Paradigm Shifting for Fun and Influence

Everything these days is a paradigm shift. Anyway, I was thinking about sociology and paradigm shifts and realized I should and some sociological speak to the question of rebranding conception. Here is a fun little stab at the Emergency Conraception tiff in sociological dialectic.

The transition in meaning of the term "conception" from fertilization to implantation is part of a broader progressive paradigm shift from a rigid Christian theological paradigm to a tolerant neopagan paradigm based on social progress. The antiquated Christian paradigm centered on an oppressive patriarchical model saw the invasion of the sperm into the ovum as the beginning of life. The tolerant neopagan of choice sees life beginning with the uteral embracing of a nascent embryo with the fetal bond of motherhood.

As with most paradigm shifts, the diversity tolerant paradigm is universally accepted in the educated scientific community and has quickly spread through open minded elements of the progressive society.

Typical of modern paradigm shifts, a marginalized reactionary element still clings to the antiquated terminology of the patriarchal sperm-centric view upon which it depends.

I think I still need to work on my socio-paradigmantic speak. I am not quite sure if I've injected enough insinuation with my combination of snarl words and purr words.

Speaking of the difference between patriarchical Christianity and matriarchical paganism. The Christian Science Monitor has a story on India's struggle to stop gender specific abortions. India passed a law that says you can't tell parents the sex of their baby because many families were getting the tests and aborting girls.

Rodney Stark is a true sociologist. His recent sociological history (The Rise of Christianity) noted that the Greco-Roman pagan societies had the practice of gender specific infantcide. Baby boys would go into the cradle. Baby girls would often be expose (i.e., dropped into the sewer). Stark's sociological history suggests that Christianity's emphasis that all people are children of God, meant that they ended up with the women. Even silly beliefs like the idea that you shouldn't abort children produced from rape led to the dominance of Christianity and the diminishing of Rome.

Much as I think women should abort products of rape, I can't help but recognize Stark's observation that this marginalized group of people called Christians did rise to dominance. They also make better company than mean spirited things in the professoriat.

In the war of definitions, I think this neoprogressive view that life begins at implantation has much staying power.