--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One could understand feminism generally…" description: "\"“One could understand feminism generally as an attack on woman as she was under “patriarchy” (that concept is a social construction of feminism). The f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg" --- # One could understand feminism generally as an attack on… ![“One could understand feminism generally as an attack on woman as she was under “patriarchy” (that concept is a social construction of feminism). The feminine mystique was her ideal; in regard to sex, it consisted of women’s modesty and in the double standard of sexual conduct that comes with it…” quote by Harvey Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg) > ““One could understand feminism generally as an attack on woman as she was under “patriarchy” (that concept is a social construction of feminism). The feminine mystique was her ideal; in regard to sex, it consisted of women’s modesty and in the double standard of sexual conduct that comes with it, which treated women’s misbehavior as more serious than men’s. Instead of trying to establish a single standard by bringing men up to the higher standard of women, as with earlier feminism, today’s feminism decided to demand that women be entitled to sink to the level of men. It bought into the sexual revolution of the late sixties and required that women be rewarded with the privileges of male conquest rather than, say, continue serving as camp followers of rock bands. The result has been the turn for the worse. ... What was there in feminine modesty that the feminists left behind? In return for women’s holding to a higher standard of sexual behavior, feminine modesty gave them protection while they considered whether they wanted to consent. It gave them time: Not so fast! Not the first date! I’m not ready for that! It gave them the pleasure of being courted along with the advantage of looking before you leap. To win over a woman, men had to strive to express their finer feelings, if they had any. Women could judge their character and choose accordingly. In sum, women had the right of choice, if I may borrow that slogan. All this and more was social construction, to be sure, but on the basis of the bent toward modesty that was held to be in the nature of women. That inclination, it was thought, cooperated with the aggressive drive in the nature of men that could be beneficially constructed into the male duty to take the initiative. There was no guarantee of perfection in this arrangement, but at least each sex would have a legitimate expectation of possible success in seeking marital happiness. They could live together, have children, and take care of them. Without feminine modesty, however, women must imitate men, and in matters of sex, the most predatory men, as we have seen. The consequence is the hook-up culture now prevalent on college campuses, and off-campus too (even more, it is said). The purpose of hooking up is to replace the human complexity of courtship with “good sex,” a kind of animal simplicity, eliminating all the preliminaries to sex as well as the aftermath. “Good sex,” by the way, is in good part a social construction of the alliance between feminists and male predators that we see today. It narrows and distorts the human potentiality for something nobler and more satisfying than the bare minimum. The hook-up culture denounced by conservatives is the very same rape culture denounced by feminists. Who wants it? Most college women do not; they ignore hookups and lament the loss of dating. Many men will not turn down the offer of an available woman, but what they really want is a girlfriend. The predatory males are a small minority among men who are the main beneficiaries of the feminist norm. It’s not the fault of men that women want to join them in excess rather than calm them down, for men too are victims of the rape culture. Nor is it the fault of women. Women are so far from wanting hook-ups that they must drink themselves into drunken consent — in order to overcome their natural modesty, one might suggest. Not having a sociable drink but getting blind drunk is today’s preliminary to sex. Beautifully romantic, isn’t it?”” [Harvey Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mansfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques modern feminism for abandoning traditional modesty, arguing it removed protective social cues that helped women navigate consent and courtship, leading to relational instability. **In simple terms:** Modern feminism abandoned modesty, removing protective cues for women in relationships. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of thoughtful consent and pacing in relationships. Themes gender roles feminism consent courtship social norms Mood critical reflective analytical Type philosophical social commentary relationship advice When to use this quote - dating - marriage counseling - relationship education - sexual education - personal boundaries Key Concepts social construction modesty power dynamics gender expectations Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance respect for consent with gender equality? - What role should modesty play in modern relationships? A Different Perspective The argument may overlook women's agency and the benefits of equality beyond modesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bare Minimum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bare-minimum/) [Behavior Feminine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-feminine-4045386/) [Double standard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-standard/) [Feminine mystique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminine-mystique/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminism Feminine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism-feminine-4045384/) [Feminism Generally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism-generally-4045385/) [First date](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-date/) [Left behind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-behind/) [Modesty Feminists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modesty-feminists-4045383/) [Patriarchy Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriarchy-concept-3949867/) [Rock bands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-bands/) [Sexual revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-revolution/) [Social construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-construction/) ## Related quotes > [The enemy is not men. 