Essay: Education's Role In Gender Equality And Cultural Prejudices.

The importance of education for women's empowerment

1. Discuss About The Ted Talk Shameem Akhtar: To Learn Is To Be Free.

2. Discuss About The Ted Talk Chris Urmson

3. Discuss About The How A Driverless Car Sees The Road.

4. Discuss About The Ted Talk Triona Mcgrath: How Pollution Is Changing The Ocean’s Chemistry.

5. Discuss About The Ted Talk Eleanor Longden: The Voices In My Head.

The difference between male and female is too a broader aspect can be identified as a notion of biology. In practice, there is not as such distinctiveness among men and women without having a physical diversity. However, even in the 21^st century a number of cultures and societies have possessed the taboo of isolating their women from the light of education[1]. As a result of that it is necessary to understand the role of culture and society in empower women of their respective societies.

Gender equality is a burning issue nowadays. Sociologist and social activities have raised their voice for safeguarding the rights of the women in the society. Before going into the discussion about cultural prejudices against women upliftment, it is imperative to get a glimpse of the difference between sex and gender. According to West & Zimmerman, before the 1975 people had confusion about gender and sex[2]. From the sociological point of view, there is a sharp distinction between the two. Sex is defined as the biological connotation associated with anatomy, hormones and physiology whereas gender is ascribed as a psychological, cultural and social means. In this regard, the Western societies have accepted the cultural perspective of gender by treating men and women as naturally and unequivocally defined categories. However, the role theory has a robust impact on the construction of gender categories. Beyond the conventionalised gesture there is a clear understanding of the distinctiveness in gender but not based on the stereotypes of the definition of sex.

Culture and society plays a pivotal part in constructing different perception about sex and gender. In the speech of Shameem Akhtar at TEDWomen 2017, she portrayed a clear depiction of the isolation and lack of privileges that the women in her region are suffering for a long time[3]. She belonged to a Baloch conservative tribe in Sindh, Pakistan where women and girls do not have the right to educate. In fact, the people think that girls are born to do household tasks and never allowed to explore the outside world. This sheer perception among some tribes is still existed in the 21^st century. Her inner faith and courage made Shameem a flag bearer of educating girls across the country. However, the politics of keeping women in dark about the rest of the world was prevalent long back. In the book written by Millet the practice of male chauvinism in society is quite clear. Sexually compliant females should be beaten and those women who violate the laws of marital fidelity should be punished punitively[4]. In fact, Kimmel, Hearn & Connell argues that the chivalry and masculinity are the significant facets that prohibit women to get equal to their male counterparts[5].

The role of culture and society in constructing gender categories

Therefore, it can be concluded that the education is the key factor that can help the underprivileged women to get the light of the outside world and helps them to become leaders to guide the society towards its future progress.

The self-driving cars will be very useful in fastening the seatbelts and will reduce the chances of accidents on roads. Every year there are a huge number of people who die on roads because of the lack of their concentration and their restlessness. They are not able to fasten their seatbelts on time and they feel that this might be wastage of time a well. In the cars that have the drivers running them may often suffer from this uncertainty that what will be their action if the passer by or any other vehicles suddenly come on the road. In such cases the drivers may not get proper time and balance to manage everything at the same time. Often the normal cars put the brakes constantly at places that are actually not needed. This can really be very irritating for the ones who are driving the cars. Particularly when driving in the rows, one will find the toads to be very congested and it will really be very troublesome for them if their cars do not run properly on the roads. These will also be very troublesome for those people who might feel that they are getting in their chances of accidents due to these cars. However, many people might put forward this argument that if there are driverless cars then there is no surety that it will be successful in avoiding all the accidents. This is because in such cases nothing will be under the control of the drivers driving the cars. Each and everything will be machine oriented. At the same time, this may not be able to put an end to all the accidents but it will surely out an end to half of the accidents that cannot be stopped by the human driven normal cars[6].

This indeed is very useful be because this practice has been able to reduce about 17000 deaths that take place on the roads every year. The first driverless car that was given for experiment purpose in 2009 was also immensely successful and was heavily demanded among people[7].Thus, the seatbelts wearing will be one of the most important things that will be done with ease by the driverless cars. Even if the drivers are in a hurry and are forgetful in wearing their seatbelts the driverless cars will automatically out the seatbelts on them and will also be very helpful in driving the cars on roads[8]. They have auto sensors that will be helpful in sensing any kinds of dangers that might come in front of them on roads like the cars or any pedestrians. Hence the chances of accidents will be stopped.

Shameem Akhtar's TED Talk on educating girls in Pakistan

Dr. McGrath, the TED Talk has discussed about the pollution level in the oceans and their effects on the surrounding ecology. She states that the changes in the environment of the ocean has increased ten times that it had been for 55 million years. The pollution due to the human actions have been increasing the process of acidification in the marine water affecting the survival of the aquatic animals. These are leading to the mass extinction of many marine species. The ocean chemistry has been changed due to the 25% of all the carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans. To her, the technology of reducing environmental pollution especially the carbon emission will not be only way through which the expected level can be reached. With the technological help, there is a need in the changes of the human nature and habits. McGrath has been researching to find the method of reducing carbon emission in the atmosphere and its effect on the marine life. Her team monitors the levels of pollutants like carbon dioxide in the Irish marine waters in order to determine the carbon level in ocean and succeeding upsurge in the ocean acidity.  This is crucial for the understanding of future health of oceans. Through this investigation the researchers can provide information for determining the impact of the ocean acidification on the marine ecosystems[9].

