i feel like this novel is especially pertinent now considering the horrors taking place in Gaza at the moment. it's vital that we don't turn a blind eye to what is happening - atwood has warned us of what can happen when we do.
I don't think the Gaza conflict has nothing to do with the dystopia of the handmaid's tale. There are examples far closer to Gilead way before the current Gaza war, things that we already have turned the blind eye: the rise of the Taliban in a position of government in Afghanistan and his second rise with the withdrawal of american troops; and the Iranian Revolution come to mind, as events that stripped away rights of women.
@@thalesanastacio760 the handmaid's tale is about far more than the stripping of rights of women and i think it's dangerous to simplify it so much. the novel touches on real life historical events and the fragility of women's rights, yes, but also the dangers of complacency, propaganda and the manipulation of religious ideology - all of which are still relevant to the current genocide
@@izziemustdie8862 Yeah, it is about far more than stripping of rights of women, but i don't think it branches on the territory covered by the gaza situation at all. The story as i see it is about the dangers of ideology - especially religious fundamentalism and about the dehumanization of minorities, with clear parallels to the african slavery. The situation in Gaza is not about complacency, is not like that region wasn't in conflict since its inception.
@@thalesanastacio760 the novel can relate to more than one situation - that's the gift of nuance. i don't see how the use of religious precedent to justify the killing and mistreatment of individuals *doesn't* link to current events
I think the aunts are higher than the wives. They have A LOT of power. They can read! The aunts are like the government for the women's sphere. But this is more discussed in "The Testaments" which is written by Margaret Atwood and set 15 years after "The Handmaid's Tale".
This is true, the aunts are all older women similar to Martha’s, but I think that they hand picked the aunts out of older women who where previously in the church/ held similar values to Gilead, to me they always seems similar to nuns, just instead of “sisters” they are called “aunts”. They are older, wiser women, to guide the young waves of handmaids. I really despised aunt Lydia, her actor in the show was incredible
@@DocOrtmeyer solid point but serena helped establish the dictatorship believing somehow that she was gonna be some sort of exception. she still believes in her own power and that could manifest as arrogance
Iran, is probably the best example of Gilead by far. also the idea of them waking up seems unrealistic if you want change to happen you have to strike at the stability of the avg persons standard of living their every day needs, Take Saudi Arabia as a example, by all means it is a Theocratic Monarchy that does the same thing Gilead does and no one fights it because there standard of living is so high. No avg citizen in Gilead is gonna care about rights or freedoms when they live a comfortable day to day, they are going to treat the resistance as a threat to them and there way of life because it isn't there problem they aren't the ones struggling.
We are fucking fully up. We have fucking resisted and we have fucking lost thousands of people because of that. Don't you dare talk about us without knowing our suffering. Fuck you.
There are places in the US that are even closer to Gilead than Iran. Remember the FLDS have a very similar setup. Groups like that use the "freedom of religion" to hide their social structures.
In the book, in the end section, it would mention that women are best controlled by women. The aunts are the infrastructure which puts women into place, teaches them their role, subjugates them. And it must be noted that these older women are chosen for this as they cannot procreate, if they do not fullfil it, they are sent away to the Colonies. Thats their only choice. Aunts become power hungry when they recognise how meager they are, how unneeded they are in comparaison to men. They are women too, however, are performing an important role in the regime. All the wives do is sit at home and gossip. Make grocery lists. Knit. Aunts reinforce the system. They are allowed to speak to women, their voices are heard even if by a select few.
If you can find it, there's also a 1990 film of The Handmaid's Tale, starring Natasha Richardson as Offred, Robert Duvall as the commander, and Faye Dunaway as Serena Joy. Elizabeth McGovern does a fabulous job as Moira. It's a fantastic movie. What a shocker it was in 1990. Roe seemed firmly in place, and we were happy about the fall of the Soviet Union. I thought your point about the gradual implementation of changes was very important. This is what dictatorships often do...they come into power legally, then start changing the laws a few at a time. People are busy with work, family, etc., and they don't notice that they're the frog in the boiling water.
I loved that movie, and the book!! If "love" is even a word one can use in conjunction with such a grim subject. It was brilliantly created, imo,, and a warning about what could theoretically happen. Or happen again. Now it doesn't seem as far fetched as it seemed in 1990.. Imagine being a woman in Iran when the Shaw fell from power (,in 1979?). At the time Iranian women enjoyed most of the same privileges and equality as Western women did. They could wear their hair and dress however they wanted. They could speak openly and freely. They weren't afraid of making a wrong move, or of being under the domination of men. Then the far right, fundamentalist religious faction snatched up power and imposed a harsh regime of control on Iranian citizens Established the "Morality police" whose job it was to drive around looking for women who werent complying with the new government mandates, the dress code, public conduct, etc. And to "correct" them. Very scary..."Reading Lolita in Tehran" is a must read on the subject!!!
I once knew a preacher- writer who renamed himself "Gilead" after the novel was written. He had similar values as explained here. Many women who met him fell in love with him, as "God had miraculously brought him into their lives". One day, his actual wife of many years packed her bags and disappeared! He came home from his office to an empty house. Then two more wives in this group escaped their husbands. When Harisson Butker told the girls that the highest identity in humanity is to be a "homemaker" I remembered my old "freind" "Gilead". He would not have allowed this novel to be written.
You mention that oppressive regimes are based on table-legs of cooperation, but you fail to recognise the use of fear in forcing this cooperation. Fear, is really the underlying glue that attaches all other components in an oppressive regimes "table". This fear is so great, individuals will not dare defy the regime. When this exsits enmasse, there is real totalitarian control and is the reason why you can have few enforcers controlling many more of the oppressed. Think of Nazi Germany's concentration camps. It's a simplistic view to think that the oppressed should simply realise that if the remove their cooperation collectively the "table" will fall. If that was the case, all oppressive regimes wouldn't last years, decades, generations.
It seems the author might have drawn inspiration from the trans-Atlantic slave trade for ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ as the experiences depicted in the book-such as sexual assault, mutilation, beatings, and being treated like property-are strikingly similar to what Black women endured during enslavement in America. These atrocities were common for enslaved Black women, who were often assaulted by their masters and subjected to brutal treatment. However, this historical reality is often overlooked, which is why many Black women have issues with this series. It feels disingenuous to center this narrative on white women in America, who have never experienced this level of systemic and violent oppression. Additionally, it highlights a broader issue where mainstream feminism has historically focused on the struggles of white women while often neglecting the unique and more severe challenges faced by women of color. This selective approach to feminism further alienates Black women, as it fails to fully acknowledge or address their experiences.
The gradual introduction of female oppression is a reflection of the frog in the water, placed over heat. Gradually, the heat is turned up, and slowly the frog boils to death. This is a societal analogy to stress being used as a heat, and many people react negatively to this increase in pressure. So others, who blame them, react as "Something must be done". Then, unfair laws are introduced, based on pre-fabricated stress. Such are some of the similarities to today's world. We must , as a society, and individual countries, be very careful that boiling our societies in stress-based heat is recognized, and guarded against. The freedom of life should be sacred, and not compromised by laws which individually turn men against women, men against men, and women against women. The concept used here is known as "Divide and Conquer", for conquerers like those portrayed in Gilead are a real threat to open and free societies. We are all responsible for governments; we are those who are voted in. And it is truly our role to be sure those in charge reflect a truly democratic process.
