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Although it seems that racism has ceased to exist in Mattapoisett, it needs to be pointed out that the elimination of racism has been achieved through a heightened sense of racial sepa-ratism. However, as Angelique Richardson (2000: 38) has argued, a progressive, truly radical feminism, remembering that we are interdependent inhabitants of an increasingly small planet, would favour integration, not separatism. Since the power of human reproduction, the guarantee of the survival of humankind, has been shifted to a machine, humanity is completely dependent on the proper functioning of the machine. If, however, the machine stops, as in E.M. Forster’s dystopian short story The Machine Stops (1909), then humanity is doomed to perish: one realises that gender equality in Mattapoisett is based on a very fragile foundation, where reproduction has little in common with the conditio humana. Instead of giving men and women the chance to give birth, Piercy completely de-humanises reproduction. Although, admittedly, people do lead egalitarian relations in terms of gender, I would question whether the equality between the sexes might not be established without such a drastic intervention in the human genetic stock which sacrifices human independence. Undoubtedly, Piercy aims at eliminating the cultural, frequently deterministic signifi-cance of biology. As one of the characters in Mattapoisett explains, “we broke the bond between genes and culture” (p. 104). It seems ironic, however, that the elimination of the cultural significance of biology is not achieved through the means of culture but biology— through an increased human interference in the biological processes of the body (e.g. the use of eugenics and the ‘brooder’ for biological modelling). Consequently, since Mattapoisett has overcome misogyny and environmental exploitation by biologically breaking the supposedly oppressive nature of heterosexual relations, Piercy’s novel fails to show how to overcome the social structures of oppression. In Woman on the Edge of Time, I would argue, Ecofeminism has been biologized to such an extent that its social meaning becomes eclipsed. Although with the help of the brooder future characteristics of the person to be born can be determined, there is still a debate in Mattapoisett over the issue of selective breeding. As Luciente explains (p. 226), the general debate has polarised between the Shapers, who want to breed for selected traits, and the Mixers, who watch for birth defects and fix the proper gene balance (p. 262). The mere fact that people discuss whether to support the Mixers or the Shapers indicates the broad acceptance of genetics which, in turn, reveals the anthro-pocentric world picture of the society. Instead of minimising the human impact on nature, the people of Mattapoisett readily disturb the balance of natural ecosystems by breeding many varieties of vegetables resistant to drought (p. 210). Disturbingly, a similar kind of the ‘weeding out of negative genes’ in terms of genetics also surfaces in the realm of human relationships. Although Luciente asserts that cooperation is a major feature of her society, she cannot conceal the fact that they still cling to a competitive and selective modus vivendi. As already insinuated by Luciente’s views that always some competing goes on (p. 174) and that they have to struggle to exist (p. 197), the selectivity becomes most important in the context of the initiation ritual, where the child is left in the woods for one week where it must learn how to survive. Asked by Connie what happens if the child is bitten by a snake or gets appendicitis, Luciente coldly replies “We take the risk [. . .] You’re right, accidents happen” (p. 116). This practice. I would argue, is strongly reminis-cent of a Spencerian survival-of-the-fittest attitude that has little in common with what one would expect in a paradise. Against this background, the presence of the so-called ‘drifters’ for whom Mattapoisett does not constitute a paradise does not come as a surprise. The drifters do not subscribe to
DOI link for Although it seems that racism has ceased to exist in Mattapoisett, it needs to be pointed out that the elimination of racism has been achieved through a heightened sense of racial sepa-ratism. However, as Angelique Richardson (2000: 38) has argued, a progressive, truly radical feminism, remembering that we are interdependent inhabitants of an increasingly small planet, would favour integration, not separatism. Since the power of human reproduction, the guarantee of the survival of humankind, has been shifted to a machine, humanity is completely dependent on the proper functioning of the machine. If, however, the machine stops, as in E.M. Forster’s dystopian short story The Machine Stops (1909), then humanity is doomed to perish: one realises that gender equality in Mattapoisett is based on a very fragile foundation, where reproduction has little in common with the conditio humana. Instead of giving men and women the chance to give birth, Piercy completely de-humanises reproduction. Although, admittedly, people do lead egalitarian relations in terms of gender, I would question whether the equality between the sexes might not be established without such a drastic intervention in the human genetic stock which sacrifices human independence. Undoubtedly, Piercy aims at eliminating the cultural, frequently deterministic signifi-cance of biology. As one of the characters in Mattapoisett explains, “we broke the bond between genes and culture” (p. 104). It seems ironic, however, that the elimination of the cultural significance of biology is not achieved through the means of culture but biology— through an increased human interference in the biological processes of the body (e.g. the use of eugenics and the ‘brooder’ for biological modelling). Consequently, since Mattapoisett has overcome misogyny and environmental exploitation by biologically breaking the supposedly oppressive nature of heterosexual relations, Piercy’s novel fails to show how to overcome the social structures of oppression. In