I believe that contrasts go beyond history, geography, architecture (see postings of Aug.28/29/31), and beyond Rome. They are evident in relationships all across the country.
Women are the commanders-in-chief of all relationships, regardless of its seniority, its legality, its legal status. And they play their role in a loud, assertive, maybe even aggressive way. Where is the contrast here? Italian men, in spite of their strong character, accept in full docility the female commands.
This seeming docility comes at a price though, to which Italian women are not blind: Italian men say “Amen” to their women (whether mothers, or significant-others), and then they turn around and do as they please: whether that means having a life that would be condemned by their mothers, or if that means betraying their significant others. Then, the power-struggle game starts: depending on the strategic positioning of each woman and man, the woman will play it cool while she gets what she wants, or she will engage in full ‘vendetta’ if she is in a slightly better position. And trust me, this hypocrite behavior happens in small villages too, where ‘public secrets’ abound.
This seeming docility comes at a price though, to which Italian women are not blind: Italian men say “Amen” to their women (whether mothers, or significant-others), and then they turn around and do as they please: whether that means having a life that would be condemned by their mothers, or if that means betraying their significant others. Then, the power-struggle game starts: depending on the strategic positioning of each woman and man, the woman will play it cool while she gets what she wants, or she will engage in full ‘vendetta’ if she is in a slightly better position. And trust me, this hypocrite behavior happens in small villages too, where ‘public secrets’ abound.
No comments:
Post a Comment