https://philosophyofmotherhood.wordpress.com/2019/01/17/jor…
https://philosophyofmotherhood.wordpress.com/2019/01/17/jordan-peterson-and-motherhood-5-defeating-the-devouring-mother/
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Part of a series connecting insight from Jordan Peterson’s books and lectures to motherhood/femininity.
When Parenthood Sucks
It is clear to anyone watching the news that many women want to avoid motherhood at all costs. And women are not alone in their ambivalence about parenthood. A couple of years ago a Hollywood director, Duncan Jones, tweeted out a rather depressing, and all too prevalent, view of parenting:
I have two kids, 2.5 and 9 months; they are exhausting, frustrating, and life-destabilizing. They are rarely fun. Sure, smiles are great, hugs are lovely, but it’s HARD and not obviously a good choice in life. This is where people feel compelled to say, ‘I wouldn’t change it for the world!’ But you know, of course, I would reconsider! It’s exhausting! It is banal! What it is, is that it is. And they are mine. Hopefully, they will turn out okay.
As frightening as this tweet is, especially considering it was applauded as courageous by many, it is an honest representation of a now-mainstream view of parenthood: It’s not worth it.
These reactions, while shocking to those in happy homes, should be examined. Parenting has become an onerous hardship for many in our day. By comparison, I cannot find many indications that it was this difficult in the past. In reading ancient works of literature and philosophy, I don’t hear Plato complain about his teenagers. Sure, Hamlet was a handful and Juliet’s parents were clueless; but generally, children were viewed as a blessing, a motivation, and a reason for being. Religions were created and wars were fought to ensure “heirs.” Parents didn’t seem “distressed” by the work and sacrifice of children the way we are today. Children were a fact of life- the continuation of life. As we progress materially, with more modern conveniences and free time, paradoxically parenthood seems to be more difficult, more disruptive, and more “life-destabilizing.”
The Burden of Ease
I recently discovered one of the root causes of our current pl…