It is an interesting analysis, especially since you talked about the political side of the novel. Your analysis helped me understand several points. Well done.
thanks for tackling this subject. ok insights you've made here. I agree with a point you made in your analysis of how gilead could be dismantled - by cutting off it's legs - legs of cooperation, funding, complacency, etc.. I disagree with the 'cause' of gilead being 'traditional values'. I think the cause is jealousy from men - men jealous of women's abiity to 'create life' and a group of insecure men desperately trying to 'control' and subdue women - thinking that they will then have the same power. This is repeated again & again throughout history in unhealth societies. We all know that the health of a society can be measured by the health, freedom and happiness of the women and children in those societies. Most mothers are instictively focused on nurturing the healthy development of their babies - this nurturing nature allows nany women to also know instictively know how to 'nurture' and focus on the health of others, including adults, families and communites. Matrilineal and matriarchal societies existed but are are fewer and fewer, but are we learning about them? What can we learn from them? Would it be better than our current majority of worldwide patriarchal societies? Would a balance between the two bring more healthy societies in general? less war? less destruction of our natural wilderness and pause the current mass extinction of wild animals worldwide? Religion says that only god can create life - yet athiests can see with clear eyes that only women are 'gods' - only women have this natural power to create life. Men today who respect their wives and women in general are not only men who want women to be healthy, happy and free to make decisions about their bodies and their lives - these are the men we need to support. A man who does not feel the need to 'control' women are secure & confident. They don't need to to subdue another person - of any gender - to feel ok. There is no redeeming qualities about gilead - even though you try to communicate this - only a reveaing look at how desperate 'weak & worthless' men can act when jealousy of women consumes them to the point they think that guns, slavery and a military army is needed to 'control' beautiful, magical, earthly godesses. My opinion differs from yours, yet I think it's worth considering. thoughts? Project 2025 aligns in numerous ways to the gilead government. It is shocking to me how millions of midwest & southern american women worship trump, his treatment of women & the project 2025's plans to subdue women on many levels. I can only surmise that american's general intelligence levels have decreased significantly due to processed foods, pollutants, banned books of real knowledge and daily brainwashing through the increased use of controlled social media & biased news like fox. The mechanisms in gilead can be found in all unhealthy, distructive governments - hitler's germany, israel's current massacre and 'control' of palestinians, iran, afghanistan & taliban's abusive 'control 'of women, and some christian extremists in america who have written a real 'gilead' bible called project 2025. Yes, all the people commenting here who see parallels in this gilead's violent abuse of power to the current violent actions of israel, iran, and project 2025 are absolutely correct. The only problem is when some of these commenters are blind to the evils regarding their own country's massacre of others - innocent palestinian children, innocent israeli children, innocent young girls in extremist muslim countries who are shot just because they want to go to school or fell the wind in their hair. My country is one of those 'legs' you describe in your portrayal of aparthied. When I attended college, I protested against my universities financial ties to aparthied & together with thousands of students, we successfully convinced our university to divest from aparthied - the first college in america to do so. Soon, other universities, corporations and states followed - leading to the successful deterioration of apartheid. Yes, you are right - the legs of support for evils in the world must be weakened - and America needs to divest from supporting more evils like they did for aparthied. We must all work together to stop the genocide and holocaust in palestine created by israel. We must stop the hamas without killing innocent palestinians. We must stop the killing of innocent Ukrainians who have lived on their land for centuries, and we must not be complacent and keep giving money to the dictators who are just repeating Hitler's terror.
loved this!! i would also like an intersectional look into the classes as well: race especially because when looking closer, that is seen to have huge factor, but also age, and ability
Pressuring Gilead from the outside with sanctions and other political measures would only work if those countries (richest most influential ones) actually hold Human Rights themselves and find them important. But i think for us, the modern world, those values slowly disappear roughly everywhere. Also, we cab see now that in Russia sanctions etc do not work. It only works if it’s a country which needs the help of the other countries. Anyway just some thoughts..
I tried to watch Handmaid’s Tale and I couldn’t watch past the 3rd episode. As a man, I believe that everyone, regardless of gender, has a right to choose their own life path and destiny. But, to see and hear about the possibility of people losing, and seeing them lose their autonomy is unbearable to see, because autonomy is what makes us sentient, human. To reduce people, especially women, to nothing but for instance, in the case of Handmaid’s Tale, breeding stock, is just inhuman and horrifying. It goes against nature, the human spirit. Knowing that there r people out in the world who want this kind of oppression to become a reality makes this even more horrific.
whats more horrific if that, famously, margaret atwood hasnt written anything that hasnt happened to groups of people in the past. this kind of oppression exists right now, in different places, on the daily, far away from the eyes of people consuming the media about it
Those sorts of people are going to wind up like Serina, who thought she'd be immune, then found out she wasn't. " It can't happen to me" Yes, it can, and it will. Ignore it at your peril.
It is not always about oppression or the oppressed. The brilliance of the novel and the series is that it shows that women are very instrumental in the inhumane treatment of women and girls. Also notice that in as much there is a Christian tone to the world of Gilead, Jesus' teachings which are the foundational to Christianity are left out. When the Gospels are read the consequence for Serena is to have her finger cut off.
Having all the clips in monochrome is really powerful. However, you mix suddenly and slowly. In the series the protagonist says "It was America, until it wasn't."
I appreciate you taking the time to make this video. I am here in July of 2024 after even more disturbing Supreme Court decisions. It is terrifying how I can actually see this happening.
The funny thing is the developed world is experiencing a fertility crisis. But it’s not because people are infertile it’s because people are choosing to have less or no kids. The average American woman has 1.6 kids in her lifetime (replacement rate is 2.1) and for South Korean women it’s 0.7 kids. Governments have tried to encourage people to have more children but have largely failed. American states that banned abortion had little impact on their birth rates. Texas (a state with over 30 million people) had only 10k more births per year after the ban. Other countries have offered paid leave of a year, tax breaks, and cash payments for new parents with little effect on birth rates. So even a theocracy would have trouble getting people to have more kids. And the economy of Gilead is regresssed to an 19th century agrarian model. Hardly one where couples would feel confident having more kids. Even the store that the handmaids shop at (which is only for commanders families) doesn’t have a great selection
This feature is timely as my current read is Nawal El Sadawi's Hidden Faces of Eve. I drew a lot of parallels between her arguments in the book and the themes espoused in the Handmaid's Tale.
I would say the handmaids are above the marthas, as the marthas have to serve them. And the unwomen occupy the lowest rank; though they are not present in the households, they are at the very bottom of the pyramid, below even the jezebels (who though they are not socially acknowledged, do exist as a hidden category).
I do mention the intersectionality of the oppression in Gilead. Some are oppressed to a greater extent than others, while some may be oppressed, but also play a role in oppressing others. It's not equally oppressive by any means.
@@mcgregorhumanities As I said, Gilead oppresses _everyone._ In the book, blacks and Jews simply were dumped in the Atlantic, whereas handmaids got three hots and a cot, so you're right about the lack of fairness when Gilead doles out the ol' oppression.
@@RideAcrossTheRiverin the film there are plenty of references to people who would rather die. Or to people whose skin colour, religion and sexual orientation did not matter as long as they had functioning ovaries.
@@crochetomania The 1989 film is a faithful adaptation of the book. The recent 2010s streaming-service series is a drastically hipster-bowdlerized version of the book. In the book and film, whole demographics are simply dumped in the ocean.
@@RideAcrossTheRiverhandmaids were used to repopulate gilead but were otherwise considered useless ... not really that much better, theyre only being fed and being given beds to maximize chances of reproduction
Thank you 🩷great analysis. I just have two questions: 1. Why do you consider the Aunts below the wives in Gilead’s hierarchy? I sort of think of them as having more power than the wives, especially since they have some freedoms wives do not like reading. On page 129 of THT it says they are the “exception to the rule” so they are allowed to read. (But I also know on page 90, they play tapes because they aren’t allowed to read which then contradicts page 129 🙈). Do you consider them below the wives simply because the wives are closer to the Commanders who have the most power? Really interested in your thoughts 💗 2. Would you also consider region as inherently oppressive. I know you said you weren’t going to get into that too much but I would love your opinion on that?? Because I feel religion has so often been used as a tool to justify hurting others, especially women.
