Women: the moral standard bearers

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Ann Coulter says that women are the moral standard bearers, meaning that they do a lot to make society behave. Her point is that it is especially tragic when a woman loses her morals, because a lot of other people who rely on her moral influence are let down. A lot of men might party wild all night and do who-knows-what if their wives/girlfriends didn't call them on it and insist that they not. (Of course, wives can go overboard -- I don't want to swell women's heads.)

But what do you think about this? Do good women help men behave? Do most men have a hard time behaving when they don't have any good women around?

Again, let me underline that I'm not putting either gender above the other, because I think that's a flawed view. I'm asking for opinions on wives' and mothers' total contribution to the morality of society.

I've never really looked into this.

Tim

Well, with my family, the women do tend to promote morality more.

Men and women evolved with different behaviors to match their biologies. Men want to spread their seed (which helps keep the species going). Women have to carry and birth the kid, and then raise it even if the father decides to flee the scene; so women tend to be different and more cautious when it comes to arousal, choosing a mate, or engaging in 'immoral' activities.

My mom raised me by herself, so I can't comment.

If I met a woman who had a lot of character and inner strength, who had savvy, and figured me out enough to learn how to handle me, then I think I could get married and be a good husband. Those few people who have figured out how to get the best out of me seem to be really pleased with the results. And that's who I'd need if a marriage was going to work: a wife who had an instinct for how to handle me, and coax out the best I have to give. I really light up when someone treats me right! I become extremely productive, caring, funny, and whimsical. But I can be just the opposite if I don't have such a person in my life. But that's who I'd need: someone to give my heart wings.

I'll have to respectfully disagree. It is a common steryotype in today's society that women are more nurturing, caring and ethical. Sure, males are birth defects, but I disagree with the opinion of females being more ethical.

Have you contacted Ann Coulter?

The assertion is not that women are more ethical. In fact, that's not even related to the assertion. In fact, I don't believe that. As I underlined, I don't think either gender is better than the other.

Rather, the assertion is that wives and mothers instinctively exert strong influence upon the positive behavior of their families -- and hence, collectively, society at large. Many mothers run their households with what seems like a sixth sense of how to maneuver their families so that the household runs smoothly. I don't pretend to understand it, but I have observed it all my life, in the various households I've known.

I do think there's something to this, and to the main idea of the originial post. Exactly what is debatable, hence the creation of this thread.

As a side note, I remember reading an article about why female computer voices are utilized more than male voices. It's because people -- both men and women -- tend to instinctively tune into a woman's voice more readily than to a man's, and listen to and follow it's instructions more than a man's voice. This is true even in fighter jets. Even there, military pilots have been shown to respond better to tactical instructions from a woman's voice than from the commanding voice of a male superior officer.

Yes, a female voice might be more psychologically persuasive under some circumstances. But on that point, I think it is more a shortcoming of the human organism. When two men debate, there is a preference for the one with the deepest voice. When a man and woman disagree, it is common for the man to be seen as firm, while the woman is seen as bitchy, even when they act similarly. In analyzing elections, there is a clear preference for the taller candidate. Body language (which aspies tend to be pretty poor at) is often as important or more important than what is being said.

If women are really the more moral gender, why has Judeo-Christianity (and Islam and several other religions) done so much to limit the role of women? Has it been only the last 50 years or so where (liberal/reform) branches of Judaism and Christianity will let women conduct religious services? And the conservative branches still won't let women give a sermon or administer the sacraments because they cite precedent and scripture (which must be truthier than any observation about the character of women).

Good women have limited influence over immoral husbands, (e.g. my mom had little influence over my birth father), however if the husband or boyfriend has morals then they would accept more willingly influence from their wife or girl friend.



Maybe, but they have an easier time misbehaving when immoral woman are around. If they want to do something and are immoral they'll listen to whoever will give them more freedom.



At least for Beth and me my mom was the major influence in our lives, but she had little influence over my dad until the last two years of his life. Women would have more influence as mothers then wives from my experience.


However, I would say that immoral women would have more influence over men looking to do wrong than moral women.

For men who want to do right they will listen to moral women, Godly leaders, etc.

Depends on the guy, but I would say children listen to their mothers more than their fathers. At least in my case since my mom was more respectable.

I'm thankful my mother didn't have much influence on my father's behavior. I'd no doubt have been beaten to death as a child and then as I lie there dying be acused of faking injuries if that were the case

The problem I see is what is moral and what is inmoral, don't say it, I know it must be something like this:
conservatives = moral
non-conservatives = liberals = inmoral.