08/28/2024
Collateral Damage I
FWJ Fall 2024: Gender Wars
Let’s face it: we are collectively and globally living in what’s been considered a “man’s world”—not just for decades but centuries. The umbrella sheltering this man’s world from the universal truth that all beings are equal is called “patriarchy.”
Patriarchy’s main identifier is its obsession with accumulation—of land, resources, people, wealth, and power—in short, unbridled greed. Patriarchy enforces this obsession not only through the brutality of invasion and boots-on-the-ground war with whatever country it wishes to possess but also through measures that punish those who will not bow to its greed, such as sanctions. The result is euphemistically called “collateral damage,” and the pain that it causes is swept under the rug.
The word patriarch derives from the Latin pater, meaning “father.” We think of a father as one who teaches us and guides us in doing the right thing. One who provides the family with shelter, food, and protection. A father is hopefully kind and benevolent, not dictatorial, harsh, and punitive (although there are sadly far too many like that). But here is the problem: brutal men are generally cruel because of what they have suffered and what model of manhood they were shown. When a society is so harsh and unfeeling that it puts endless pressure on its citizens with little or no support, the citizens react in kind. The myth of insufficiency (not enough food, money, time, space, etc.) drives unrelenting competition in every field. If my neighbor has more money than I do and can buy a nice home or car and pay for his children’s education, while I have less and cannot, I hate him. If I can’t climb to his level, I will do everything I can to bring him down to mine. The current political situation in America is a perfect example of this. Extrapolate and expand this mindset globally and you have famine, widespread financial depression, disease, civil unrest, and war.
How to end this cycle that has endured for millennia?
In hopes of discovering an answer, Four Winds Journal will explore the challenges we are all facing under a harsh patriarchal system in several issues. “Fall 2024: Gender Wars,” spotlights male (straight, white, wealthy, and preferably Christian) oppression of the feminine in all of its forms. We look forward to sharing your thoughts and experiences with our readers.
Submission Deadline: September 15, 2014.
Please see our Submission Guidelines for details
https://orenda-arts.org/four-winds-journal-submission-guidelines-2/
Email your article, poetry, or artwork to
windsofchangepress@orenda-arts.org