Thank you so much for your questions! 1. I don’t think there’s a strict way to calculate who has more power when it comes to the wives and the aunts, but my first instinct was to consider the wives higher than the aunts just simply because of their proximity to the commanders. I think the system of Gilead is designed in such a way that it gives preference to the wives, and the aunts are thus subjugated to the wives in some way. However, I definitely think the aunts could be considered to have more power in terms of their role in the system and, like you said, the way exceptions are made for them. It really depends on the angle you look at it I guess. I think perhaps it was a little too simplistic for me to put them into a linear hierarchy, because the system is far too complex and contingent than that. 2. Honestly I think there can be religious people who don’t use religion as a means of oppression, or those who don’t use it to justify bigotry against women or, for example, homosexual people. But after truly carefully reading the things in the bible and the torah, (I can’t say much about the quaran since I haven’t read it thoroughly yet), I think it is safe to say that religion, or at least abrahamic religions, are inherently oppressive. That is not to say that, if there is a god, it is necessarily an oppressive figure by nature (I don’t know if we would ever be able to know that). I am just certain that man-written holy books contain oppressive scripture, and that many oppressive regimes of power have borrowed these ideas to dictate their oppression of others. I also fully believe that holy books are a product of their time, and they were written in a time where women were actively being oppressed, often more violently than now. And I suspect that holy books were strategically written to reinforce the narrative that women should be subordinate to men, etc. So I think, yes, religion (as created and organised by man) is inherently oppressive.
They remind me of nuns, who years ago, were the only women allowed an education, or a career, but had to give up marriage and live a life of celibacy. In Italy, probably other places, the only other women allowed education were courtesans, high class prostitutes. Everyone else had to get married and have kids.
@@mcgregorhumanities yes. Great point. I think the writing of Gilead law draws similarity to the writing of the holy books which flourish by oppressing women by making everyone including women themselves as agents to oppress in the same way that happens in patriarchal places. The changes that happen in Gilead or at least the plans means birth of the new testament.
Wow . Amazing video ❤ I'm using this novel for my PhD in Political Studies and it touches on so many areas I mentioned as well . And gives me more food for thought for my research as well . 😊
Poor commanders, imagine waking up one day and finding out to have been so poorly developed that you've been a bunch of dictators in a horribly oppressive system just like a child left alone to parent himself waking up one day just to realise that he taught himself the wrong skills. I always wonder what would it take for a society to be inclusive enough to nurture the needs of the least abled without falling into the condescending subservience that makes even majorities comply to damaging roles to then move into a scapegoating phase that illusorily propels it "forward", I wonder what would it take for a society to create no sacrificial scapegoats nor sacrificial lambs. It's been 2024+ years of periodical revolutionary guillotines and we're still pretty much in a different version of the same sauce all over the world, it's so sad it's boring. Beautiful analysis by the way, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for such reflections. A good essay and summary about a theocracy. Well spoken and narrated.👌🙏 Continue making such videos. You're good at it! Also, good music choice. Musorski's death march, is it?
that's the trick, isnt it? Bravery is asked from the least powerful- and death or imprisonment of the least powerful is excused or explained away. We need bravery on every level- there have to be brave politicians and brave powerful who don't want to be brave because they don't want to lose their power. And even having one brave politician or one brave powerful will always be explained away as an anomaly. The amount of death and destruction it takes to change things like a government will be the highest possible price. That's why it's so unbelievably important to vote in the leaders you find have that bravery- those that will fight for common people, those that will give a voice to the voiceless. Like the bravery inherent in HARRIS WALZ 💙 to protect the voiceless and powerless 💙
I'm a white South African, old enough to have experienced the Apartheid era. The so called New South Africa is today in a downward spiral. The government that took over are in politics for their own gain. Their minds are set on the old Communists' ideologies. All races are oppressed , but there are many laws put in place to oppress the white minority group of today. Our crime rates and unemployment rates are of the highest in the world. The quality of formal education is low. Most school subjects require only a minimum pass of 30 %.
In the book, Aunt Lydia was always trying to present the Handmaids as a "place of honour." I'd put them above the Marthas, even though in the book the Marthas look down on them. Offred points out that they're allowed to go in the front door their first day, but have to use the back after that, because it hasn't been sorted out where their place is. You also left out Econowives and Unwomen, who are lower in the hierarchy. THT is a counterpart to 1984, told from the women's point of view. The Inner Party are the Commanders and their wives, maybe the Eyes. The Outer Party are the women of the household (Handmaids and Marthas) and the Angels and Guardians. The Econowives and their husbands are the proles, which is why they're pretty much left alone as long as they're "married and some sort of Christian," as Moira puts it. Also, the Handmaids are being punished as "fallen women." Every one of the Handmaids is "guilty" of some sort of crime in Gilead, particularly second marriages. It says that in the book. Offred already had a child, but her "crimes" were first that she was a second wife, which was made illegal and the wives rounded up (per the book), and that she tried to run. They're not just there because someone figured out they were fertile, it's their penance.
Gilead was created because Nations exist and the first capitalism is national before being individual (even if we only refer to individual capitalism in general). A Nation is in theory a society, that is to say an association between individuals, but this is not really the case, we are even currently (in the West), in reality, a kind of democratic kingdoms rather than associations. Nations should as a society have the goal of defending their associates only against Nature, but humans have created Nations that have seized the world by force, all habitable territories on Earth are occupied. Nations supposedly want to defend their associates but the capitalist Nationalization of the world has added problems between Nations to Nature's problems. Gilead was created because Nations are competitors of other Nations and for the Nation to be strong it needs children, labor. Labor makes the GDP and GDP makes the power of the Nation. Conclusion: no Nation, no Gilead.
What's interesting is you think this could never actually happen in the U.S., but millions of voters just proved you wrong. The slow changes are 100% believable at this point.
In your hierarchy triangle you left out the Jezebels, which would presumably occupy the lowest rung of this schematic hierarchy pyramid. Why did you choose to leave this group out? I found your analysis very interesting.
Trump is a mascot, the real culprits are the Heritage Foundation, who also worked beside Reagan and implemented the sh*t that's been screwing us for the last 40 years. Hold onto your butt, and update your passport, I know I will
Thank you for this excellent overview and perspective. I have considered reading the book, then watching the drama for several years now, but it seemed too depressing and ominous. You have illustrated how Margaret Atwood steeped her story in real events, behaviors and beliefs. I now can't not pursue this topic now.
That state oppresses everyone. In various ways...😒 And, if there weren't any wicked women dominating other women, it wouldn't exist!! Ever thought about that?? BTW, Gilead was a country, way BC, which is part of Palestinia now. Nobody talks about this fact, either! 🤔
I would be interested in your own political analysis in comparison to what the far right could be today. The government quietly usurps the freedoms of all, often under the guise of security, but in Gilead, the security of the populace to exist at all. What parallels could you draw today from Gilead and the U.S.? Anything beyond reproductive rights?
The premise is excellent. I started the book, got through 1/3 of it , but found it slow-paced , I got bored . So far it's not impressive at all . I may pick it up again , maybe not .
What about the working families dressed in grey? Also did they use the Curse of Ham to justify slavery in early America?? Pretty racially explicit to me 🤷♀️
sorry, but the ending is pretty weak. all the actions you propose other governments should take are already being taken in the story. Gilead is under massive trade sanctions and so on.
