Jean-Jacques Rosseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, was a composer, writer and philosopher best known for his book “The social contract” who is most quoted for its starting lines “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains”. The dictionary meaning for born free is simply that of not being born into slavery, but in this day and age it is something arguable. We are all confined by society in many different ways, be it by the gender roles enforced upon us on a daily basis, the racist prejudice opinions and judgments of other people based on the skin tone, nationality, or culture of a person. We place chains upon ourselves by conforming into certain ideas or opinions by keeping a close mind.
Although most controversial gender roles have diminished over the years, still a person’s sex limits them to certain tasks and perceived characteristics. In today’s society we are often barred from doing what we want not because of our incompetence to do so, but because of the strangeness of the action done by a man or a woman and the senseless consequences they may cause. There is no scientific evidence to prove that the balance of hormones in a person’s body decides what they should behave like, enjoy doing or are skilled at. In fact recent research argues that women and men share a broad range of emotional and mental capabilities and that most apparent distinctions between them are created, the social product of a sexist society1. When a child is conceived they are at the time free, but once their sex is known, they are automatically confined to a collection of stereo typical expectations whether made by the parents or the society they are born into.
America the land of the free, or so they say. No other criminal justice system of a democratic country in the world, actively participates in Prejudice, discrimination, and institutional racism as much as that of the United States. Studies show that police are more likely to pull over and frisk blacks or Latinos than whites. In New York City, 80% of
Although most controversial gender roles have diminished over the years, still a person’s sex limits them to certain tasks and perceived characteristics. In today’s society we are often barred from doing what we want not because of our incompetence to do so, but because of the strangeness of the action done by a man or a woman and the senseless consequences they may cause. There is no scientific evidence to prove that the balance of hormones in a person’s body decides what they should behave like, enjoy doing or are skilled at. In fact recent research argues that women and men share a broad range of emotional and mental capabilities and that most apparent distinctions between them are created, the social product of a sexist society1. When a child is conceived they are at the time free, but once their sex is known, they are automatically confined to a collection of stereo typical expectations whether made by the parents or the society they are born into.
America the land of the free, or so they say. No other criminal justice system of a democratic country in the world, actively participates in Prejudice, discrimination, and institutional racism as much as that of the United States. Studies show that police are more likely to pull over and frisk blacks or Latinos than whites. In New York City, 80% of
Bibliography: 1. Epstein, Cynthia Fuchs . Deceptive Distinctions: Sex, Gender, and the Social Order. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. 2. "The Reality of Racial Profiling." The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. http://www.civilrights.org/publications/reports/racial-profiling2011/the-reality-of-racial.html (accessed September 10, 2014). 3. "AP poll: Majority harbor prejudice against blacks." The Big Story. http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ap-poll-majority-harbor-prejudice-against-blacks (accessed September 10, 2014). 4. Forbes Magazine. "Why Getting Comfortable With Discomfort Is Crucial To Success." Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2013/04/22/is-comfort-holding-you-back/ (accessed September 10, 2014).