Mind and Citadel Essay

Masculinity is the properties timbreistic of the male sex. Characteristics all toldow in strength, toughness, brutality and humankindy more. All of which argon the sectionistics of the boys who attended The fastness in hopes of going away the school as hands. Susan Faludi, author of The Naked fortress, writes about the problems deep down the prestigious school, the major problem, being sexism. The forts problem send packing be almost clearly supported by Malcom Gladwells might of Context argu ment from his book the Tipping Point.The militaristic environment at the fastness changes each cadets character into an extreme emotionally destroyed version of who they once were. These changes turn into violence in the extreme. sensing is the tombstone to many disagreements within confederacy. This holds true in the berth that affects The bastion. When a girl, Shannon Faulkner, applies to be the first female admitted to the Cadet Corps. She attempts to mess with the system b y leaving out her gender. The cognition at the Citadel is that women would not be a good watch in the school. Tradition has a major let on with this.It is apparent that Shannons entrance to the Citadel has proven to be condescend a threat to the Citadel community since it is an all-male institution, intended to train real men. The Citadel has always been an all boy school as except of course, they werent really boys at all. These were college men (Faludi 78). Whos to say however that they are in fact men? What defines a man? Within the inn a man is expected to think, act and live in a masculine carriage. Showing emotions or sensitivity is considered taboo among the males. In the Citadel a man tin post act in a manner in which the threat of breaking the public norms is not eminent.The way of keep in the Citadel made it almost impossible to live for a woman. Society as a whole saw the Citadel as an established all male school and they were determined to keep it that way. Howev er, this apprehension is plantd on what is seen from an outside perspective. Gladwell defines this picture of perception of character as the FAE, Fundamental Attribution Error. Gladwell writes, The mistake we make in thinking of character as something unified and all-encompassing is very similar to a large-minded of blind spot in the way we process information (162).If character is something unified, then everyone must be classified as one in the same. The mistake the Citadel is making is having their all boy school ruler become a blind spot for the approaching. The future that lies ahead can never be, if the Citadel sticks to their tradition. musical composition tradition is what made the school so prestigious, a change in time may also exact a change in tradition. A women can in force(p) as easily be one of the guys as any other guy. While men have defining characteristics that make them appear disparate from women, on that rouse are many attributes, such as personalit y that isnt so distinctive between certain people.The Citadel being make full with men who everyone knew would resist the view of a women being admitted to the school, needed someone who could fit in. Robert Patterson, the Citadel attorney who had previously represented V. M. I. , asked Astin, his voice full of unflattering insinuation about the kind of woman he imagined her to be. Astin I look the same as the kind of men who want to go there. Patterson Would it be a woman that would not be all that different from men? Astin Yes. (Faludi 95).This quick interrogation of Alexander Astin explains that men and women are not different after all. While Patterson thought he found the winning point to his case, he certainly personate himself and the Citadel in a hole. Women, who would rehearse to The Citadel, feel that they have the ability to compete with the existing me inside. Everyone knew how the Citadel was run. It was filled with aggressive men under military rules. But Shanno n Faulkner lifelessness applied.Sharron Faulkner was the grammatical case of women that Patterson perceived would be able to attend the Citadel. You could cite her memory that as a small child she preferred play outside with the boys to playing with certain girls whom she deemed too prissy (Faludi 96). Shannon was always, one of the boys. Her background and general view is extremely similar to anyone of the men at the Citadel. Even with this, the Citadel is still against the idea. The psychologist Walter Mischel argues that the human mind has a kind of reducing valve that creates and maintains the perception of perseverance even in the face of perpetual observed changes in actual behavior (Gladwell 162).The way our mind works, it is hard for people to have quaternate views on something. In the case of the Citadel, familiarity perceived the school as a strict all boy school that is not able for any women. Society also perceived Shannon as just a woman. Just isnt putting down that aspect, but that is all that society saw her as. So if the Citadel is looked at and known as an all boys militaristic school that women would never be able to step radical into as a student and Shannon was looked at as just a woman then in no way shape or form would she ever be allowed to attend that school.Thats the problem with our society. We base our judgment on what we see, not on what we know. Any women who is willing to put herself by means of that type of embarrassment and trouble and even death threats just to get into a school, in my mind is more of a man than any of those kids in the Citadel. Society is filled with stereotypes and that is what everyone is ground off of. You, the side by side(p) guy and me will always be looked at by society as part of a stereotype. This is the problem with the Citadel, and society in general.Perception is key in all events that occur at the Citadel. Perception plays a strong role in the king of Context as well as sexism at the Ci tadel. The focus on environment is the main aspect of the Power of Context. It says the people are acutely sensitive to their environment (Gladwell 159). pot are therefore prompted to do certain things based on their perception of their environment.This is exactly what was occurring at the Citadel. The cadets were prompted to react physically towards each other based on what their perception of a man was. Knobs told me that they were forced to run through the showers while the upperclassman gaurds knocked the soap out of their hands and, when the knobs leaned over to retrieve it the upperclassman would unfasten their pants and yell, Dont adjourn it up, dont pick it up Well use you like we utilize those girls (Faludi 105). The Citadel continually expresses the idea of being a man. However, the upperclassman takes advantage of this and confuses strength of a man with violence. These knobs that come into the university as boys, are turning into emotionally stunted individuals.The y lack the disposition of a real man. As well as what it means to be in a relationship a part from other men. Women, whether they deal so or not, are a great importance to the future of the Citadel. The reality of the Citadel, however, is that its producing less men and more homosexuals. This may in fact be a direct result of no women in the vicinity. When a Citadel attorney asked Doucet why female cadets would pose a problem on the campus, the just issue he raised was the chagrin that cadets feel if women observe the cadets on-campus interactions (Faludi 104).Humiliation may be one of the strongest emotions that can alter ones character forever. However, if women were allowed in the school than humiliation would not be an issue because the men would change their ways to please women. Women posed no actual threat to the school, except the embarrassment of the cadets. Is that even a genuine reason to prevent a girl of getting an education? Shannon was set about with more humili ation and threats than the boys in the school could ever imagine. Then, as they move back to the house, they saw that across the white porch columns and along the siding of the house, the words, Bitch, Dyke, Whore, and Lesbo (Faludi 94). The Citadel Cadets were criticizing Shannon Faulkner because she wanted to be accepted. It just so happens that all the terms they used all categorized her as a man. Shannon could speak, act and dress like a man but no matter what she will never be able to be fully accepted because in their minds scarcely a man a true man is suited for the school. The argument at the Citadel is a sad but eye theory example of how our society is.Society puts them in a mindset where only one way is the right way. If society can open up their brains to more opportunities than a lot of problems would be alleviated. Malcom Gladwell poses the reasoning of the Citadels problems with the idea of the Power of Context. There is so much that goes on in a situation that it should never be that easy to give an answer. The situation at the Citadel is un-fair and wrong. Women are just as smart and important as men and should have the same rules. But in that argument, if you want to be handle the same, you cant complain.