Q&A Forum - March 2009 (Best of Elise)

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A. The ivy covered tower analogy has been used to describe my point of view on more than one occasion, as is the case with most intellectual thought when compared with people’s life experiences. The problem is that real world experiences vary from person to person. Therefore, someone can read an opinion and say “Amen, that rings so true” whereas someone else will read the exact same editorial or article and say “This person has no clue to what the real world is like.” It comes down to your belief system and your personal experiences.

I can assure you that I have never lived in an ivy tower and I base my opinions on my own life experiences and personal observations in combination with the wisdom I have gained from others. That does not make my opinion of any more worth than your opinion. I hope we all can stay open-minded enough to examine what we believe when we are confronted with different opinions that challenge our viewpoint.

I totally understand where you are coming from when it comes to the inheritance question. Women have been oppressed and it is still hard for women to gain equality, especially in societies where the patriarchy is still deeply entrenched. However, the good news is that ‘we’ve come a long ways, baby’ and women are breaking down those barriers and are blazing their own trail for future generations to follow, just like we are following the trails that were set by previous generations of women.