Putin’s Female Philosophy

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Taking a leaf out of Kant’s aesthetic position (the 18th century German philosopher counted women among the world’s beautiful objects, and is there not a striking resemblance between the two?), ITAR-TASS today portrays Vladimir Putin, in comments made on the eve of International Women’s Day, as a philosopher of female beauty.
“Of course, women are very different. But they are always beautiful,” he concluded in a philosophical mood.
But in the Prime Minister’s view, it’s men who still have the upper hand: not only because the female role, as far as he is concerned, is merely one of ‘beautification‘ (the role of ornamentation not being especially functional or powerful), but also because, he says, it is up to men whether or not they allow women ‘to become the beautification of our life‘.

Not the most heartening International Women’s Day soundbite.  Much more comforting to hear of President Dmitry Medvedev’s meeting with mothers of large families at which he apparently ‘discussed the social problems parents and teachers of disabled children have to tackle‘.