Blessed is the servant who esteems himself no more highly when he is praised and exalted by people than when he is considered worthless, foolish, and to be despised; since what a man is before God, that he is and nothing more.
Francis Of AssisiRead
When one group rules another, the relationship between the two is political. When such an arrangement is carried out over a long period of time it develops an ideology (feudalism, racism, etc.). All historical civilizations are patriarchies: their ideology is male supremacy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote discusses the political dynamics of power relations between groups and the resulting ideologies that emerge over time, particularly highlighting male supremacy in historical contexts.
Kate Millett's quote examines the nature of power dynamics in which one group dominates another, leading to the establishment of ideological frameworks that justify and perpetuate such power. She argues that throughout history, civilizations have been structured as patriarchies, where male supremacy becomes the prevailing ideology, influencing social, political, and cultural norms across generations.
Themes
PowerIdeologyPatriarchyMale SupremacyPoliticsHistory
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on gender studies, you could use this quote to illustrate how historical power dynamics shape societal ideologies.
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