Jonathan Rey A.

Ibale February 19, 2014

Philosophy 10 Google, Is my son a genius? : Popular Gender Frames Google, Is my son a genius? : Popular Gender Frames

With respect to cultural perimeters, gender has been a big factor affecting general perception of persons in various aspects, transcending the domestic milieu up to an extensive interracial construct. Awareness about this habit is growing ever more broad as discussion on the topic becomes more and more intensive. Negation of traditional perspectives is a common goal that is endeavored by organizations involved. This topic is becoming ever more complex as the minute goes given that sexuality, orientation, and gender is being detailed and elaborated so as current popular understanding is only a partial inference, and an outdated one at that, of the whole picture. The New York Times article by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz titled Google, is my son a genius? relates to us the American sort of the issue with a focus on boy-girl preferences of parents raising and even those who are still going to bear one or another child. Generally, boys are expected to be intellectually gifted, while girls are needed to be physically beautiful. Framing this statistical data Davidowitz has highlighted with American culture, parents preferences over the matter may be inferred to be affected and influenced greatly by popularity of the successes particular genders have attained over the past century. In the past and even currently, men have dominated politics, business, and even the sciences, while women are celebrated in the entertainment or visual industry. The portrayal of the latter gender is also highly idealized in their culture, though men might also have their fair share of being in the limelight. We might say, in terms of television programs, women are bespectacled in fashion shows and in late night dramas, while men are sung in the evening news. This interpretation may stand debatable, but lets face it, this is how America idealize women. (Men/boys being for the evening news may be my addition.) If interpreted from more conservative cultures like ours, we can see that keeping our girls beautiful and boys smart may not be more due to a pop culture influence, but a tang of practicality on the side of parents who want to provide their children a better future. Girls when pretty and sexy, despite what may be in their heads, can easily gain men who will not only help and keep her in love, but also support her and even her family. Women are the bringers of fortune into the family, if not only for herself, putting it bluntly. Men on the other hand are seen as the prospect breadwinners of the family and his own family when the time comes. What more can be a better asset for him than a brain that will make the path to a future worth living? Being tough and handsome may fling him further, but the brains are the key that every parent would want his son to carve strong. In a similar but more particular manner, from the Indian culture, having a boy in the family is already an indication of a bright future, financially especially. Cultures like India wherein dowry giving is still a tradition strictly held, having a particular child with an advantageous sex can mean gain or destruction for a family. Notably, families with a girl will have to worry about the dowry skyrocketing

just to marry their daughter to a guy, often in many cases may lead the family to a dive to poverty, or if not, their situation doesnt become any better. Contrary is true for the family who bears a son. Whatever may be the reason, gender roles held by a particular demography is a very strong influence of wanting a particular sex, male or female, as their offspring. Also, especially for America, popular point of views on the benefits and pros for having either a boy or a girl is a factor that have morphed ideas of parents where a tendency for bias becomes ever apparent. In the end, it still is up to us how will we make do with what is given to us, be it a smart boy or a beautiful girl. American parents, also all other parents, must realize that in the conclusion of it all, what really matters is the way we will treat all of our children and the love and lessons we provide to them to make them the better people that they can be.