Fundamental Feminism

Thursday, July 29, 2010


I finished both Infidel and Nomad by Ayaan Hersi Ali. She argues strongly that people who are Muslims believe in the absolute literal truth of the Quran and so are easy to turn to violence in defense of their religion. Her argument is that the Quran says, “Kill the infidels” and” if you suspect your wife will be disobedient, beat her”. She maintains that a large number of them will follow those directions when pushed.

My basic belief has been that only about 4-6% of the people are sociopaths. The rest love and care for others and will take a moderate stance about killing others. That is the basic framework. Of course people are also given to prejudice, grouping together while dehumanizing others especially in times of war. They have negative impulses like hate, defensiveness and the talionic impulse (revenge). My hope is that even though people do go to war, in the long run they will arrange for moderation to win out and violence to take second place.

Still, Ali gives lots of examples of people using violence to get their way. Also, it was true that in Afghanistan the suppression of women went to extremes. You could say that it goes to extremes in many Muslim countries. The counter argument is that the countries about which she writes are backward dictatorships. So it could be argued that violent actions in more advanced countries are done by immigrants from those backward countries or are aberrations. Also, another Ali point is that arranged marriages and using of the veil are ways of keeping women in their place and happen in most Muslim countries.


In the end I think I will find that the discriminatory practices against women are widespread with Muslims but are not universal. I think that there are many enlightened Muslims who will resist the fundamentalist movement. Apparently there is an increase in fundamentalist Islamic thinking and practices throughout the world’s Muslim cultures. The question is how far it will go before it reaches a high point and begins to recede. I could also note that there has simultaneously been an increase in other kinds of fundamentalism too, such as Christian fundamentalism. I think that as the word becomes more influenced by technology and globalization people become overwhelmed fearing there is too much they don’t understand and embarrassed that the world is changing too fast for them to catch up. Then with instant communication they see that their kids and everyone else will know about their inadequacy. Turning to the simple answers of simple religions is a relief. There is less to have to think about and less to decide. They see simple, clear, permanent answers that give them a feeling of security, closure and resolution. As they learn those simple answers they are back in charge and it feels wonderful. The man is back in charge of his woman and has at least the moral advantage over his children. Interestingly, in some Muslim countries where the women do not have the right to choose their husbands, have no influence over money, and don’t even control their own bodies sexually, many women are turning to fundamentalist Islam. There was no explanation in the report I read. I suspect that having a firm grasp on the female role somehow gives them a sense of control. Of course there are no simple answers that really work in the long run so the solution they find in religion is not permanent after all. But they don’t realize that now and even if they suspected it, it would be a worry for another day


Nevertheless I wonder how far primitive attitudes toward women will go. None of the advanced countries in the world is Muslim. The more advanced countries are Turkey, Egypt and perhaps Saudi Arabia. My measurement would be average income and levels of education. But in Saudi Arabia there is Wahhabism and women with no political power-- or even the ability to drive. In Egypt there is much violence and 97% of the women are genitally mutilated. Turkey I know less about. But it does have a secular government and is a democracy. There is Morocco but I know even less about it.


I’ll continue my education and see if I can learn more that will either give me more hope of less hope.