Vatican Says Washing Machine Did Most To Liberate Women

The Vatican newspaper says that the washing machine did more to liberate women than the pill or the right to work. "The Washing Machine and the Liberation of Women - Put in the Detergent, Close the Lid and Relax," ran on Sunday to mark international Women's Day. It's strange that the Vatican made no mention of the liberating aspects of cooking, or doing what you are told.

Seriously Old School Tech

[jedidiah]

Many people seriously have no clue just how back breaking housework used to be. Mechanized laundry has been with us for so long (in the West) that we really have no idea what sort of a labor and muscle intensive chore it used to be.

Have a little empathy and the Vatican's ideas don't seem so absurd anymore.

Re:

[thomis]

Pappa Ratzi, formerly leader of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has long demonstrated
his respect for the advances of Workers, Women, Minorities, Scholars, Physicians, Educators and the Poor.

It's obviously in his DNA, from handmade slipper/shoes to his diamond crusted golden Miter.

Poor, misunderstood fella.

Re:

[jedidiah]

Actually, Herr Hitler Youth's ideas fall in quite nicely with Maslow's heirarchy of needs.

The fact that he is a jerk and leader of a cabal of jerks doesn't
negate his ideas any more than his title makes him an automatic
moral authority.

Re:

[conureman]

In another time, I too did it the hard way. I felt very modern with a stick in a plastic bucket, unlike those folks beating it on rocks by the river. Got stuff very much cleaner, but it took up the better part of one whole day per week.

Re:

[Asic Eng]

...why the poster feels the need to bash the Vatican for saying it

While the statement is not without merit, there were political reasons for making it. The Vatican newspaper didn't just decide to play a party game: Let's try and rank the most liberating inventions for women - it will be so fun. They chose to publish this article on women's day, with the obvious intent to denigrate achievements like women's right to work and their ability to enjoy sex and control the size of their families due to the pill.

Re:

[Profane MuthaFucka]

Maybe he's bashing the Vatican in acknowledgement of all the little children whom the Vatican has touched.

So what he's saying

[Profane MuthaFucka]

The washing machine, the birth control pill, and women's protective labor laws were ALL more effective in liberating half of humanity than the Vatican.

Technology and freedom.

[Heather D]

That sounds about right. Tech. has probably done more to liberate humanity as a whole than any philosophy or religion. Of course, upon liberation, we've generally done a pretty good job of enslaving ourselves to other things.