Death of a Metaphor - Instablogs
Death of a Metaphor
Grace Calderon , Quezon City: Aug 15 2008
Made Popular Aug 15 2008

Death of a Metaphor

Feminists argue that women are not their own barriers to advancement. They blame the situation of women not being competitively active in the traditional workforce to the concept of “glass ceiling,” a metaphor that represents the gender biased condition where the workplace is more conducive to men and unwelcoming to women.

According to feminists, to “break the glass ceiling,” and thereby find upward mobility in the workplace, women have to overcome the codes and models of traditional workplaces that were fashioned for men’s needs, without input from women.

Traditional employment implies that employers don’t always look first at women when hiring or promoting because women want different things from their jobs. While men are driven to look at salary and chances for advancement, women look more often for meaning, satisfaction, flexibility and personal development – putting money and promotions further down the list of priorities.

The ‘glass ceiling’ came into being because of the traditional implication that women, in general, lack the “hunger” for promotion, making them less competitive, thereby not useful for corporate advancement.

To put it in simpler terms, the corporate rat race to the top mostly has male rats because the female rats are usually impeded by the proverbial glass ceiling that they first have to break if they are so predisposed to join the male rats in the rat race.

Death of a Metaphor

I will surely earn the ire of the feminists out there, but will nonetheless say that if women are interested in a career, they won’t have time for children; and if they’re bent on rearing children, they won’t have the time, effort, and imagination for getting to the top of a career. The notion that domestic engineering is a career in itself is purposely not used here. By career, I mean the work that a woman does outside of home management.

Hence, it is the female instinct to be more interested in having a family rather than join the competitive workforce that’s really the reason why we don’t see many women at the top of traditional careers. The biological calling supersedes any gender biased constrictions of the workplace as being the reason why women do not advance to the hilt in their careers. Sooner or later, most women will opt out of the workplace, or slacken on the workplace ambition, to raise a family.

This harks back to the question as to why women didn’t create civilizations. While men marched on to conquer territory and widen empires, as well as slew to guard the ramparts, women were left at home to take care of the brood and the flock. The argument that women did not establish civilizations is as debatable as the one about men unable to learn how to change diapers. Without homes, brood, and flock, the men wouldn’t have had a civilization to build on.

Death of a Metaphor

Superwoman must be single. And she chose to stay that way.

Had she decided to have kids, then she might claim to be a Superwoman as Mom. But, as we all know by now, this one will not keep her Superwoman title for long. Being a SuperMom and getting to the top of a career (as we traditionally know careers to be) do not mix.

Thus, the metaphor of the “glass ceiling” is dead.

And a dead metaphor is moot.

The glass ceiling metaphor was created and written by utterly ambitious men who did not want more participants in the rat race. That’s all there is to it. And, of course, (as usual) it’s been propagated by male-bashing feminists who are really men in drag.

Death of a Metaphor

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3 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
Biology does play a role when it comes to career and career advancement. The glass ceiling metaphor was never correct in gender but I think it is more apt in a racial setting. The glass ceiling isn’t there when the woman chooses to look beyond it. Feminists usually limit themselves by comparing themselves with all the achievements that men can boast of. Firstly as you said, most women become mothers and that itself takes up some time due to pregnancy and post pregnancy leaves. By the time they return to career making, their male colleagues would have moved ahead. There is no such thing as the ceiling but the biological differences. If only women chose to work and built a career at their own pace (those who decide to be mothers) they would still be successful. Motherhood definitely comes in the way of building a career and thus pregnancy might be the reason why women lag behind later, for men move up the ladder during the one year or so period. Blaming a gender for it’s success due to it’s inability to conceive is rather funny. If you think about it, there really is no competition among the genders. Each person is free to do what he/she pleases to do. Only, women have the additional option of conceiving but that might hinder their career growth. That they can ignore, if they really wanna do well in their careers.
3 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Yeah, Jaiyant, it’s a matter of choice. So the ball is in the women’s court, not in some so-called gender biased situation.

I think there’s much ado about gender bias than necessary.

And of course, there are glass ceiling for men, too. Or with races, as you said.

It’s all a matter of other factors such as professional adequacy, level of ambition, kind of ambition, interests, and priorities in life.