@@elenabantista1920 if some values are better than others than by implication those who cary out the values you dissagree with become lower. the "bigots" start being ostracized.
@@elenabantista1920 Also equality doesn't exist. There's always an unqueal outcome. if you try to convince me that equality exists then you're implying that you're wiser than me for knowing the truth and thus we're not equal.
@Godfrey544 Striving for equality, certainly equality under the law specifically, seems like a good way to go for the benefit of humans. Christian values presume a god-ruler who passes down his edicts to his created people. Under this rubric, there can be only hierarchy, ever. Under these "principles," there can never, ever be anything like equality.
Guys, i though a lot about the Gilead. We all think, that the main problem is in restriction on humans freedom. Yes, that's definitely important. But we forget about another aspect, the plot shows us, that people aren't ready to sacrifice themselves for the future generations. And just on this purpose, the Gilead had to create the oppressive system. Otherwise, if the society was ready to help their children, there would be less tragedy
why is the government's conception of a just and fair future considered correct? why is the future more important than the safety and bodily autonomy of women in the present? and why was the problem framed as something caused by women, when it was largely men who were infertile due to (male) capitalist greed and the consequent pollution and degradation of the planet? it stems from an inherent lack of respect for women and their rights. otherwise Gilead would have captured, raped, and systematically oppressed men to the same extent. it's not just about "saving the future generations". that was just a good cover.
@mcgregorhumanities yeah, I definitely agree that the idea, that all men are healthy, and the problem is only in women is wrong. But anyway, both genders were considered to have troubles in the reproductive system. It's still a fact, that the handmaids were poorly threatened by men, wives and aunts. But still, all of them were not ready to sacrifice themselves for the future of humankind, and that disappoints me. You, guys, Americans, suppose, that your present freedom is much more important than anything else in this world, but that's wrong
handmaids aren't an example of oppressors, they are right at the bottom of the hierarchical structure. they have the least power out of everyone in the system
@@mcgregorhumanities hahaha well then I'm really dumb! What did you say tho about oppressors and oppressed? Did my mind really understand something you didn't even say?
@mcgregorhumanities I don't need your help, you need to stop encouraging victimhood mentality. You do it for views and likes, to make the mighty dollar, you're the one who is ignorant, you have suffered nothing.
@mcgregorhumanities By giving a personal interpretation. I have read and listened to the book and watched part of the series. My take is totally different to yours and no doubt so are others. In my opinion.
And you might want to check out some of Margaret Atwood's own interviews where she touches base with this subject. Come back when you have an intelligent opinion.
@@The_D_Man Of course, that is where it is most explicit and overt, but there are traces of it everywhere. It is not limited to the middle east, or the south. It is a global phenomenon that is even present in the west, even though some people would like to think of the west as more progressive and forward than other regions.
My wife is a teacher, and this book is prescribed, so she wanted to watch it, and I watched the first few episodes with her. She told me it was woke and had won prizes. It was terrible. The main theme is denigrating religion and a close second is an agressive, feminist message and glorification of lesbianism. The prizes were for woke virtue signalling. Anything this woke will win prizes from the arts and humanities monkeys, the main supporters of woke in our sick society. Forcing wokeness on people like me turns us from disinterested bystanders to sworn enemies.
1. A book/series detailing a fight against the systematic rape of women is not what I would generally term “woke”, I don’t think that does the story justice at all. 2. The main theme is more about fighting against the use of religion to oppress women. There is no denying that Abrahamic religions contain elements of misogyny and calls for women to be subordinate to men. There is no question about that. In terms of the denigration of religion, Atwood’s intention is not to show that Christianity is “bad”, but rather to show how religion is a dangerous tool in the hands of power. 3. Aggressive oppression against women requires very aggressive feminism in response. In my opinion, the aggression in the revolt of the handmaids was not even as intense as it could have been. You cannot expect their violent oppression and subjugation to be met with gentle acceptance. 4. Simply showing a portrayal of a lesbian couple is not a glorification of lesbianism. And what if it was? Heterosexuality has been the norm for long enough. 5. If watching or reading literature with these kinds of themes turns you into an enemy of female liberation and closer to the ideals promoted by people with the same mindset as those of Gilead, that’s your choice, but it is a scary one.
@@grasonicus Behold! He has spoken, and thus patriarchy, rape culture, sex based discrimination and more are BOOM gone! I hope us women will continue to work, leave women hating religions, preach lesbianism and childfreeness until the last man realizes we are not their property. You're not sane enough to vote buddy, get off the internet.
Wow really coming at her with the hard hitting issues huh 🤣 ... Typical tactic (to belittle a woman) if you're not articulate enough to address the true substance of her argument.
i feel like this novel is especially pertinent now considering the horrors taking place in Gaza at the moment. it's vital that we don't turn a blind eye to what is happening - atwood has warned us of what can happen when we do.
Yup one of the biggest lessons of the novel was the danger of complacency
I don't think the Gaza conflict has nothing to do with the dystopia of the handmaid's tale. There are examples far closer to Gilead way before the current Gaza war, things that we already have turned the blind eye: the rise of the Taliban in a position of government in Afghanistan and his second rise with the withdrawal of american troops; and the Iranian Revolution come to mind, as events that stripped away rights of women.
@@thalesanastacio760 the handmaid's tale is about far more than the stripping of rights of women and i think it's dangerous to simplify it so much. the novel touches on real life historical events and the fragility of women's rights, yes, but also the dangers of complacency, propaganda and the manipulation of religious ideology - all of which are still relevant to the current genocide
@@izziemustdie8862 Yeah, it is about far more than stripping of rights of women, but i don't think it branches on the territory covered by the gaza situation at all. The story as i see it is about the dangers of ideology - especially religious fundamentalism and about the dehumanization of minorities, with clear parallels to the african slavery. The situation in Gaza is not about complacency, is not like that region wasn't in conflict since its inception.
@@thalesanastacio760 the novel can relate to more than one situation - that's the gift of nuance. i don't see how the use of religious precedent to justify the killing and mistreatment of individuals *doesn't* link to current events
This detail in the epilogue is often overlooked. The birth rate drop was not a general one. It was a caucasian birth rate drop.
I think the aunts are higher than the wives. They have A LOT of power. They can read! The aunts are like the government for the women's sphere. But this is more discussed in "The Testaments" which is written by Margaret Atwood and set 15 years after "The Handmaid's Tale".
No. Serena orders Lydia around
This is true, the aunts are all older women similar to Martha’s, but I think that they hand picked the aunts out of older women who where previously in the church/ held similar values to Gilead, to me they always seems similar to nuns, just instead of “sisters” they are called “aunts”. They are older, wiser women, to guide the young waves of handmaids. I really despised aunt Lydia, her actor in the show was incredible
@@DocOrtmeyer solid point but serena helped establish the dictatorship believing somehow that she was gonna be some sort of exception. she still believes in her own power and that could manifest as arrogance
Iran, is probably the best example of Gilead by far. also the idea of them waking up seems unrealistic if you want change to happen you have to strike at the stability of the avg persons standard of living their every day needs, Take Saudi Arabia as a example, by all means it is a Theocratic Monarchy that does the same thing Gilead does and no one fights it because there standard of living is so high. No avg citizen in Gilead is gonna care about rights or freedoms when they live a comfortable day to day, they are going to treat the resistance as a threat to them and there way of life because it isn't there problem they aren't the ones struggling.
We are fucking fully up. We have fucking resisted and we have fucking lost thousands of people because of that. Don't you dare talk about us without knowing our suffering. Fuck you.
