DawezayMomand
02-16-2007, 04:53 PM
Here is an article from Hina's blog which was written as response to Lyla's article on paltalk.
............................................
I’ve come across the above article (over the use of PalTalk) that seems to have caused a bit of a stir on a couple of Pakhtun websites, and I can see why by looking at the structure of the article and the method of “research”. I was about to post a comment with my penny’s worth about PalTalk but as I was typing away I realised I had more to say about the author’s method of research and above all her suggestion behind the article too, so here it goes…
Two points caught my attention:
1- The term “biased use of technology”
2- The claims
a. “Women are stuck in their homes giving birth, raising children and making food.
b. Un-equal access is also sometimes the result of beliefs about the “natural” abilities of the sexes.”
I’ll get straight to the point…
1- The term “biased use of technology”
There are many widely used internet forums and chat programmes that women are members of. A basic example being “one of” KhyberWatch.com’s very own affiliates Pashto.org which entertains a high number of female members who are not just members but also proud moderators all over the forum. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
Another site being PukhtunWomen.org itself (where the article was originally posted) that happens to have a wide collection of blogs, articles and works from women “online” where the owner herself is female. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
Communities are created within network sites such as Orkut.com and there are plenty of Pakhtun related communities with a massive number of female members from all over the world. Men and women collectively discuss issues alongside light entertainment and social activities. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
More sites created by women crop up daily, a new site Pukhtanay.com is one of many that exist and we will be seeing more by the day and the chain will continue throughout generations.
These are just a few of the many dominantly Pakhtun sites and forums. Lets not forget that we also have our women widely using chat services from the likes of ICQ, Yahoo, MSN and Skype etc where they can and do jump on the mic’s as well; and despite what the article mentioned, PalTalk “does” still have a healthy number of female users too. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
So as we have it, women are not absent from today’s technological discoveries. There could be some places with fewer female participants but I believe its because women prefer associating with likeminded individuals and not petty-chatters, as women have better use of their time, being the smarter of the sexes and all *ok that’s not a scientific claim so don’t attack me*
Going back to the method of research, it’s only fair to say that the author’s opinion itself is biased, as there is no evidence to suggest that PalTalk’s female members were spoken to or that their views were considered or recorded.
2- The claims:
a. “Women are stuck in their homes giving birth, raising children and making food”
I’m surprised at that comment. Giving birth is something you simply can’t expect from a man, and children have a right to be raised by their mothers (and fathers too, but this is a very huge issue that depends on individual household matters). Please note: I am by no means objecting to equal upbringing, I just do not think that this is a comment that relates to or justifies the point behind the article.
b. “Un-equal access is also sometimes the result of beliefs about the “natural” abilities of the sexes”
In today’s day and age, the access is far from un-equal. If this is about remote villages where there is poverty and illiteracy then I doubt even the men there use the internet. Whichever home has internet access, most certainly has a female user. In fact in some households women tend to spend more time on the internet than men, as they do have more time on their hands (for whichever reasons and I know there are plenty).
If a woman can turn a computer on she can surely find her way to the likes of PalTalk, so it’s not about abilities it’s about priorities as I don’t think women who use the net are unaware of such software; if they are, then they probably haven’t felt the need to use it and therefore never dug into it.
About PalTalk itself:
The writer contradicted herself to start with. On one hand PalTalk is unaccepting and full of unreasonable members, and on the other hand it has “nationalist” rooms that are more generous, welcoming and speak on meaningful subjects. So what’s the verdict? *confused*
I still don’t understand what the fuss is over; if a certain room has people just looking for a good time then simply leave and go to another; you can’t possibly make everyone join “only” for intellectual conversations as not everyone (man “and” woman) has the ability to take part in one, or wants to…
The likes of PalTalk are only chat forums, and there’s good and bad (men “and” women) everywhere. If someone really wants to spend precious time on chat software then they can simply make a room with a particular agenda and chuck out the people who aren’t serious with it. Sorted :)
And I just want to add here at the end, that a lot of people are mixing the real world with the cyber world or probably expect more from here than they should. I know the internet has a lot to offer but you simply can not have it take over your norms, as I’m sure “meaningful subjects” discussed in the real world are done at appropriately set group/forum meetings with agenda’s and minimum interruptions (i.e. line/signal disconnections etc). Any other “online meetings” can not possibly be business only, and socialising online does not have to be in the form of PalTalk (or the likes of it).
On the subject of online socialising:
Would a strange woman walk into a Hujra full of men in reality? I hope not, because it’s where men socialise and we know very well what kind of women entertain male Hujra’s. Similarly, would a man walk into a room (or veranda) full of women in reality? I hope not, because it’s where women socialise and we know very well that the men of the house wouldn’t let him leave in one piece.
Each to their own really, but why is it that someone should feel the need to be an “equal” participant in a similar scenario only because it’s “online”?
