Azure Jane Lunatic (Azz) 🌺 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
azurelunatic) wrote2002-05-08 05:07 pm
azurelunatic) wrote2002-05-08 05:07 pm
Heinlein Women (crosspost from the list)
When growing up, I noticed that the ideal Heinlein woman was smart, bisexual, horny, good with children, an expert markswoman, prepared for every eventuality, and capable of mastering anything she tried, very quickly.
I wanted to grow up and kick, ah, "anatomy" like Friday, be householdy and practical like Janet (was that her name? The other woman in _Friday_, the one with the two husbands), make love with the skill of all the Heinlein women known to be skilled in the art put together, be all-around resourceful and twisty-minded like Hazel, and continue kicking anatomy with serenity like Cordelia after I found the gang of heavily armed Amazons (or male equivalent) who would love me freely and forever. With the Martian training of Mike Smith, the information manipulation retrieval, and analytical skills of Mr. Spock, the diplomacy of Miles, and the grace, beauty, brains, and technical skill of Lt. Uhura.
Heinlein women were an excellent role model to me when growing up. It will be interesting to re-read from an adult perspective. I have noticed that some of my favorite books when growing up (M*rc*d*s L*ck*y) did not age particularly well. Someone onlist said of that particular author, some years ago, that some authors have an axe to grind; this author takes the axe and bludgeons you about the head with the dull side... I've found that increasingly true with some of her books, especially those specifically targeted for a younger audience. I'm hoping that at least Friday will stand up to the test of time. I found that Gillian became less interesting after learning Martian; Anne became more interesting.
As an interesting and amusing contrast to the stereotypical attitude from a completely male-dominated society, until the age of ten, I believed with all my little heart that boys could not grow up to be teachers, because they were not smart enough... Somehow my father was an exception, just as smart as a girl.
I wanted to grow up and kick, ah, "anatomy" like Friday, be householdy and practical like Janet (was that her name? The other woman in _Friday_, the one with the two husbands), make love with the skill of all the Heinlein women known to be skilled in the art put together, be all-around resourceful and twisty-minded like Hazel, and continue kicking anatomy with serenity like Cordelia after I found the gang of heavily armed Amazons (or male equivalent) who would love me freely and forever. With the Martian training of Mike Smith, the information manipulation retrieval, and analytical skills of Mr. Spock, the diplomacy of Miles, and the grace, beauty, brains, and technical skill of Lt. Uhura.
Heinlein women were an excellent role model to me when growing up. It will be interesting to re-read from an adult perspective. I have noticed that some of my favorite books when growing up (M*rc*d*s L*ck*y) did not age particularly well. Someone onlist said of that particular author, some years ago, that some authors have an axe to grind; this author takes the axe and bludgeons you about the head with the dull side... I've found that increasingly true with some of her books, especially those specifically targeted for a younger audience. I'm hoping that at least Friday will stand up to the test of time. I found that Gillian became less interesting after learning Martian; Anne became more interesting.
As an interesting and amusing contrast to the stereotypical attitude from a completely male-dominated society, until the age of ten, I believed with all my little heart that boys could not grow up to be teachers, because they were not smart enough... Somehow my father was an exception, just as smart as a girl.
Re: Responding here instead of the Bujold list...
Asimov's short stories are to be delighted over, though some of his longer works failed to get my attention.
Re: Responding here instead of the Bujold list...
Asimov can be fun, but I much prefer psychological sf. Minds are fundamentally fascinating, especially when you try to take them apart.
Brains....
Re: Responding here instead of the Bujold list...
...The second half is more the problem, I fear.
And the fun with Asimov is the taking apart of *his* brain! Braiiiiiinnnnssss...
Re: Responding here instead of the Bujold list...
I think we'd do better by focusing on basic kindergarden values: politeness, sharing, not doing things just to annoy other people, trying to understand what other people want and don't want, etc.
Exactly.
The trouble is the "diverging values of 'nice'". When everybody assumes that everyone thinks just like them, that's where troubles start to creep in.