There are places in the US that are even closer to Gilead than Iran. Remember the FLDS have a very similar setup. Groups like that use the "freedom of religion" to hide their social structures.
Precisely with their morality police bs and women being beaten to death' it's deplorable
In the book, in the end section, it would mention that women are best controlled by women. The aunts are the infrastructure which puts women into place, teaches them their role, subjugates them. And it must be noted that these older women are chosen for this as they cannot procreate, if they do not fullfil it, they are sent away to the Colonies. Thats their only choice. Aunts become power hungry when they recognise how meager they are, how unneeded they are in comparaison to men. They are women too, however, are performing an important role in the regime. All the wives do is sit at home and gossip. Make grocery lists. Knit. Aunts reinforce the system. They are allowed to speak to women, their voices are heard even if by a select few.
If you can find it, there's also a 1990 film of The Handmaid's Tale, starring Natasha Richardson as Offred, Robert Duvall as the commander, and Faye Dunaway as Serena Joy. Elizabeth McGovern does a fabulous job as Moira. It's a fantastic movie. What a shocker it was in 1990. Roe seemed firmly in place, and we were happy about the fall of the Soviet Union.
I thought your point about the gradual implementation of changes was very important. This is what dictatorships often do...they come into power legally, then start changing the laws a few at a time. People are busy with work, family, etc., and they don't notice that they're the frog in the boiling water.
I loved that movie, and the book!! If "love" is even a word one can use in conjunction with such a grim subject. It was brilliantly created, imo,, and a warning about what could theoretically happen. Or happen again. Now it doesn't seem as far fetched as it seemed in 1990.. Imagine being a woman in Iran when the Shaw fell from power (,in 1979?). At the time Iranian women enjoyed most of the same privileges and equality as Western women did. They could wear their hair and dress however they wanted. They could speak openly and freely. They weren't afraid of making a wrong move, or of being under the domination of men. Then the far right, fundamentalist religious faction snatched up power and imposed a harsh regime of control on Iranian citizens
Established the "Morality police" whose job it was to drive around looking for women who werent complying with the new government mandates, the dress code, public conduct, etc. And to "correct" them. Very scary..."Reading Lolita in Tehran" is a must read on the subject!!!
How even more relevant today than when you wrote this comment
I once knew a preacher- writer who renamed himself "Gilead" after the novel was written. He had similar values as explained here. Many women who met him fell in love with him, as "God had miraculously brought him into their lives". One day, his actual wife of many years packed her bags and disappeared! He came home from his office to an empty house. Then two more wives in this group escaped their husbands. When Harisson Butker told the girls that the highest identity in humanity is to be a "homemaker" I remembered my old "freind" "Gilead".
He would not have allowed this novel to be written.
Gross man
You mention that oppressive regimes are based on table-legs of cooperation, but you fail to recognise the use of fear in forcing this cooperation. Fear, is really the underlying glue that attaches all other components in an oppressive regimes "table". This fear is so great, individuals will not dare defy the regime. When this exsits enmasse, there is real totalitarian control and is the reason why you can have few enforcers controlling many more of the oppressed. Think of Nazi Germany's concentration camps. It's a simplistic view to think that the oppressed should simply realise that if the remove their cooperation collectively the "table" will fall. If that was the case, all oppressive regimes wouldn't last years, decades, generations.
It seems the author might have drawn inspiration from the trans-Atlantic slave trade for ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ as the experiences depicted in the book-such as sexual assault, mutilation, beatings, and being treated like property-are strikingly similar to what Black women endured during enslavement in America. These atrocities were common for enslaved Black women, who were often assaulted by their masters and subjected to brutal treatment. However, this historical reality is often overlooked, which is why many Black women have issues with this series. It feels disingenuous to center this narrative on white women in America, who have never experienced this level of systemic and violent oppression. Additionally, it highlights a broader issue where mainstream feminism has historically focused on the struggles of white women while often neglecting the unique and more severe challenges faced by women of color. This selective approach to feminism further alienates Black women, as it fails to fully acknowledge or address their experiences.
Did not the Emporers and Kings’ of Europe not have white women sex slaves?
The freedoms that women in the US No longer have in regard to their own bodies is despicable.
The gradual introduction of female oppression is a reflection of the frog in the water, placed over heat. Gradually, the heat is turned up, and slowly the frog boils to death. This is a societal analogy to stress being used as a heat, and many people react negatively to this increase in pressure. So others, who blame them, react as "Something must be done". Then, unfair laws are introduced, based on pre-fabricated stress. Such are some of the
similarities to today's world. We must , as a society, and individual countries, be very careful that boiling our societies in stress-based heat is recognized, and guarded against.
The freedom of life should be sacred, and not compromised by laws which individually turn men against women, men against men, and women against women. The concept used here is known as "Divide and Conquer", for conquerers like those portrayed in Gilead are a real threat to open and free societies. We are all responsible for governments; we are those who are voted in. And it is truly our role to be sure those in charge reflect a truly democratic process.
how do you not have more subscribers??? this is incredible
thanks so much, really appreciate that :)
It's called algorithm. I tried posting it on FB and they have it pending, telling me already that they will not approve it.
I think one day, algorithim will recommend this video to everyone and there will be millions of views.
It is an interesting analysis, especially since you talked about the political side of the novel. Your analysis helped me understand several points. Well done.
thank you :) glad you liked it
thanks for tackling this subject. ok insights you've made here. I agree with a point you made in your analysis of how gilead could be dismantled - by cutting off it's legs - legs of cooperation, funding, complacency, etc..
I disagree with the 'cause' of gilead being 'traditional values'. I think the cause is jealousy from men - men jealous of women's abiity to 'create life' and a group of insecure men desperately trying to 'control' and subdue women - thinking that they will then have the same power. This is repeated again & again throughout history in unhealth societies. We all know that the health of a society can be measured by the health, freedom and happiness of the women and children in those societies. Most mothers are instictively focused on nurturing the healthy development of their babies - this nurturing nature allows nany women to also know instictively know how to 'nurture' and focus on the health of others, including adults, families and communites. Matrilineal and matriarchal societies existed but are are fewer and fewer, but are we learning about them? What can we learn from them? Would it be better than our current majority of worldwide patriarchal societies? Would a balance between the two bring more healthy societies in general? less war? less destruction of our natural wilderness and pause the current mass extinction of wild animals worldwide?
Religion says that only god can create life - yet athiests can see with clear eyes that only women are 'gods' - only women have this natural power to create life.
Men today who respect their wives and women in general are not only men who want women to be healthy, happy and free to make decisions about their bodies and their lives - these are the men we need to support. A man who does not feel the need to 'control' women are secure & confident. They don't need to to subdue another person - of any gender - to feel ok.
There is no redeeming qualities about gilead - even though you try to communicate this - only a reveaing look at how desperate 'weak & worthless' men can act when jealousy of women consumes them to the point they think that guns, slavery and a military army is needed to 'control' beautiful, magical, earthly godesses.
My opinion differs from yours, yet I think it's worth considering. thoughts?
Project 2025 aligns in numerous ways to the gilead government. It is shocking to me how millions of midwest & southern american women worship trump, his treatment of women & the project 2025's plans to subdue women on many levels. I can only surmise that american's general intelligence levels have decreased significantly due to processed foods, pollutants, banned books of real knowledge and daily brainwashing through the increased use of controlled social media & biased news like fox.
