Trying to be a Servant by Nelly Bly (A opinion)

It is of such critical importance what Bly wrote. Trying to be a servant is an investigation of the issues and working conditions in the past for women. It only shows the failure of the system and its hypocrisy and the seemingly apparent idea that women were little more than house slaves, not considered important, not needing of education and liberation in mind. If you were not ‘in control always’ you were not manly, you would disgrace societies expectations.

I strongly believe that society is at war because of this conflict between man and woman. The ‘strong’ men would survive and conquer while the weak men get left behind, they say. It is a culture  tied into the web of religious and societal traditions- it’s tribal! Anyone who assumes the role of a servant is weak and lacks the ability to do what they want to do, whereas those who are strong do what they will. For human beings economic freedom means everything and one is not free without material satisfaction. And since money is the controlling factor for economic freedom- it means a desperate struggle for survival.

 I appreciate the situation of the writer and the message trying to convey.History shows work conditions of the nineteenth and twentieth century’s were deplorable,for women, and men, and even still today. Particularly for women, there are issues of deeper concern regarding women treatment and rights. Bly recounts in a journalistic sense her experiences at two employment agencies which she calls ‘strange’.  Exploitation of women in society has been a contributing factor to the social downturn ethically, culturally and politically. Blys’ investigation to understand complaints of “ long-suffering mistresses, worked-out servants”(paragraph 1) was her attempt to feel the woman’s struggle in the world and the ‘demeaning’ of their dignity as she was ‘trying’ to be a servant. As a social reformist its seen why she considers such a topic of relevance.

After reading the text, I was concerned at the thought of human beings sacrificing their dignity and the painstaking efforts they put-up with, all the crap and nonsense they do to make a living. Not only to women but men as well does this rule apply that life is not fair. The truth remains corruption and unfair practices are the building blocks of any society. That woman could use their beauty to gain preference in the world of work! I equate this evil with slavery not on the terms of a forced will but the manipulation of human rights- mental slavery. Bly claims, “it was a novel insight I got of life”. As a result many women resort to prostitution and all illegal activity because of this fact. Many have given up as Bly surely did, “trying to be a servant”.

Finally,even  in the face of exploitation nobody has the right to impose will on anybody. And if it was the Bible  used for this evil subjection of women, -as in the case of Eve and her "role" in the transmission of sin- such men were sadly misinformed condemning women to unfair humility.


Mythical_Poet
2010 July