This is funny. We’re talking about pregnancy when I’m childless and you’re an unmarried male. LOL
3 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
That’s right it all depends on how ambitious a person is. It is possible that a woman is less ambitious and decides to stay in the same job that she is in and refuses a job that is demanding but pays more or stands at a higher level in the hierarchy. So, she and the feminists would conveniently blame the glass ceiling. Likewise, a less ambitious man choose to laze around and then blame women for taking up most well paying jobs. Only when the blamegame ends will the genders see any kind of peace happening. Comparisons and competirion are always futile and in most of the cases, destructive too.

I don’t understand either why we are talking about children and I don’t even plan to get married for another decade. He He He
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
chooses* many typos.. pl read thru..
3 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
I also don’t know why I wrote this article when I don’t plan to have any children at all. Hahaha!

Yes, we have seen many women quit their jobs for the sake of being at-home moms. That doesn’t diminish their level of ambition, does it? The kind of ambition only changed. No they become ambitious mothers.

In the past recent years, education and higher education have been made accessible to women, more and more. This led to women being able to climb up and join the executive boardrooms. The gender bias thing there is when men say that she got to the top because she slept around. LOL
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
Ambition that we are talking about is of the glass ceiling type. And these women displace their ambitions towards motherhood because they choose to. And yeah, I’m talking like I know all about motherhood and being a great husband and such. Lol
3 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
The concept of gender is really disturbing. I mean you really don’t have to bring gender in anything except for biological reasons. To blame a person because of his/her sex and then develop a biased attitude is socially unhealthy. Earlier men have done that towards women and now the women are doing just the same. It really is going nowhere.
3 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Well, gender roles have been in existence since the dawn of civilization. Men have always been providers and protectors, while women have always been nurturers and carers of the hearth.

Gender bias started to become a buzzword when women felt the slings and pangs of sex inequality.

Do you think women got more intelligent or that men started to abuse their role?
2 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
It could be either ways.. When you are in a slightly dominating position, you would continue to exercise your powers over others. That is what men did. And resentment is always natural among the dominated. So, the feminists resent the idea of ’manhood’. Men did abuse their role and women did get more aware and intelligent. It is like a cycle. Those who are at the top will abuse their powers and the ones that are at the bottom rung will bitch about those who are at the top. Women, if given the same role as men, pretty much behave the same way. So it is now who is dominating whom but just that somebody is always there to dominate someone else.
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Right, Jaiyant, ambition is universal. So is adequacy. And so will competition be. There’s really more of the level playing field than we thought.
4 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
”This harks back to the question as to why women didn’t create civilizations.”

HEY HEY GRACE!

YOU ARE WRONG!

See, EVE was induced by the serpent, who in turn induced ADAM to err the ORIGINAL SIN!

They, ADAM and EVE devoid of innocence, and EDEN, fell down to earth!

Here they had children and started the Human Race!

so, TECHNICALLY speaking, a WOMAN started the entire mankind, let alone a civilisation!

SO, GET MY POINT!

WHY ARE YOU STILL, STILL???

ROAR OUT LOUD!
2 Stars
Vincent Van Ross
New Delhi, India
Shahwar,
Eve was created out of Adam’s ribs!
2 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
YA I KNOW THAT!

SO?

EVE WAS created out of ADAM’S RIBS!

but she bid him eat the apple, and then got themselves expelled out of heaven!

am i getting it right...

or do you still wish to refute me
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
Okie the serpent tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and before that she was created out of Adam’s ribs. You know something? Its a tale.. A gendered tale told by ancient people. And that’s about it.. It has no relevance in an article which discusses societal issues. It would probably be relevant in a literary criticism discussion...
2 Stars
Vincent Van Ross
New Delhi, India
Shahwar,
No I am not refuting you. Please take all the credit for what Eve did!
2 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
JAIYANT

I did not know that one could segregate between literature(not that I support your view of that being a tale) and society, in water tight compartments!

If one excludes literature from ”societal issues” there won’t be much to discuss after all!
2 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
VINCENT

I dont see any credit!

and yes, sorry for the ”literary” diversion I created!

some people seem to have been offended by it!

I even ”offended” someone else in my write up today.