The mechanisms in gilead can be found in all unhealthy, distructive governments - hitler's germany, israel's current massacre and 'control' of palestinians, iran, afghanistan & taliban's abusive 'control 'of women, and some christian extremists in america who have written a real 'gilead' bible called project 2025. Yes, all the people commenting here who see parallels in this gilead's violent abuse of power to the current violent actions of israel, iran, and project 2025 are absolutely correct. The only problem is when some of these commenters are blind to the evils regarding their own country's massacre of others - innocent palestinian children, innocent israeli children, innocent young girls in extremist muslim countries who are shot just because they want to go to school or fell the wind in their hair. My country is one of those 'legs' you describe in your portrayal of aparthied. When I attended college, I protested against my universities financial ties to aparthied & together with thousands of students, we successfully convinced our university to divest from aparthied - the first college in america to do so. Soon, other universities, corporations and states followed - leading to the successful deterioration of apartheid. Yes, you are right - the legs of support for evils in the world must be weakened - and America needs to divest from supporting more evils like they did for aparthied. We must all work together to stop the genocide and holocaust in palestine created by israel. We must stop the hamas without killing innocent palestinians. We must stop the killing of innocent Ukrainians who have lived on their land for centuries, and we must not be complacent and keep giving money to the dictators who are just repeating Hitler's terror.
loved this!! i would also like an intersectional look into the classes as well: race especially because when looking closer, that is seen to have huge factor, but also age, and ability
Pressuring Gilead from the outside with sanctions and other political measures would only work if those countries (richest most influential ones) actually hold Human Rights themselves and find them important. But i think for us, the modern world, those values slowly disappear roughly everywhere.
Also, we cab see now that in Russia sanctions etc do not work. It only works if it’s a country which needs the help of the other countries.
Anyway just some thoughts..
Finally!!! Someone who sees sanctions didn’t hurt Russia!!!
I tried to watch Handmaid’s Tale and I couldn’t watch past the 3rd episode. As a man, I believe that everyone, regardless of gender, has a right to choose their own life path and destiny. But, to see and hear about the possibility of people losing, and seeing them lose their autonomy is unbearable to see, because autonomy is what makes us sentient, human. To reduce people, especially women, to nothing but for instance, in the case of Handmaid’s Tale, breeding stock, is just inhuman and horrifying. It goes against nature, the human spirit. Knowing that there r people out in the world who want this kind of oppression to become a reality makes this even more horrific.
The world needs More of you!!!😊
@@joanna4289 Trust me, it really does.
whats more horrific if that, famously, margaret atwood hasnt written anything that hasnt happened to groups of people in the past. this kind of oppression exists right now, in different places, on the daily, far away from the eyes of people consuming the media about it
Please read the book
Those sorts of people are going to wind up like Serina, who thought she'd be immune, then found out she wasn't. " It can't happen to me" Yes, it can, and it will. Ignore it at your peril.
PROJECT 2025
Yep. Got me thinking about moving closer to the Canadian border!
@@ColtraneAndRainWhat exactly is Project 2025?
It was never about decline of birth rates its about control , book and movie , even real life explained it best . Its just a selling point
It is not always about oppression or the oppressed. The brilliance of the novel and the series is that it shows that women are very instrumental in the inhumane treatment of women and girls. Also notice that in as much there is a Christian tone to the world of Gilead, Jesus' teachings which are the foundational to Christianity are left out. When the Gospels are read the consequence for Serena is to have her finger cut off.
this had been incredibly helpful since I'm currently working on an essay surrounding the topic! thank you so much!
Glad to hear that!
Having all the clips in monochrome is really powerful. However, you mix suddenly and slowly. In the series the protagonist says "It was America, until it wasn't."
I feel like you should’ve included the eyes in the hierarchy triangle
I appreciate you taking the time to make this video. I am here in July of 2024 after even more disturbing Supreme Court decisions. It is terrifying how I can actually see this happening.
What happened on July of 2024?
thank youu sm for the analysis!💗💗💗i wonder why there are so few views…
Loved this! Ignore those other weird comments, you’re doing great!!
thanks so much, I appreciate that :)
Yes - I enjoyed the music as well.
The funny thing is the developed world is experiencing a fertility crisis. But it’s not because people are infertile it’s because people are choosing to have less or no kids. The average American woman has 1.6 kids in her lifetime (replacement rate is 2.1) and for South Korean women it’s 0.7 kids. Governments have tried to encourage people to have more children but have largely failed. American states that banned abortion had little impact on their birth rates. Texas (a state with over 30 million people) had only 10k more births per year after the ban. Other countries have offered paid leave of a year, tax breaks, and cash payments for new parents with little effect on birth rates. So even a theocracy would have trouble getting people to have more kids. And the economy of Gilead is regresssed to an 19th century agrarian model. Hardly one where couples would feel confident having more kids. Even the store that the handmaids shop at (which is only for commanders families) doesn’t have a great selection
This feature is timely as my current read is Nawal El Sadawi's Hidden Faces of Eve.
I drew a lot of parallels between her arguments in the book and the themes espoused in the Handmaid's Tale.
I would say the handmaids are above the marthas, as the marthas have to serve them. And the unwomen occupy the lowest rank; though they are not present in the households, they are at the very bottom of the pyramid, below even the jezebels (who though they are not socially acknowledged, do exist as a hidden category).
Great video. It was enhanced even more by the subtle budgie noises ❤
time to move to Canada
aw, again?
Is it going to be better?
@@rajjain6273 nah!!!
Small correction: Gilead oppresses _everyone._
I do mention the intersectionality of the oppression in Gilead. Some are oppressed to a greater extent than others, while some may be oppressed, but also play a role in oppressing others. It's not equally oppressive by any means.
@@mcgregorhumanities As I said, Gilead oppresses _everyone._ In the book, blacks and Jews simply were dumped in the Atlantic, whereas handmaids got three hots and a cot, so you're right about the lack of fairness when Gilead doles out the ol' oppression.
@@RideAcrossTheRiverin the film there are plenty of references to people who would rather die. Or to people whose skin colour, religion and sexual orientation did not matter as long as they had functioning ovaries.
@@crochetomania The 1989 film is a faithful adaptation of the book. The recent 2010s streaming-service series is a drastically hipster-bowdlerized version of the book. In the book and film, whole demographics are simply dumped in the ocean.
@@RideAcrossTheRiverhandmaids were used to repopulate gilead but were otherwise considered useless ... not really that much better, theyre only being fed and being given beds to maximize chances of reproduction
History repeating history, repeating history, repeating history!!
Thank you 🩷great analysis. I just have two questions:
1. Why do you consider the Aunts below the wives in Gilead’s hierarchy? I sort of think of them as having more power than the wives, especially since they have some freedoms wives do not like reading. On page 129 of THT it says they are the “exception to the rule” so they are allowed to read. (But I also know on page 90, they play tapes because they aren’t allowed to read which then contradicts page 129 🙈). Do you consider them below the wives simply because the wives are closer to the Commanders who have the most power? Really interested in your thoughts 💗
2. Would you also consider region as inherently oppressive. I know you said you weren’t going to get into that too much but I would love your opinion on that?? Because I feel religion has so often been used as a tool to justify hurting others, especially women.
Thank you so much for your questions!
1. I don’t think there’s a strict way to calculate who has more power when it comes to the wives and the aunts, but my first instinct was to consider the wives higher than the aunts just simply because of their proximity to the commanders. I think the system of Gilead is designed in such a way that it gives preference to the wives, and the aunts are thus subjugated to the wives in some way. However, I definitely think the aunts could be considered to have more power in terms of their role in the system and, like you said, the way exceptions are made for them. It really depends on the angle you look at it I guess. I think perhaps it was a little too simplistic for me to put them into a linear hierarchy, because the system is far too complex and contingent than that.
