Sir, To explain Dr McCabe's misconceptions (December 21st) would require volumes. However, the noise made by girls and boys at play differs girls' games involve exchange of information needed as they mature, boys games are much more competitive. This continues into adulthood mothers readily inform each other of the progress of their children, father brag about their son's achievements.
Children at play make noise to inform local adults of their whereabouts if the noise diminishes to a certain level it will cause caring adults to inquire. Contrary to popular notion, unless the works of men are involved, women are much less hysterical than men. In a healthy society, all adults care, and breeding only takes place when there is room for another child. . (Dr McCabe should know that virgin birth is a rare event in humans.)
We live in a society where the only measure of worth is income a healthy society values worth by usefulness. A healthy society allows space for the "feminine" virtues, and finds out, and uses, each members skills.
Of course men and women are not equal in all respects, not even identical twins are equal in all respects this is genetic diversity, and makes society interesting. It is a sobering thought that men have been trying for centuries to eliminate diversity.
Men do vital things such as painting (pictures, not houses), compose music, write poetry, philosophise etc., while women perform such trival asks as making ends meet, nurturing children, nursing the sick, caring for the old and incapable. Now all of these functions are necessary, but "advanced" societies are profoundly dysfunctional because men have permitted themselves, and have persuaded women, to believe that only male activities are important.
If women designed towns, the appearance of towns would be radically different from their current layout. No women would have permitted home computers to develop as they have, separating children from each other. Women, given control, would never allow powerful and dangerous machines such as cars to move around in close proximity to people.
A healthy society allows and encourages all of its members to participate in any of its activities in which the members wish to participate. It is not encouraging to people who wish to do their own thing.
I quote "The Romans always elevated women to high station in their society. That practice did not produce valuable results". What on earth can that possibly mean?
Incidentally, assuming that Dr McCabe is male and a medical doctor, why is he, as a "more aggressive and more fundamental" male, in a "caring" profession?
Yours, etc. Greystones, Co Wicklow.