The question of if mothers are working harder than they have to has arisen since households are becoming more modern. Since the 1960s, industrialization changed the way mothers work inside the house. Even though industrialization is considered to be something that occurs “outside the four walls of home” (Cowan), throughout the years of factories and technology, there is no distinction anymore between the home and outside of home. Industrialization is now more focused inside the home from certain technologies that can create a different type of work that is not considered labor.
Some people may think their mothers work harder during an industrialized society and household, many others do not believe that. For example we brought up the washing of clothes idea in class. Mothers before washing machines had to use washboards to do their laundry. This takes more time and effort to wash clothes.
From these two pictures, you can clearly tell that mothers were having to do more work using a washboard rather than a washing machine. But also, throughout the industrialization of technology that has become so prevalent today, mothers are able to order new laundry detergent right from their smart phone. Even though they are using two types of work, one still may say that labor is working more than doing something multiple times.
Cowan produces a similar argument with washing dishes, but it is the same for the laundry example. This is that since the industrialized technology of a washing machine has made things easier for people, they are using it more often.; then, in turn, causes them to work much harder. I can see where he is coming from with this statement because when you have to do something over and over again, you do not have much time to do other things like simply relax. But with a washboard you wait to do it since it is so time consuming, you do not do it as often.
Yuan Yuan says
I definitely agree with your essay said about mothers can take a break with such things like doing laundry or something like this. Tech brings us convenience and makes women can do fewer things than the past without that kind of technology. However, after reading Margaret’s comment, I also agree with “A mother’s job will always be difficult no matter what technology comes into play”. Even nowadays, there’s so many things that machines or robots cannot help such as face identification or something like that. When we’re 1-year-old, we can easily to recognize our parents, but for the robots or machines, it is much more difficult to recognize who the boss is. On the other hand, it is hard for a robot come to downstairs without have a fall. There still have too many things the machine cannot do for us, so some of the ability of people is still here.
Margaret Dorothy Corrigan says
I can be argued that mothers today are having it easier than they did in the 1960s because of modern technology. Women in the past had to endure much more labor than the women of today simply just with household chores. Women used to have to do everything by hands, they had to wash, dry, clean, and fold everything making their lives a lot more manual labor than the women of today. The women of today have so much modern technology at their disposal to help with their everyday life. The women in the two pictures do show a great example of what women look like doing two types of washing. The women using the washboard look tired and defeated while the women with the washing machine looks happy and accomplished in her work. I believe that the women of the past definitely had it harder than the women of today, but that does not mean they put forth any less effort in caring for their families. Mothers have so many things that they need to get accomplished in one day that I think they deserve the ease of todays technology to help themselves. If the women of the past were offered this technology I am sure they would not have to think twice before accepting the new modern help in their lives. A mother’s job will always be difficult no matter what technology comes into play because their families are always adding new things that they need a mother’s help with.