2. Honestly I think there can be religious people who don’t use religion as a means of oppression, or those who don’t use it to justify bigotry against women or, for example, homosexual people. But after truly carefully reading the things in the bible and the torah, (I can’t say much about the quaran since I haven’t read it thoroughly yet), I think it is safe to say that religion, or at least abrahamic religions, are inherently oppressive. That is not to say that, if there is a god, it is necessarily an oppressive figure by nature (I don’t know if we would ever be able to know that). I am just certain that man-written holy books contain oppressive scripture, and that many oppressive regimes of power have borrowed these ideas to dictate their oppression of others. I also fully believe that holy books are a product of their time, and they were written in a time where women were actively being oppressed, often more violently than now. And I suspect that holy books were strategically written to reinforce the narrative that women should be subordinate to men, etc. So I think, yes, religion (as created and organised by man) is inherently oppressive.
@@mcgregorhumanities Thank you so so much for your response! It is definitely very insightful and helpful to me studying the Handmaid’s Tale ❤
They remind me of nuns, who years ago, were the only women allowed an education, or a career, but had to give up marriage and live a life of celibacy. In Italy, probably other places, the only other women allowed education were courtesans, high class prostitutes. Everyone else had to get married and have kids.
@@mcgregorhumanities yes. Great point. I think the writing of Gilead law draws similarity to the writing of the holy books which flourish by oppressing women by making everyone including women themselves as agents to oppress in the same way that happens in patriarchal places.
The changes that happen in Gilead or at least the plans means birth of the new testament.
It's so scary that giliad is coming in 2025.
praise be!
@@dalialanzo3487😂😂😂😂😂🫵😂😂😂😂😂🫵😂😂😂
Wow . Amazing video ❤ I'm using this novel for my PhD in Political Studies and it touches on so many areas I mentioned as well . And gives me more food for thought for my research as well . 😊
Poor commanders, imagine waking up one day and finding out to have been so poorly developed that you've been a bunch of dictators in a horribly oppressive system just like a child left alone to parent himself waking up one day just to realise that he taught himself the wrong skills.
I always wonder what would it take for a society to be inclusive enough to nurture the needs of the least abled without falling into the condescending subservience that makes even majorities comply to damaging roles to then move into a scapegoating phase that illusorily propels it "forward", I wonder what would it take for a society to create no sacrificial scapegoats nor sacrificial lambs.
It's been 2024+ years of periodical revolutionary guillotines and we're still pretty much in a different version of the same sauce all over the world, it's so sad it's boring.
Beautiful analysis by the way, thanks for sharing!
What’s the name of the music playing in 11:03
Thanks for such reflections. A good essay and summary about a theocracy. Well spoken and narrated.👌🙏
Continue making such videos. You're good at it!
Also, good music choice. Musorski's death march, is it?
that's the trick, isnt it? Bravery is asked from the least powerful- and death or imprisonment of the least powerful is excused or explained away. We need bravery on every level- there have to be brave politicians and brave powerful who don't want to be brave because they don't want to lose their power.
And even having one brave politician or one brave powerful will always be explained away as an anomaly. The amount of death and destruction it takes to change things like a government will be the highest possible price.
That's why it's so unbelievably important to vote in the leaders you find have that bravery- those that will fight for common people, those that will give a voice to the voiceless. Like the bravery inherent in HARRIS WALZ 💙 to protect the voiceless and powerless 💙
they massively dropped the ball in season for with the whole "yea but have you considered forgiving the nazis?" crap.
Scary as hell because it could happen.
I'm a white South African, old enough to have experienced the Apartheid era. The so called New South Africa is today in a downward spiral. The government that took over are in politics for their own gain. Their minds are set on the old Communists' ideologies. All races are oppressed , but there are many laws put in place to oppress the white minority group of today.
Our crime rates and unemployment rates are of the highest in the world. The quality of formal education is low. Most school subjects require only a minimum pass of 30 %.
The music is too loud, it drowns out your voice at times. Apart from that this is a good analysis 😊
To quote Alan Grant from Jurassic Park Saga : Some of the worst things imaginable are done with the best intentions..
An insightful essay … except when they speak their names instead of their new assigned names … they haven’t been assigned to Commanders yet.
In the book, Aunt Lydia was always trying to present the Handmaids as a "place of honour." I'd put them above the Marthas, even though in the book the Marthas look down on them. Offred points out that they're allowed to go in the front door their first day, but have to use the back after that, because it hasn't been sorted out where their place is. You also left out Econowives and Unwomen, who are lower in the hierarchy. THT is a counterpart to 1984, told from the women's point of view. The Inner Party are the Commanders and their wives, maybe the Eyes. The Outer Party are the women of the household (Handmaids and Marthas) and the Angels and Guardians. The Econowives and their husbands are the proles, which is why they're pretty much left alone as long as they're "married and some sort of Christian," as Moira puts it.
Also, the Handmaids are being punished as "fallen women." Every one of the Handmaids is "guilty" of some sort of crime in Gilead, particularly second marriages. It says that in the book. Offred already had a child, but her "crimes" were first that she was a second wife, which was made illegal and the wives rounded up (per the book), and that she tried to run. They're not just there because someone figured out they were fertile, it's their penance.
Gilead was created because Nations exist and the first capitalism is national before being individual (even if we only refer to individual capitalism in general). A Nation is in theory a society, that is to say an association between individuals, but this is not really the case, we are even currently (in the West), in reality, a kind of democratic kingdoms rather than associations. Nations should as a society have the goal of defending their associates only against Nature, but humans have created Nations that have seized the world by force, all habitable territories on Earth are occupied. Nations supposedly want to defend their associates but the capitalist Nationalization of the world has added problems between Nations to Nature's problems. Gilead was created because Nations are competitors of other Nations and for the Nation to be strong it needs children, labor. Labor makes the GDP and GDP makes the power of the Nation. Conclusion: no Nation, no Gilead.
What's interesting is you think this could never actually happen in the U.S., but millions of voters just proved you wrong. The slow changes are 100% believable at this point.
I wanted to listen to you but the background music was so loud and distracting at times I couldn’t hear you
Elon Musk/Trump are promoting ... this.
Totally. We all need to vote this out!
Vote while we still have a vote
Are you on TikTok & can I repost?
I am, my username is @rivercelt on all platforms and yes you can repost
In your hierarchy triangle you left out the Jezebels, which would presumably occupy the lowest rung of this schematic hierarchy pyramid. Why did you choose to leave this group out?
I found your analysis very interesting.
I think trump got a bit inspired by this show and the book and created his own hmmm whats it called?
"Project 2025"
Trump is a mascot, the real culprits are the Heritage Foundation, who also worked beside Reagan and implemented the sh*t that's been screwing us for the last 40 years. Hold onto your butt, and update your passport, I know I will
Thank you for this excellent overview and perspective. I have considered reading the book, then watching the drama for several years now, but it seemed too depressing and ominous. You have illustrated how Margaret Atwood steeped her story in real events, behaviors and beliefs. I now can't not pursue this topic now.
That state oppresses everyone. In various ways...😒 And, if there weren't any wicked women dominating other women, it wouldn't exist!! Ever thought about that??
BTW, Gilead was a country, way BC, which is part of Palestinia now. Nobody talks about this fact, either! 🤔
شما در آمریکا زندگی می کنید ؟؟؟؟
You should have given responsibly to those in how are being oppressed but them selves are not oppressors to do what they can to help end oppression.
Welcome to Trump Anerikkka 2024.
Have to listen had higher speed, turtle speed speech
I would be interested in your own political analysis in comparison to what the far right could be today. The government quietly usurps the freedoms of all, often under the guise of security, but in Gilead, the security of the populace to exist at all.
What parallels could you draw today from Gilead and the U.S.? Anything beyond reproductive rights?