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(That is, the "wrong" person--in this case, female--has created the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/the-techniques-are-all-means-of-dealing-with-one-simple-idea-she/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) [Browse all 194 Double standard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-standard/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One could understand feminism generally as an attack on woman as she was under “patriarchy” (that concept is a social construction of feminism). The feminine mystique was her ideal; in regard to sex, it consisted of women’s modesty and in the double standard of sexual conduct that comes with it, which treated women’s misbehavior as more serious than men’s. Instead of trying to establish a single standard by bringing men up to the higher standard of women, as with earlier feminism, today’s feminism decided to demand that women be entitled to sink to the level of men. It bought into the sexual revolution of the late sixties and required that women be rewarded with the privileges of male conquest rather than, say, continue serving as camp followers of rock bands. The result has been the turn for the worse. ... What was there in feminine modesty that the feminists left behind? In return for women’s holding to a higher standard of sexual behavior, feminine modesty gave them protection while they considered whether they wanted to consent. It gave them time: Not so fast! Not the first date! I’m not ready for that! It gave them the pleasure of being courted along with the advantage of looking before you leap. To win over a woman, men had to strive to express their finer feelings, if they had any. Women could judge their character and choose accordingly. In sum, women had the right of choice, if I may borrow that slogan. All this and more was social construction, to be sure, but on the basis of the bent toward modesty that was held to be in the nature of women. That inclination, it was thought, cooperated with the aggressive drive in the nature of men that could be beneficially constructed into the male duty to take the initiative. There was no guarantee of perfection in this arrangement, but at least each sex would have a legitimate expectation of possible success in seeking marital happiness. They could live together, have children, and take care of them. Without feminine modesty, however, women must imitate men, and in matters of sex, the most predatory men, as we have seen. The consequence is the hook-up culture now prevalent on college campuses, and off-campus too (even more, it is said). The purpose of hooking up is to replace the human complexity of courtship with “good sex,” a kind of animal simplicity, eliminating all the preliminaries to sex as well as the aftermath. “Good sex,” by the way, is in good part a social construction of the alliance between feminists and male predators that we see today. It narrows and distorts the human potentiality for something nobler and more satisfying than the bare minimum. The hook-up culture denounced by conservatives is the very same rape culture denounced by feminists. Who wants it? Most college women do not; they ignore hookups and lament the loss of dating. Many men will not turn down the offer of an available woman, but what they really want is a girlfriend. The predatory males are a small minority among men who are the main beneficiaries of the feminist norm. It’s not the fault of men that women want to join them in excess rather than calm them down, for men too are victims of the rape culture. Nor is it the fault of women. Women are so far from wanting hook-ups that they must drink themselves into drunken consent — in order to overcome their natural modesty, one might suggest. Not having a sociable drink but getting blind drunk is today’s preliminary to sex. Beautifully romantic, isn’t it?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harvey Mansfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mansfield/one-could-understand-feminism-generally-as-an-attack-on-woman-as-she/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Double standard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mansfield/one-could-understand-feminism-generally-as-an-attack-on-woman-as-she/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/700/harvey-mansfield-52222_double-standard_one-could-understand-feminism-generally_2888842.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One could understand feminism generally as an attack on woman as she was under “patriarchy” (that concept is…” — Harvey Mansfield", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harvey Mansfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mansfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“One could understand feminism generally as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mansfield/one-could-understand-feminism-generally-as-an-attack-on-woman-as-she/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mansfield/one-could-understand-feminism-generally-as-an-attack-on-woman-as-she/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```