The idea that academics should remain ''above the fray'' only gives ideologues license to misuse our work. Stephanie Coontz More Quotes by Stephanie Coontz More Quotes From Stephanie Coontz Feminism needs a political program because gender inequality has been fostered by political decisions. Stephanie Coontz decisions gender inequality political For most of America's history, people typically aspired to acquire 'a competency' rather than great riches. A competency meant the ability to comfortably sustain a household without depending on others. 'Competence' also meant being capable and reliable. The American Dream was that people who worked hard and capably could support their families. Stephanie Coontz great support history people Cohabitation itself doesn't cause ineffective parenting. Stephanie Coontz ineffective itself cause parenting Marriage can provide a bounty of emotional, practical, and financial support. But finding the right mate is no substitute for having friends and other interests. Stephanie Coontz finding friends support marriage The closer we get to achieving equality of opportunity between the sexes, the more clearly we can see that the next major obstacle to improving the well-being of most men and women is the growing socioeconomic inequality within each sex. Stephanie Coontz equality women opportunity men Our goal should be to develop work-life policies that enable people to put their gender values into practice. So let's stop arguing about the hard choices women make and help more women and men avoid such hard choices. Stephanie Coontz gender women men people The growing diversity of family life comes with new possibilities as well as new challenges. Stephanie Coontz diversity family challenges life There's nothing wrong with celebrating the good things in our past. But memories, like witnesses, do not always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We need to cross-examine them, recognizing and accepting the inconsistencies and gaps in those that make us proud and happy as well as those that cause us pain. Stephanie Coontz good pain truth memories When we assume that 'normal' people need 'time to heal,' or discourage individuals from making any decisions until a year or more after a loss, as some grief counselors do, we may be giving inappropriate advice. Such advice can cause people who feel ready to move on to wonder if they are hardhearted. Stephanie Coontz feel grief time people There is no denying that we have made great progress toward gender equality. Stephanie Coontz great gender equality progress Hyper-parenting has many pitfalls. Overprotected and overpraised children may develop an inflated sense of entitlement. Stephanie Coontz sense entitlement may children Parents who obsess about every detail of child-rearing and orchestrate their children's 'resumes' may run themselves ragged while their own personal identities and adult relationships wither for lack of care. Stephanie Coontz parents own care children
