[Buddha-l] An experiment (Gender on Buddha-l)

Erik Hoogcarspel jehms at xs4all.nl
Mon Oct 10 02:27:48 MDT 2005


jkirk schreef:

>>
>> Taking these two tests is a very interesting experiment for a buddhist
>> practitioner:
>>
>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/feature/story/0,13026,937913,00.html
>>
>> While being a rabid techologist and maniacally science-oriented,
>> I actually found it difficult to answer many questions on the S
>> test from my usual perspective of just not thinking about such
>> things in the way the questions imply. It's great fun.
>>
>> cf (high "B")
>
> ==============
> Hi CF,
>
> This kind of research is not especially new, it's been around for some 
> time,
> and I always find it of interest. However, I'm not persuaded that such 
> ingrained
> differences, or effects of hormones, etc., 'create' views, i.e., 
> systems of cultural ideas, or even non-systems of cultural ideas. But 
> I won't spend time on this Buddha-L list on behavioral research at the 
> infant or toddler levels. There is already a large body of research 
> and writing on issues of gender vis a vis adults (leaving aside the 
> infants and toddlers)--on views and behaviors--as part of cultural and 
> social analysis.
> I think that scholars by now have abundantly made the case that 
> different cultures operate differentially in terms of gender, among 
> other aspects of humanity, and maintain, support, or change the views 
> that go with it. Nobody has called for "taking sides." Certainly not I.
> I have finally grown well aware of the male partisanship that is 
> typical of probably the majority of this list's members who write in 
> frequently, and having brought this characteristic out, I don't intend 
> to beat my head against this wall.  I will, though, continue where 
> relevant to bring out gender issues in Buddhist literature and practice.

I just read an article which confirms the differences between male and 
female thinking. Female and male brains are slightly different. Men use 
f.i. for speach mainly the left part of the brain and women both. These 
kind of physical differences are wellknown, but new to me was that men 
and women behave much more the same way as they're supposed to do given 
these differences. In other words they get the same results in different 
ways, probably because they want to. This confirms the importance of 
social cohesion. I wonder if ths has any relevance for meditation 
techniques.


Erik


www.xs4all.nl/~jehms



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