From: shrdlu@willow.sdd.trw.com (Lynda L. True)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Warfare and women
Date: 15 Apr 92 14:42:29 GMT
Organization: TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA

In article <1992Apr12.170308.12319@demon.co.uk> Leo Smith
      <shaman@cix.compulink.co.uk> writes:
>At the risk of being flamed (probably by ailsa:-))
>I have to say that I agree with shava a lot on this - that womens
>agrressive instincst are (culturally? biologically?) channelled away
>from direct physical actions towards underhand methods. I don't think
>it is a coincidence that there are a lot of anecdotal statements
>about this matter - e.g. the female of the species is more deadly
>than the male - feme fatale - or even the rather unpleasant usage of
>a term referring to an identifiable female piece of sexual apparatus
>to represent a man who is devious and treacherous.

OK, I have to interrupt. Since there are some basic differences in the
male and female brain (see references to corpus callosum, aphasia, and
right-brain left-brain communications for answers or further
information), there are going to be differences in the way that they
respond to given situations as well.

Please don't assume that someone's opinion about female behavior is
quotable fact. There is always room for a wide expression of
personality, and lots of influence from genetics as well, but there
are still basic differences between female and male, and all the
wishful thinking in the world will not make it otherwise.

Women may or may not have aggressive tendencies, but it ain't
instinct. The only instincts that homo (fill in the blank) are born
with are the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. Certainly
the predisposition to certain personality traits is inherited, but
that is a predisposition, and genetic inheritance should not be
confused with instinct. We can learn to handle aggressive impulses
from our parents and peers as we grow. We can't help instinct. If
someone startles you by making a loud and unexpected noise, you react.
The reaction may not be visible to others, but it is there. It shows
up on an EEG, and in your heart rate. (By the way, the name for it is
the "startle reflex.")

Re your last comment, I know you know what word you mean, but I
honestly cannot think of a word that refers to female body parts that
also contains the meaning "devious and treacherous" (no I'm not
kidding, I really don't get it). There are many words that I can think
of, but they are just insulting and crude in general, and don't
contain the emotional markers that you seem to identify with this
word.

Please don't forget that all the anecdotal references you made are
defined by males.....

When the Himalayan peasant meets the He-Bear in his stride,
He will shout to scare the monster who will often turn aside;
But the She-Bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail,
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

  - Rudyard Kipling (Not someone known for his high opinion of women)

I wish I had the time for more depth, but ......

Lynda
-- 
shrdlu@rowan.sdd.trw.com (Lynda L. True)
Work Phone - (310) 812-1660 or (310) 812-1570
TRW, One Space Park Drive, R2/2062, Redondo Beach, CA