Woman on the Edge of Time, I would argue, Ecofeminism has been biologized to such an extent that its social meaning becomes eclipsed. Although with the help of the brooder future characteristics of the person to be born can be determined, there is still a debate in Mattapoisett over the issue of selective breeding. As Luciente explains (p. 226), the general debate has polarised between the Shapers, who want to breed for selected traits, and the Mixers, who watch for birth defects and fix the proper gene balance (p. 262). The mere fact that people discuss whether to support the Mixers or the Shapers indicates the broad acceptance of genetics which, in turn, reveals the anthro-pocentric world picture of the society. Instead of minimising the human impact on nature, the people of Mattapoisett readily disturb the balance of natural ecosystems by breeding many varieties of vegetables resistant to drought (p. 210). Disturbingly, a similar kind of the ‘weeding out of negative genes’ in terms of genetics also surfaces in the realm of human relationships. Although Luciente asserts that cooperation is a major feature of her society, she cannot conceal the fact that they still cling to a competitive and selective modus vivendi. As already insinuated by Luciente’s views that always some competing goes on (p. 174) and that they have to struggle to exist (p. 197), the selectivity becomes most important in the context of the initiation ritual, where the child is left in the woods for one week where it must learn how to survive. Asked by Connie what happens if the child is bitten by a snake or gets appendicitis, Luciente coldly replies “We take the risk [. . .] You’re right, accidents happen” (p. 116). This practice. I would argue, is strongly reminis-cent of a Spencerian survival-of-the-fittest attitude that has little in common with what one would expect in a paradise. Against this background, the presence of the so-called ‘drifters’ for whom Mattapoisett does not constitute a paradise does not come as a surprise. The drifters do not subscribe to
Although it seems that racism has ceased to exist in Mattapoisett, it needs to be pointed out that the elimination of racism has been achieved through a heightened sense of racial sepa-ratism. However, as Angelique Richardson (2000: 38) has argued, a progressive, truly radical feminism, remembering that we are interdependent inhabitants of an increasingly small planet, would favour integration, not separatism. Since the power of human reproduction, the guarantee of the survival of humankind, has been shifted to a machine, humanity is completely dependent on the proper functioning of the machine. If, however, the machine stops, as in E.M. Forster’s dystopian short story The Machine Stops (1909), then humanity is doomed to perish: one realises that gender equality in Mattapoisett is based on a very fragile foundation, where reproduction has little in common with the conditio humana. Instead of giving men and women the chance to give birth, Piercy completely de-humanises reproduction. Although, admittedly, people do lead egalitarian relations in terms of gender, I would question whether the equality between the sexes might not be established without such a drastic intervention in the human genetic stock which sacrifices human independence. Undoubtedly, Piercy aims at eliminating the cultural, frequently deterministic signifi-cance of biology. As one of the characters in Mattapoisett explains, “we broke the bond between genes and culture” (p. 104). It seems ironic, however, that the elimination of the cultural significance of biology is not achieved through the means of culture but biology— through an increased human interference in the biological processes of the body (e.g. the use of eugenics and the ‘brooder’ for biological modelling). Consequently, since Mattapoisett has overcome misogyny and environmental exploitation by biologically breaking the supposedly oppressive nature of heterosexual relations, Piercy’s novel fails to show how to overcome the social structures of oppression. In Woman on the Edge of Time, I would argue, Ecofeminism has been biologized to such an extent that its social meaning becomes eclipsed. Although with the help of the brooder future characteristics of the person to be born can be determined, there is still a debate in Mattapoisett over the issue of selective breeding. As Luciente explains (p. 226), the general debate has polarised between the Shapers, who want to breed for selected traits, and the Mixers, who watch for birth defects and fix the proper gene balance (p. 262). The mere fact that people discuss whether to support the Mixers or the Shapers indicates the broad acceptance of genetics which, in turn, reveals the anthro-pocentric world picture of the society. Instead of minimising the human impact on nature, the people of Mattapoisett readily disturb the balance of natural ecosystems by breeding many varieties of vegetables resistant to drought (p. 210). Disturbingly, a similar kind of the ‘weeding out of negative genes’ in terms of genetics also surfaces in the realm of human relationships. Although Luciente asserts that cooperation is a major feature of her society, she cannot conceal the fact that they still cling to a competitive and selective modus vivendi. As already insinuated by Luciente’s views that always some competing goes on (p. 174) and that they have to struggle to exist (p. 197), the selectivity becomes most important in the context of the initiation ritual, where the child is left in the woods for one week where it must learn how to survive. Asked by Connie what happens if the child is bitten by a snake or gets appendicitis, Luciente coldly replies “We take the risk [. . .] You’re right, accidents happen” (p. 116). This practice. I would argue, is strongly reminis-cent of a Spencerian survival-of-the-fittest attitude that has little in common with what one would expect in a paradise. Against this background, the presence of the so-called ‘drifters’ for whom Mattapoisett does not constitute a paradise does not come as a surprise. The drifters do not subscribe to
ABSTRACT