* Japan’s Working Mothers: Record Responsibilities, Little Help From Dads
* In Japan, More Women Fight to Use Their Own Surnames
* Japan Desperately Needs More Day Care Workers. New Mothers Need Not Apply.
* A Princess in a Cage
Seems like NYT has a mission to liberate woman in Japan...
I am really skeptical of this ideology that affirms work and a wage as some sort of spiritual liberation.
What economic system do you propose that has the most individual independence?
All of the greatest problems looming on our horizon are tied to how we organize production and consumption.
Because I asked about it, and you answered by confidently describing it, instead of saying "it doesn't exist."
The OP means that if you earn your own money, then you do not depend on your spouse for income. This provides you with more freedom than you would otherwise have. Both because you can divorce and still have income, and because your spouse can no long argue "This money is earned entirely by me, so I have complete discretion over how it will be spent".
'Liberation' has meant that for the majority of women, if they want to raise a family without financial disadvantage, either must work or be very choosy over their husband's earning potential / wealth.
Is that really an increase in choice? Most people do not have the financial cushion to stay at home, even if that's what they really want.
Liberation, however, is strongly tied to economic opportunities. Historically, as is cited in TFA, women got married often for financial security and stability.
The other reasons are sex, social pressure and actually feeling in love and marriage being expected expression of that.
Men did not want to marry either, but did so out of societal pressure.
Both Man and Woman did not want to marry but did so nevertheless, due to the structure of the society.
What's the alternatives?
Shall we view marriage as some kind of instinctive behavior?
Or some kind of rational decision supported by some game theory?
Men married later then women. That way men got more years of freedom. That was normal.
Women wanted to marry, because economy, because married women had higher social status, to leave parents house, because that was expected of them anyway etc.
Single men were somewhat discriminated against too in employment situations and married men had higher social status.
Nevertheless, stereotype at time was girl trying to force marriage from male afraid of commitment. Perfectly reasonable answer to question about that exactly.