Ladylike is the beastliest word there is, I think. If a girl isn't a lady, it isn't worth while to be only like one, she'd better let it alone and be a free and happy bounder.
Interpretation
The quote challenges traditional norms of femininity and encourages authenticity over conformity.
E. Nesbit's quote critiques the societal expectations placed on women to behave in a 'ladylike' manner. Instead of adhering to these restrictive definitions of femininity, she advocates for women to embrace their individuality and freedom, suggesting that striving for conformity is less valuable than being one's true self, even if it means being perceived as unconventional or rebellious.
In practice
In a discussion about gender roles at a women's empowerment event.
The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be.
Years ago, I noticed one thing about economics, and that is that economists didn't get anything right.
The human soul needs actual beauty more than bread.
I have watched them all day and they are the same men that we are. I believe that I could walk up to the mill and knock on the door and I would be welcome except that they have orders to challenge all travelers and ask to see their papers. It is only orders that come between us. Those men are not fascists. I call them so, but they are not. They are poor men as we are. They should never be fighting against us and I do not like to think of the killing.
There is no good trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant man to purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes matter. He invented it.
Some false representations contravene the law; some do not. The law does not pretend to punish everything that is dishonest. That would seriously interfere with business, and, besides, could not be done. The line between honesty and dishonesty is a narrow, shifting one and usually lets those get by that are the most subtle and already have more than they can use.
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