I guess I am taking my freedom of expression toooo... seriously out here!

It seems to me a GENDERED GAME AFTER ALL!

:(
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
@ Shawar: I never did mean to say that literature doesn’t have any relevance in the society. It is from the society that literature takes inspiration from. But, we are talking about fiction and non fiction. And the story of genesis just a story. Fictional tale. So, the patriarchal society formed the story of Adam being lured into eating the fruit and then the couple being banished from the garden. The story was written by humans and told by humans is what I’m trying to say. It was like an explanation as to why the women must be treated the way they are being treated. So you see what I’m getting at? And I love reading your comments.. They add freshness to the otherwise bland stuff that most of us always write about. And yes, the story of genesis is highly gendered and I may even say that the story of genesis is the reason how a gendered society developed or sustained.
2 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
jaiyant

Thanks for that!

”They add freshness to the otherwise bland stuff that most of us always write about”

dunno what you are trying to get at but anyways I am honoured!
1 Stars
Vincent Van Ross
New Delhi, India
Shahwar, Take all the freedom you want. Nobody can offend me with their sincere comments even they are adverse. I can take criticism. That’s no problem at all. There is only one thing that I don’t take. And, that is, motivated comments.
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
Shahwar, I was trying to say that the story of genesis is a bad example to bring in for it stands as the best example of something that is gendered. Am I clear now?
1 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
JAIYANT



FYN!

I GET IT NOW!

I GUESS, ”PARADISE LOST” IS TAKING IT’S TOLL ON ME!

WON’T BOTHER ANYONE ANYMORE!

PHEW!!!
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Hehe...LOL
4 Stars
Vincent Van Ross
New Delhi, India
Yes Grace, there are career women and housewives. But, both of them make excellent mothers. Most Women are better at the work place too. I have had the pleasant experience of working under two women bosses at different points of time.
I like the way you have closed your article where you say that men created he glass ceiling metaphor and women perpetuated it.
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Thanks Vincent dearie!

I’m glad to hear that your experience with female superiors was good.

Oh yes, women make very good bosses. Ahem, I’d like to think that I was in my time with the rat pack. LOL

But because of other considerations (familial, mothering, etc), women will have to choose, and more often than not will choose to uphold their biological calling.
3 Stars
I guess I am most suitable to comment, since I am married, I have a son and I have given up my career to be with him.
But for me it was entirely a matter of personal choice. Also even now I get job offers which I refuse. So I cannot say strongly that there are any biases against married women.
I know many a women who are forced to take up a job for sake of double income. I also know many who are highly qualified but have had to quit the job after marriage. Some are very ambitious and are perfectly happy to leave the child with governess and embark on professional ladder. On the contrary I know couple of men who have started working from home to be with their children.
I think gender differences are blurring.
Women can single mindedly pursue ambition inspite of kids and family if she wants to...
There is no glass ceiling as such...
2 Stars
I agree that the concept of glass-ceiling had a different origin and is often used as an issue by feminists.
Many a women have been pioneer in many fields and they created history by sheer hard work and dedication towards their work. Marie Curie and her daughter both won Nobel prizes inspite of being part of extreme traditional societies.
2 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
Right said Madhuri.. It is not the gender that propels you to success but the hard work and dedication. As I said earlier biology may play a role in the success one achieves but then environmental and societal factors play a role too. Now the concept of gender is irrelevant when men, women and children have all been equal victims of poverty, war and strife and of course inflation. The stories might be told differently but the structure is the same.
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Hahaha! I just moved a bit to avoid military tanks so was offline for a short while, and lo! there’s a nice little battle here! LOL
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Ahem...I don’t have kids and still quit the rate race. That makes me...uhhh...that makes me...well...LAZY!
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
You are so battle-prone. Jeez
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
LOLZ
2 Stars
A very nice piece of writing. A thought provoking article.
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Thank you, Ramesh! I hope I piqued your thoughts there. ;)
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Thanks, Madhuri, for bringing up two insights here.

You said some highly qualified women quit work after marriage and some continue to work while just leaving their kids to nannies.

There precisely is the push-and-shove in this matter. Women who quit after marriage have chosen to heed the female call. Working moms who employ nannies for their kids are combining what she thinks are the best of the two worlds. We see a lot of this kind of women.