Therefore, it can be understood from this particular TED Talk that what danger McGrath has found out can never be mitigated or prevented if the technology and human effort is not amalgamated together. This is because it is not acceptable that the human life as well as the lives of aquatic animals will be greatly affected by the pollution as this will increase the types and effects of disease which will cause mass killing or migration. The natural balance will be affected in one hand, the lives of earth will be abolished in case the pollution level increases in such a way. Therefore, there is an urge from the part of this researcher that the human habits need it be changed so that the pollution level is reduced in the oceans as well as land.

Eleanor Longden in the TED Talk has discussed about her experience in the process of diagnosis of schizophrenia and related course of hospitalisation. To her, in this process of treatment, she was accepted as the patient of insanity and treated quite harshly by the associated doctors[10]. Eleanor in the TED Talk has pointed out because she had been constantly in the environment where she could her some voices around her. These were seen to be some symptoms that intensified her fear as well as her situation deteriorated gradually.  However, she attempted to battle with these hostile voices but she became a broken and haunted person frm inside who was taken advantages of every awful way[11]. She was constantly jeered by the people which made her believer of a childhood trauma. In this TED Talk Eleanor has spoken about her a strategy to survive the situation where she was granted as a mad woman. These strategies were completely indigenous as well as creative which empowered her to prevent herself to be collapsed and submit to her disease.

Triona Mcgrath's TED Talk on ocean pollution and its effects on marine ecosystems

Most fortunately, her treatment process became easy as she soon became surrounded by people with the unshakable belief that she would soon recover[12]. This however, empowered her to face all the challenges. This illness was not as abstract symptoms of illness that she had to endure but it was complex, significant as well as meaningful experience that was to be explored. This is the reason why there are only two things important in life one is the knowledge and another is hope and positive belief which saves the man’s life from the deadly effect of depression and insanity.

This TED Talk has provided an empowering feeling and one can find something meaningful in it instead of feeling distressed in these experiences.  Therefore, one can take these insights as well as knowledge from the life of the victim Eleanor. The internal struggle of a schizophrenic patient and the punitive measure she received had helped her to concentrate more on the proves of gaining knowledge. She became more self-confident in her ability to not only be there for herself but trust herself again. This story of life is an inspiration for the people who may only choose the path of medication to survive this dangerous disease and lose the chance to save themselves.

References

Beck, Adam S. "Driverless Cars: A Revolution For Persons With Disabilities." (2016).

Butler, J 1990, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Routledge, London and New York.

Gladwell, M 2011, Outliers, Back Bay Books, New York.

Hillström, Oscar, and Mattias Johannesson. "Integration of a belt in a seat: Safety in autonomous cars." (2017).

Hochschild, A 2004, Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA.

Kimmel, MA, Hearn, J & Connell, RW 2004, Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities, SAGE, Thousand Oaks, CA.

Millet, K 1969, Sexual Politics, Doubleday and Co.

Richtel, Matt, and Conor Dougherty. "Google’s driverless cars run into problem: Cars with drivers." New York Times 1 (2015).

West, C & Zimmerman, DH 1987, ‘Doing gender’, Gender and Society, 1(2), 125–51.

Wise, SM 2004, Though the Heavens May Fall: The Landmark Trial that Led to the End of Human Slavery, Da Capo Press, New York

[1] Butler, J 1990, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity, Routledge, London and New York.

[2] West, C & Zimmerman, DH 1987, ‘Doing gender’, Gender and Society, 1(2), 125–51.

[3]TED conference. 2017. To Learn Is To Be Free. Video. https://www.ted.com/talks/shameem_akhtar_to_learn_is_to_be_free.

[4] Millet, K 1969, Sexual Politics, Doubleday and Co.

[5] Kimmel, MA, Hearn, J & Connell, RW 2004, Handbook of Studies on Men and Masculinities, SAGE, Thousand

[6] Beck, Adam S. "Driverless Cars: A Revolution For Persons With Disabilities." (2016).

[7] Richtel, Matt, and Conor Dougherty. "Google’s driverless cars run into problem: Cars with drivers." New York Times 1 (2015).

[8] Hillström, Oscar, and Mattias Johannesson. "Integration of a belt in a seat: Safety in autonomous cars." (2017).

[9] Myers-Scotton, C 2006, Multiple voices: an introduction to bilingualism, Blackwell Publishing, Malden, MA.

[10] Hochschild, A 2004, Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire’s Slaves, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA.

[11]

Wise, SM 2004, Though the Heavens May Fall: The Landmark Trial that Led to the End of Human Slavery, Da Capo Press, New York.

[12] Gladwell, M 2011, Outliers, Back Bay Books, New York.