But that was a
thing, of the remote past. Little was left of those ancient struggles
now but a few infantile dreams and nightmares. The greater human
community, human society, was made for good. And being made, it had
taken over the ancient tasks of the woman, one by one, until now in its
modern forms it cherished more sedulously than she did, it educated, it
housed and comforted, it clothed and served and nursed, leaving the wife
privileged, honoured, protected, for the sake of tasks she no longer did
and of a burthen she no longer bore. "Progress has TRIVIALIZED women,"
said the doctor, and made a note of the word for later consideration.
"And woman has trivialized civilization," the doctor tried.
"She has retained her effect of being central, she still makes the
social atmosphere, she raises men's instinctive hopes of help and
direction. Except," the doctor stipulated, "for a few highly developed
modern types, most men found the sense of achieving her a necessary
condition for sustained exertion. And there is no direction in her any
more.
"She spends," said the doctor, "she just spends. She spends excitingly
and competitively for her own pride and glory, she drives all the energy
of men over the weirs of gain....
"What are we to do with the creature?" whispered the doctor.
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