well base
a religion on a feather pillow！
The advice given was active； direct； concrete。 〃_Love！_〃 Love is not
non…resistance。 〃Do good！〃 Doing good is not non…resistance。 〃Serve！〃
Service is not non…resistance。
Again we have an overwhelming proof of the far…reaching effects of our
androcentric culture。 Consider it once more。 Here is one by nature
combative and desirous； and not by nature intended to monopolize the
management of his species。 He assumes to be not only the leader； but
the whole thingto be humanity itself； and to see in woman as Grant
Allen so clearly put it 〃Not only not the race； she is not even half the
race； but a subspecies； told off for purposes of reproduction merely。〃
Under this monstrous assumption； his sex…attributes wholly identified
with his human attributes； and overshadowing them； he has imprinted on
every human institution the tastes and tendencies of the male。 As a
male he fought； as a male human being he fought more； and deified
fighting； and in a culture based on desire and combat； loud with
strident self…expression； there could be but slow acceptance of the more
human methods urged by Christianity。 〃It is a religion for slaves and
women！〃 said the warrior of old。 （Slaves and women were largely the
same thing。） 〃It is a religion for slaves and women〃 says the advocate
of the Superman。
Well？ Who did the work of all the ancient world？ Who raised the food
and garnered it and cooked it and served it？ Who built the houses； the
temples； the acqueducts； the city wall？ Who made the furniture； the
tools； the weapons； the utensils； the ornamentsmade them strong and
beautiful and useful？ Who kept the human race going； somehow； in spite
of the constant hideous waste of war； and slowly built up the real
industrial civilization behind that gory show？Why just the slaves and
the women。
A religion which had attractions for the real human type is not
therefore to be utterly despised by the male。
In modern history we may watch with increasing ease the slow； sure
progress of our growing humanness beneath the weakening shell of an
all…male dominance。 And in this field of what begins in the nurse as
〃discipline；〃 and ends on the scaffold as 〃punishment；〃 we can clearly
see that blessed change。
What is the natural； the human attribute？ What does this 〃Love；〃 and
〃Do good；〃 and 〃Serve〃 mean？ In the blundering old church； still
androcentric； there was a great to…do to carry out this doctrine； in
elaborate symbolism。 A set of beggars and cripples； gathered for the
occasion； was exhibited； and kings and cardinals went solemnly through
the motions of serving them。 As the English schoolboy phrased it；
〃Thomas Becket washed the feet of leopards。〃
Service and love and doing good must always remain side issues in a male
world。 Service and love and doing good are the spirit of motherhood；
and the essense of human life。
Human life is service； and is not combat。 There you have the nature of
the change now upon us。
What has the male