In class this week one of the pieces that we discussed was Simone de Beauvoir's "The Second Sex". In her introduction Beauvoir explores the question "what is a woman?". In our discussion we looked at Saussiere as well and his theory of binaries and the fact that they are hierarchal. Beauvoir builds on this theory and expands on it saying that one of the binaries is always on top. She gives the example that in the binary man/ woman the man is on top of the hierarchy and compares the man/woman relationship to that of master/slave. Beauvoir asserts that the only way that this relationship will ever change and the only way for women to free themselves of this yoke is to come to the consciousness that they are just as significant as men. In the master/slave relationship the way for the slave to become free is to realize that without him the master cannot enjoy his position of prestige and therefore without them there is no master. When a woman realizes that man is nothing without her then she can rise up. Beauvoir argues that the fact for which women have not come to this realization is partly because they lack solidarity and do not organize as a unit to break the chains of oppression. Another factor is the fact that women are biologically joined to men and cannot completely sever themselves from these ties because without both parts of the equation there cannot be procreation. This “dilemma” makes it difficult for women to revolt. Beauvoir makes this point when she states “ woman may fail to lay claim to the status of subject because she lacks definite resources, because she feels the necessary bond that ties her to man regardless of reciprocity, and because she is often very well pleased with her role as the other.” It is as if women are passively giving up their rights to be recognized and rather than embracing autonym they are content to remain as the other. In Beauvoir’s words they lack the aspiration “to full membership in the human race”. This scenario is seen in Jerry Maguire a few moments before the famous “you complete me” scene. As the divorcee club is meeting in Rene Zellewegers home she stands to take dishes to the table and says “I’ve sat here and listened to you tell your sob stories about how horrible men are, but even though men are the enemy I still love the enemy.” (loosely paraphrased). Rene Zelleweger is the epitome of the women Beauvoir discusses, one who is content to remain in her role as the Other despite how unfair it may be. Beauvoir explores how women are also tied to men for monetary reasons she writes “Man-the sovereign will provide woman the liege with material protection and will undertake the moral justification of her existence: thus she can evade at once both economic risk and the metaphysical risk of a liberty in which ends and aims must be contrived without assistance. Indeed along with the ethical urge of each individual to affirm his subjective existence, there is also the temptation to forgo liberty and become a thing. When man makes of woman the Other, he may then expect…complicity”. This economic dependence that a woman has to a man and refuses to sever is of consternation to Beauvoir. She details how women prefer to accept this role of the other and remain subject to the man simply because this is the easier road. Looking at things through this lens leads one to wonder whether in a capitalist society intimacy is intricately bound with money. This question arises in the famous “you complete me scene”:
Throughout the monologue he continues bringing business into their relationship and discussing that though he had a tremendous victory in his business he did not feel complete because Rene was not there. He says I couldn’t enjoy it because “I miss you, I miss my wife”. In the middle of professing his love for her Tom keeps talking business, there is no clear distinction of where business ends and their personal relationship begins. After talking business Tom drops the line “I love you, you complete me”. As I watched this I couldn’t help thinking “Are you serious?? Is he making a business proposal here or professing his love for her?? Is she really going to buy that?”. Of course Rene’s response answered my question “You shut up! Just shut up… you had me at Hello…” To me this scene answers the question of whether intimacy is tied in with money in our capitalist society with a resounding “Yes”.
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