The premise is excellent. I started the book, got through 1/3 of it , but found it slow-paced , I got bored . So far it's not impressive at all .
I may pick it up again , maybe not .
You should watch the series. For me it was very impactful. It doesn't leave my mind no matter how much I try. It's that scary
What about the working families dressed in grey? Also did they use the Curse of Ham to justify slavery in early America?? Pretty racially explicit to me 🤷♀️
Excellent review ❤ 13:39 that is not a woman is cross dresser!
Can you please please do Stoker next
Sure!
I wish Kevin Samuels could do a breakdown of this movie.
Damned over loud, unnecessary annoying "background" music that overwhelms the monotonous narrative. Otherwise enlightening and pertinent.
Shut up
Very useful cheers
I dont know if i have stomach for this lol
Its so tragic
Surely this series has not influenced any real world lives. Impossible.
sorry, but the ending is pretty weak. all the actions you propose other governments should take are already being taken in the story. Gilead is under massive trade sanctions and so on.
Maybe
'Christian values' create hierarchy
everything created hierarchy. even egalitarian values. you think people who believe in equality are better than those who don't. that's a hierarchy.
@Godfrey544 I don't think I'm worth more as a human being than anyone else, but egalitarian values are better than non-egalitarian ones
@@elenabantista1920 if some values are better than others than by implication those who cary out the values you dissagree with become lower. the "bigots" start being ostracized.
@@elenabantista1920 Also equality doesn't exist. There's always an unqueal outcome. if you try to convince me that equality exists then you're implying that you're wiser than me for knowing the truth and thus we're not equal.
@Godfrey544 Striving for equality, certainly equality under the law specifically, seems like a good way to go for the benefit of humans. Christian values presume a god-ruler who passes down his edicts to his created people. Under this rubric, there can be only hierarchy, ever. Under these "principles," there can never, ever be anything like equality.
Guys, i though a lot about the Gilead. We all think, that the main problem is in restriction on humans freedom. Yes, that's definitely important. But we forget about another aspect, the plot shows us, that people aren't ready to sacrifice themselves for the future generations. And just on this purpose, the Gilead had to create the oppressive system. Otherwise, if the society was ready to help their children, there would be less tragedy
why is the government's conception of a just and fair future considered correct? why is the future more important than the safety and bodily autonomy of women in the present? and why was the problem framed as something caused by women, when it was largely men who were infertile due to (male) capitalist greed and the consequent pollution and degradation of the planet? it stems from an inherent lack of respect for women and their rights. otherwise Gilead would have captured, raped, and systematically oppressed men to the same extent. it's not just about "saving the future generations". that was just a good cover.
@mcgregorhumanities yeah, I definitely agree that the idea, that all men are healthy, and the problem is only in women is wrong. But anyway, both genders were considered to have troubles in the reproductive system. It's still a fact, that the handmaids were poorly threatened by men, wives and aunts. But still, all of them were not ready to sacrifice themselves for the future of humankind, and that disappoints me. You, guys, Americans, suppose, that your present freedom is much more important than anything else in this world, but that's wrong
DONT SAY HANDMAIDS ARE OPPRESSED AND OPPRESSORS IN AN EXAM!!! I just did that for my oral exam in my finals and they didn't like it haahaj
handmaids aren't an example of oppressors, they are right at the bottom of the hierarchical structure. they have the least power out of everyone in the system
@@mcgregorhumanities hahaha well then I'm really dumb! What did you say tho about oppressors and oppressed? Did my mind really understand something you didn't even say?
@@matteogreco9443 they meant aunts and maybe wives
It is not relevant today
it absolutely is.
@mcgregorhumanities nah it's not
@@kyhl6159 continue being ignorant, i cannot help you.
@mcgregorhumanities I don't need your help, you need to stop encouraging victimhood mentality. You do it for views and likes, to make the mighty dollar, you're the one who is ignorant, you have suffered nothing.
Propaganda. Margaret Atwood wrote the book. Who are you to re-write it?
@@stalagnight explain how I am re-writing it.
@mcgregorhumanities By giving a personal interpretation. I have read and listened to the book and watched part of the series. My take is totally different to yours and no doubt so are others. In my opinion.
@stalagnight that's the whole point of literature.
@@mcgregorhumanities Then why take me to task?
And you might want to check out some of Margaret Atwood's own interviews where she touches base with this subject. Come back when you have an intelligent opinion.
I miss the patriarchy
@daizee106 the patriarchy is still alive and well
How can you miss something that still exists and will never go away? wtf
@@iamcasihart 🤣😂
@@mcgregorhumanities "Muh patriarchy is holding me back! I cannot be the slut i want to be" LOL
This reminds me of the oppression of men who are used as cannon meat by the draft but at least this just a book not a reality 😂
It absolutely is a reality for many women around the world. Everything in this book has happened in some form.
@@mcgregorhumanities I can see it being a reality in the middle east for sure.
@@The_D_Man Of course, that is where it is most explicit and overt, but there are traces of it everywhere. It is not limited to the middle east, or the south. It is a global phenomenon that is even present in the west, even though some people would like to think of the west as more progressive and forward than other regions.
Everything in this book has happened in the west to at some point literally look up forced sterilization
Awwwww whittle misogynist yapping nonsense
My wife is a teacher, and this book is prescribed, so she wanted to watch it, and I watched the first few episodes with her. She told me it was woke and had won prizes. It was terrible. The main theme is denigrating religion and a close second is an agressive, feminist message and glorification of lesbianism. The prizes were for woke virtue signalling. Anything this woke will win prizes from the arts and humanities monkeys, the main supporters of woke in our sick society.
Forcing wokeness on people like me turns us from disinterested bystanders to sworn enemies.
1. A book/series detailing a fight against the systematic rape of women is not what I would generally term “woke”, I don’t think that does the story justice at all.
2. The main theme is more about fighting against the use of religion to oppress women. There is no denying that Abrahamic religions contain elements of misogyny and calls for women to be subordinate to men. There is no question about that. In terms of the denigration of religion, Atwood’s intention is not to show that Christianity is “bad”, but rather to show how religion is a dangerous tool in the hands of power.
3. Aggressive oppression against women requires very aggressive feminism in response. In my opinion, the aggression in the revolt of the handmaids was not even as intense as it could have been. You cannot expect their violent oppression and subjugation to be met with gentle acceptance.
4. Simply showing a portrayal of a lesbian couple is not a glorification of lesbianism. And what if it was? Heterosexuality has been the norm for long enough.
5. If watching or reading literature with these kinds of themes turns you into an enemy of female liberation and closer to the ideals promoted by people with the same mindset as those of Gilead, that’s your choice, but it is a scary one.
A man speaks! Every women drop what you're doing and listen to this blessing!
@@kwiiin_ No, they'd rather go shopping.
@@grasonicus Behold! He has spoken, and thus patriarchy, rape culture, sex based discrimination and more are BOOM gone! I hope us women will continue to work, leave women hating religions, preach lesbianism and childfreeness until the last man realizes we are not their property.
You're not sane enough to vote buddy, get off the internet.
Denigrating religion is the mandatory thing to do when the religion denigrates women
womEn, the plural of woman is womEn. Check your pronunciation
okay...
Wow really coming at her with the hard hitting issues huh 🤣 ... Typical tactic (to belittle a woman) if you're not articulate enough to address the true substance of her argument.
So tired of hearing about this weird rape fantasy book
I was thinking this is not at all based on Christian values
@ it’s not, it’s more aligned with Islam
@@jonsnow9762now, it's aligned with trump's hateful cult
anyone want to be my handsmaid tale?
No.
Big time cuckkk energy.
Hell no!
Nobody laughed
Great video! Subscribed!