Thanks Ms. Friedan for making us women who choose being a wife and homemaker as our "career" feel ridiculed, uninformed, ignorant, and stupid. I personally love being a wife and get total fulfullment out of this. It makes me so sad that I continually get flack for this.
whoa, let me tell you something. there is nothing on this earth that a real man appreciates more than a good woman. there is a reason for the saying behind every good man is a good woman. stand tall and dont let the idiots bother you.
You forgot to mention her famous analysis which stated you are probably living a life of 'quiet desperation.'
Here's what I think. She was a smart woman, but quite unattractive. She resented the fact that though smart, other things got in her way of receiving proper recognition. She knew she was smart, and was egotistical, and blamed other women who found what was nearly impossible for her to find, i.e. the satisfaction of being a woman, and liking it.
I read that she had almost no friends who were women, had mostly men friends. She probably didn't like women, 'cause she had to compete with them, and found that, according to her, what should have mattered most in the competition, did not.
I'm unmarried, have no children and have always worked. I can see how you feel the way you do, but you shouldn't let it get to you. Most women work 'cause they don't really like being 'at home' all the time, and because they want money. Money for themselves for their kids and home, etc. You can't tell me that any woman joined the workforce because she had an all-consuming ambition to be a 'manager of administrative protocol.'
All kids whose Moms choose to stay home, rather than work, have a foundation that nothing can wear away. That is contribution to the world that is very significant.
Frankly, I wish both sides would quit ridiculing each other. I used to live in an apartment building where I was flanked by two young mothers whom I found particularly hateful... they looked down on me because I had to work a lot and paid my own bills. They ridiculed me for no good reason that I could see. I never trashed them, but I finally couldn't stand the B.S. any longer and told them where to get off.