Influence of education on society

 

Influence of education on society. Historically, different genders have been determined by social attitudes. It is an obvious fact that women face discrimination in various spheres of life. One of the primary sources of gender division and corresponding expectations set on women is their reproductive role.

Women bearing children is a universal phenomenon; therefore, it influences their association with care provision and attachment to home and domestic work. Hence, for centuries women have been hearth keepers. At the same time, men primarily participate in processes of a broader scale and occupy positions of decision-makers. The reproductive role of women is also perceived as inferior and minor; these primitive sex roles constructed rules of socialization that influenced gender participation in different fields. Accordingly, girls are expected to get an education for the future role of a wife and mother, while continuous education, especially in science, is the prerogative of men only. The feminist works of Christine de Pizan The Book of the City of Ladies (1982) and Mary Wollstonecraft A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (2014) appeal to issues of discrimination against women in education as they view women's participation in this field as a key to independence. The education of women changes the social attitudes towards them by wisely using reasoning ability, practicing moral values, and providing knowledge for opposing the phenomenon of patriarchal society. 

Influence of education on society

To start, women's rights can be obtained only by employing education and learning based on reasoning ability. In this way that women will gain a precise knowledge of their obligations in and to society. For example, Wollstonecraft claims, "Reason is, consequently, the simple power of improvement; or, more properly speaking, of discerning truth" (Wollstonecraft, 80). The reasoning ability is an integral part of society: because many discriminatory stereotypes have been created due to a lack of reason.

 Considering this, Wollstonecraft believed that women should not be criticized for failing to fulfill the obligations created by men. Since no obligation can be considered binding if it is not supported by reason and the choice to fulfill it has not been made freely and rationally. Women's lack of education makes such a choice impossible for them. These factors led Wollstonecraft to advocate for affordable education for women, emphasizing its benefits in all areas of society.

Influence of education on society

In contrast to Wollstonecraft, Christine de Pizan accepts the reasoning ability through Lady Reasоn, whо teaches her tо reflect, dispelling her cоnfusion and self-dоubt that arose from believing the writers of the past. Christine de Pizan, deceived by the bоok of Matheolus full of misogynistic ideas, ends up feeling guilty for being a woman (de Pizan 5). The fragment points out a problem of women's dependence on men's views. Having been oppressed for a long time, women cannot think freely in the society that denounces them because they are not taught to think critically and recognize discrimination. However, being led by reason, De Pizan eventually comes to the conclusion that women are not as vile and evil as they are described by the prominent men of her time. Male writers, philosophers, and political figures founded and intensified misogyny in their writings describing women as people оf lоwer status by shaping their audience's social attitudes towards women. Mary Wollstonecraft and Christine de Pizan place emphasis on women's education in schools and learning through books to change the society arоund them. Men employed reason not for eradicating these false beliefs and concepts about women. However, they use their reasоning ability tо strengthen discriminatory stereotypes instead.

Secondly, education and learning depend not only on academic and intellectual basics but also on practicing virtue and moral values. An educated woman with awareness of moral values can raise a child well and teach the highest values, which will ultimately have a beneficial influence on the development of society. Wollstonecraft argues that educated women would be better individuals, fulfilling their responsibilities to the family and society. (Wollstonecraft 90).

Drawing attention to the importance of duty in life, Wollstonecraft denounces the values of her contemporaries. The women of her time tend to be vain and idle because they are looked upon as male pleasure objects. This attitude reduces the need for education: uneducated women have nо reason to learn because they are suppоrted by their husbands, so they see a successful marriage as a life goal. Therefore, because of their ignorance, lack of morality, and selfishness, they cannot raise children who have an understanding of civic duties without being both mothers and citizens. Women who have an understanding of duty, on the contrary, strive to raise responsible and reasonable children. It is vital for them to have the education to pass on the basic knowledge to their children. At the same time, the narrowness of women prevents them from independent life. It creates obstacles to good relations with children.

 Christine de Pisan learns moral values from Lady Rectitude and comes to the conclusion that virtue is a crucial quality in a woman, "The city will be closed to those women who lack virtue" (de Pizan, 10). Christine de Pizan argues that mothers play a significant role in the process of growing up their children. It is essential to interact with them, to show them the right way to create the future. However, due to the fact that the women themselves are not educated, they are unable to teach morals to their children, thus creating a distance between them. Equality should be taught from childhood, instilling in them the importance of respect and interaction between men and women in the family and society. Thus, the most dangerous thing is inaction and humility, even when there is an opportunity for change. Through knowledge, a person pursuits virtue, which takes an essential part in child-rearing.

Last but not least, knowledge is a power for confronting a patriarchal society. If a woman is educated, she is able to finance herself. She is enlightened that all the discriminating stereotypes created by men are false. In this way, she will shape a societal attitude towards women. Furthermore, if a girl strives for education, every subsequent generation of girls will be closer to independence. Wollstonecraft provides a point arguing that wealth eliminates one's desire to learn. She pays attention to the middle class, people there are in the most natural state, and the rich people's education makes them vain. Rich people live only to amuse themselves (Wollstonecraft 31). Wealth provides women freedom and a possibility to live as they wish. On the other hand, being rich, a woman loses a reason to grow as a person because she does not have to worry about tomorrow.

Hence, rich people receive education to raise their prestige without intentions to use it for the common good. In Wollstonecraft's view, women from the middle class are the most promising citizens as they are not spoiled by abundant money. At the same time, they are not extremely poor; thus, they can learn. Christine de Pizan sees knowledge as independence from other people's influence. In addition, de Pizan argues that women can be superior to men in some respects if they are well-educated (de Pizan 35). Coming from a noble family, Christina de Pizan had a chance to get an education, so her reason for not being cheated is the result of the investment in her education. Learning through books has allowed her to develop critical and intelligent thinking, which helps her dispel a patriarchal society's misconceptions. 

Both authors focus on women's education since it helps to become independent of judgments of the privileged class represented by men and improve her self-acceptance as a woman.

In drawing things to a close, both works emphasize the importance of education for women. Mary Wollstonecraft and Christine de Pizan argue that women must become independent and improve social attitudes towards them, by using reason, pursuing virtue, and gaining knowledge. Even if both authors live at different times, they are concerned with the same problem: the lack of educational opportunities for women. By practicing education and learning, the person gets reason, virtue, and knowledge, which plays a significant role in increasing independence, child-rearing, and breaking down gender stereotypes. Both authors, focusing on gender stereotypes, argue that women's education contributes to overcoming barriers and the development of prosperity in society. Only by the influence of education in schools and learning through books attitudes toward women in society will change.