............................................
I’ve come across the above article (over the use of PalTalk) that seems to have caused a bit of a stir on a couple of Pakhtun websites, and I can see why by looking at the structure of the article and the method of “research”. I was about to post a comment with my penny’s worth about PalTalk but as I was typing away I realised I had more to say about the author’s method of research and above all her suggestion behind the article too, so here it goes…
Two points caught my attention:
1- The term “biased use of technology”
2- The claims
a. “Women are stuck in their homes giving birth, raising children and making food.
b. Un-equal access is also sometimes the result of beliefs about the “natural” abilities of the sexes.”
I’ll get straight to the point…
1- The term “biased use of technology”
There are many widely used internet forums and chat programmes that women are members of. A basic example being “one of” KhyberWatch.com’s very own affiliates Pashto.org which entertains a high number of female members who are not just members but also proud moderators all over the forum. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
Another site being PukhtunWomen.org itself (where the article was originally posted) that happens to have a wide collection of blogs, articles and works from women “online” where the owner herself is female. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
Communities are created within network sites such as Orkut.com and there are plenty of Pakhtun related communities with a massive number of female members from all over the world. Men and women collectively discuss issues alongside light entertainment and social activities. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
More sites created by women crop up daily, a new site Pukhtanay.com is one of many that exist and we will be seeing more by the day and the chain will continue throughout generations.
These are just a few of the many dominantly Pakhtun sites and forums. Lets not forget that we also have our women widely using chat services from the likes of ICQ, Yahoo, MSN and Skype etc where they can and do jump on the mic’s as well; and despite what the article mentioned, PalTalk “does” still have a healthy number of female users too. I do not call that being biased use of technology.
So as we have it, women are not absent from today’s technological discoveries. There could be some places with fewer female participants but I believe its because women prefer associating with likeminded individuals and not petty-chatters, as women have better use of their time, being the smarter of the sexes and all *ok that’s not a scientific claim so don’t attack me*
Going back to the method of research, it’s only fair to say that the author’s opinion itself is biased, as there is no evidence to suggest that PalTalk’s female members were spoken to or that their views were considered or recorded.
2- The claims:
a. “Women are stuck in their homes giving birth, raising children and making food”
I’m surprised at that comment. Giving birth is something you simply can’t expect from a man, and children have a right to be raised by their mothers (and fathers too, but this is a very huge issue that depends on individual household matters). Please note: I am by no means objecting to equal upbringing, I just do not think that this is a comment that relates to or justifies the point behind the article.
b. “Un-equal access is also sometimes the result of beliefs about the “natural” abilities of the sexes”
In today’s day and age, the access is far from un-equal. If this is about remote villages where there is poverty and illiteracy then I doubt even the men there use the internet. Whichever home has internet access, most certainly has a female user. In fact in some households women tend to spend more time on the internet than men, as they do have more time on their hands (for whichever reasons and I know there are plenty).
If a woman can turn a computer on she can surely find her way to the likes of PalTalk, so it’s not about abilities it’s about priorities as I don’t think women who use the net are unaware of such software; if they are, then they probably haven’t felt the need to use it and therefore never dug into it.
About PalTalk itself:
The writer contradicted herself to start with. On one hand PalTalk is unaccepting and full of unreasonable members, and on the other hand it has “nationalist” rooms that are more generous, welcoming and speak on meaningful subjects. So what’s the verdict? *confused*
I still don’t understand what the fuss is over; if a certain room has people just looking for a good time then simply leave and go to another; you can’t possibly make everyone join “only” for intellectual conversations as not everyone (man “and” woman) has the ability to take part in one, or wants to…
The likes of PalTalk are only chat forums, and there’s good and bad (men “and” women) everywhere. If someone really wants to spend precious time on chat software then they can simply make a room with a particular agenda and chuck out the people who aren’t serious with it. Sorted :)
And I just want to add here at the end, that a lot of people are mixing the real world with the cyber world or probably expect more from here than they should. I know the internet has a lot to offer but you simply can not have it take over your norms, as I’m sure “meaningful subjects” discussed in the real world are done at appropriately set group/forum meetings with agenda’s and minimum interruptions (i.e. line/signal disconnections etc). Any other “online meetings” can not possibly be business only, and socialising online does not have to be in the form of PalTalk (or the likes of it).
On the subject of online socialising:
Would a strange woman walk into a Hujra full of men in reality? I hope not, because it’s where men socialise and we know very well what kind of women entertain male Hujra’s. Similarly, would a man walk into a room (or veranda) full of women in reality? I hope not, because it’s where women socialise and we know very well that the men of the house wouldn’t let him leave in one piece.
Each to their own really, but why is it that someone should feel the need to be an “equal” participant in a similar scenario only because it’s “online”?