human
But I don't agree with Jane's hypothesis, that every life is an end in itself, because it cannot be lived again: that the personal reaction to life, expressed in art, is of value, because it is individual.
gpt
What is the individual's value, then? Bobs demanded.
human
Yours, for instance?
gpt
I'm part of a whole. I'm an eye or an ear in the big organism. My job is no more important than--nor as important as--the function of the leg, or the arm.
human
Then you think it is just accident that you happen to be the eye?
gpt
Yes.
human
I think you've been trained from the beginning of the world to be the eye, Jane said.
gpt
I believe your personality to be an asset that will never happen again, that you must live the fullest, freest life possible, so that you may be a normal, clear-sighted eye, and see truly.
human
It puts a whole new emphasis on the individual, doesn't it?
gpt
It seems to me slightly lacking in a sense of humour, but that is not an unusual fault in women, I am told,
human
We think that is a fault of men, said Bobs.
gpt
Nobody with a real sense of humour could go on raving against women in careers as you do, Jerry.
human
What has my sense of humour got to do with my objection to women with careers?
gpt
Everything. If you had such a sense you would see that you are only concerned about the women who are getting into _your_ career, the arts. It's the painter, the sculptor, doctor, lawyer, actress, opera singer, whom you want to rush back into the home. You don't bother about your cook, or your laundress, and all the women who serve you, staying in _their_ homes.
human
That's different.
gpt
How is it different? They are made to stay at home, and bear children, according to your idea. Why shouldn't they be allowed to do so, and carry out Nature's intention?
human
They should, ideally.
gpt
But in the world of fact, Jerry, women never have been devoted to this 'highest function' solely, Jane remarked.
human
They have always done their half, and more than half of the physical labour of the world, and borne the children besides.
gpt
Under primitive conditions, maybe.
human
But why should we suddenly limit her in the field of industry? Why suddenly decide that she is fit only to bear the young? Why shouldn't she go into new industries, if the old ones are taken from her?
gpt
Because she upsets all the relations of life if she pushes into industries where men naturally excel her.
human
What are the industries where men naturally excel women, Paxton?
gpt
In labour requiring physical strength, and professions requiring great mental facility, like politics, government, diplomacy.
human
Wait a minute, Jerry. What about the women in Europe at this very minute? They man the factories, till the soil, work the mines, make ammunition, run cars, motors, trucks; they are being sucked into all the industries of the world, and they are making good,
gpt
This war in Europe reduces those countries to the early stages, to rebuilding, reconstructing. It sets men and women back on the same plane of coöperative labour which exists in new settlements. But if this had not happened to us, I think we would have seen a marvel happening among women. Who is to say that, with this increase of machinery to replace man, with a lessening demand for bulk and strength, the sex with the greatest muscular fineness, the preponderance of brain and nerve tissue, would not become the one especially fitted to do the work of the future?
human
You must admit, Jerry, that we've had no training in politics, government, and diplomacy,
gpt
You all get away from my objection, that it upsets all our human relationships. What else is making all this domestic unrest, this increase of divorces? It is woman getting out of the home.
human
Jerry, _have_ you read my book?
gpt
Let me answer that, said Martin.
human
Woman in the home or out of it, is only one manifestation of our social rebirth. In a world of environment changing hourly, the individual must change hourly, too, or lose his social value. Now, the real tragedy of modern life is not that woman is changing more rapidly than man, but that in our confusion, it is the most advanced type of woman who marries the most antiquated type of man, or _vice versa_. Ages of social evolution may lie between them.
gpt
There you are, Jane; he has put our problem in a nutshell. You have married the most antiquated type of man,
human
What does it matter whether men do this better, and women do that better? The thing is to add to the general store of wisdom of the race; we all have to pour in our share. A hundred years from now it will look as if each contributed about equal amounts, won't it?
gpt
What about this enmity between men and women?
human
Men don't want us to get their jobs. They won't see the true situation, and they blame us, Bobs answered;
gpt
And women are superior, satirical, mad at us,
human
But you want to marry us, in spite of it, Jerry, so nothing interferes with our 'sacred function,' as you call it,
gpt
There cannot be sex war, Paxton. That need is the very ground work of life. The mating instinct is not affected by a change of labour for either sex. Mother Nature sees to that,
human
The gist of all you are saying is, that we need a new kind of marriage, a new kind of family, a new kind of parents, and a new kind of man. We've got the new kind of woman.
gpt
We've got the new man. Why, Jerry, you're one of them,
human
I? Good Lord!