These, however, will not be entirely happy and will realize that what she thinks is the best of both worlds is not truly enjoyable.

Women cannot deny their biological calling. Working mothers will, at one point or some, feel the pangs of guilt of not being a hands-on mom.
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Hehe...Shahwar (I always misspell you name at first typing!), I wish I can give Eve the honor for commencing mankind and civilization but, you see, I’m a Catholic. And we always suspect that those four dudes who wrote the Bible were really too overworked at storytelling! LOL
2 Stars
Shahwar K
kolkata, India
STORY TELLING!

HMM...

U KNOW BEST!

REGARDS
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Yeah. Men interpret too much by way of too many stories. The true thing is really just very simple.
2 Stars
Fariha Jamil
Lahore, Pakistan
Hey Grace, its very interesting subject girly wurly!

BTW, who were the 4 guys who wrote the Bible?
1 Stars
Jaiyant Cavale
Bangalore, India
Matthew, Mark (Peter), Luke and John?
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Hey, Fariha! Thanks! And you’re still up again at this hour! LOL

Oh, I forgot to greet you happy independence day! HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, girlilash!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, INDIA AND PAKISTAN!!

PS
The 4: Paul, Ringo, John, George. Hehe... JUST KIDDING! Really, they are Mark, Luke, Matthew, John
2 Stars
G emeraldsandash.blogs..
Canberra, Australia
There were 40 gospels originally.

Whenever a new one is discovered it is decried as heresy because the power of the church lies in it’s ability to control the interpretation of the story narrowly through these four main texts.

The gospel of St. Thomas is particularly interesting as it seems to say the Jesus thought that we do not need churches or holy books as the world and our life in it is our church and holy text.

Just an observation.
2 Stars
Kristine C kristinecimafranca.m..
Quezon City, Philippines
Just a clarification: Those four people aren’t the only ones who wrote the Bible. They did write the four Gospels but the rest of the New Testament were epistles of Paul written to the Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, etc. Furthermore, there are contentions that Moses wrote some parts of the Old Testament. You may also notice the difference between the Catholic and Christian Bibles. The Catholic Bibles contain 8 additional books such as Judith, Sirach, etc. I think these 8 books were historical accounts that the Catholic Church deemed as vital to propagating the doctrine of their religion.
2 Stars
Fariha Jamil
Lahore, Pakistan
Oh I see, i didnt know that.

Thanks a lot for your greetings! And pls dont be shocked to see me at this hour coz i sleep in the morning! I left my job sometime back, now i am just enjoying life and freedom of not answering anyone why i come late in the office. LOL! :))))
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Oh, that’s interesting to find out about you. Well, did you quit because there’s a glass ceiling? Or you didn’t find any glass ceiling at all?
2 Stars
Fariha Jamil
Lahore, Pakistan
Naa... no glass cleaning issues. I just quit coz i was tired of being a part of this rat race. Although i started off with much enthusiasm to ’achieve’ , to ’prove’ myself and all this crap, but i just realized over time that it isnt worth it. I am rather happy with my ownself, a small circle of family and friends :)
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Hey, Fariha, we’re on the same boat! I got tired of the rat race myself. The pressure wasn’t worth it. I’d rather go for quietude and stillness.
3 Stars
Fariha Jamil
Lahore, Pakistan
O wow! I thought i was only the weirdo around! LOL. NO seriously man, ple really think its crazy not to make money and strive for a status and all. But its really a matter of choice as long as u dont have many responsibilities on yourself.
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Oh, this concept of always being pressured to money is so cruel on this one life on earth that we are given.

It’s a very simple trick, really. Want less, need less!

I know exactly what you mean, sis!
2 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
to *make money* sorry...
3 Stars
The ”Devil wears Prada”!
3 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
The Angel wears The Gap?
3 Stars
The Angels get naked!
3 Stars
Grace Calderon
Quezon City, Philippines
Oh! There goes the fashion industry!
1 Stars
Leena
Kolkata, India
I always land up late when everybody has said everything and I’ve nothing much to say rather than agree with people when they say ”ambition is universal. So is adequacy. And so will competition be.”
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