you are about to meet the original nasty woman remember that phrase and you’re
woman remember that phrase and you’re
woman remember that phrase and you’re going to find out why her legacy is so
going to find out why her legacy is so
going to find out why her legacy is so very important right now I use the word
very important right now I use the word
very important right now I use the word nasty in its newly minted sense post
nasty in its newly minted sense post
nasty in its newly minted sense post American elections where who could
American elections where who could
American elections where who could forget the spectacle of a very ambitious
forget the spectacle of a very ambitious
forget the spectacle of a very ambitious man and a very ambitious woman in a
man and a very ambitious woman in a
man and a very ambitious woman in a debate she smiled politely he called her
debate she smiled politely he called her
debate she smiled politely he called her names will be returning to that but for
names will be returning to that but for
names will be returning to that but for now let’s go back back to the source
now let’s go back back to the source
now let’s go back back to the source back to prehistoric nasty woman who’s
back to prehistoric nasty woman who’s
back to prehistoric nasty woman who’s that well done very good of course have
that well done very good of course have
that well done very good of course have you heard of Frankenstein’s granny
you heard of Frankenstein’s granny
you heard of Frankenstein’s granny anybody know you are about to you should
anybody know you are about to you should
anybody know you are about to you should have the mother of the author of
have the mother of the author of
have the mother of the author of Frankenstein Mary Shelley was the
Frankenstein Mary Shelley was the
Frankenstein Mary Shelley was the original nasty woman and to boot she was
original nasty woman and to boot she was
original nasty woman and to boot she was an extraordinary person I met her almost
an extraordinary person I met her almost
an extraordinary person I met her almost entirely by accident and it changed
entirely by accident and it changed
entirely by accident and it changed everything so let’s meet her hichy is
everything so let’s meet her hichy is
everything so let’s meet her hichy is it’s 1795 Europe and the Western world
it’s 1795 Europe and the Western world
it’s 1795 Europe and the Western world is erupting it’s the era of revolution
is erupting it’s the era of revolution
is erupting it’s the era of revolution it’s the time when humanity is in charge
it’s the time when humanity is in charge
it’s the time when humanity is in charge this is the Enlightenment reason is come
this is the Enlightenment reason is come
this is the Enlightenment reason is come to town and the Enlightenment is there
to town and the Enlightenment is there
to town and the Enlightenment is there in this new world order human beings no
in this new world order human beings no
in this new world order human beings no longer need to ask their God their king
longer need to ask their God their king
longer need to ask their God their king or their dad for permission to change
or their dad for permission to change
or their dad for permission to change the world one human
the world one human
the world one human in particular and here she is in a
in particular and here she is in a
in particular and here she is in a little boat on a rocky shore she’s
little boat on a rocky shore she’s
little boat on a rocky shore she’s traveled far north
traveled far north
traveled far north from revolutionary Paris she’s on the
from revolutionary Paris she’s on the
from revolutionary Paris she’s on the wild coast of the scag Iraq see what’s
wild coast of the scag Iraq see what’s
wild coast of the scag Iraq see what’s she doing who is she she is Mary
she doing who is she she is Mary
she doing who is she she is Mary Wollstonecraft and a couple of centuries
Wollstonecraft and a couple of centuries
Wollstonecraft and a couple of centuries later she became my inspiration some of
later she became my inspiration some of
later she became my inspiration some of you might have heard of her
you might have heard of her
you might have heard of her she wrote famously the original call for
she wrote famously the original call for
she wrote famously the original call for equality of the sexes a vindication of
equality of the sexes a vindication of
equality of the sexes a vindication of the Rights of Woman 1792 in which she
the Rights of Woman 1792 in which she
the Rights of Woman 1792 in which she argued apparently preposterous Lee that
argued apparently preposterous Lee that
argued apparently preposterous Lee that women are capable of reason who knew all
women are capable of reason who knew all
women are capable of reason who knew all they needed was education but what does
they needed was education but what does
they needed was education but what does she mean by reason reason she goes on
she mean by reason reason she goes on
she mean by reason reason she goes on about it all the time reason reason
about it all the time reason reason
about it all the time reason reason reason with a capital R what does this
reason with a capital R what does this
reason with a capital R what does this mean she’s talking about the human
mean she’s talking about the human
mean she’s talking about the human capacity for rational thought she’s
capacity for rational thought she’s
capacity for rational thought she’s talking the language of the
talking the language of the
talking the language of the Enlightenment when Western civilization
Enlightenment when Western civilization
Enlightenment when Western civilization moved from the dark ages from fear and
moved from the dark ages from fear and
moved from the dark ages from fear and superstition into the light how did they
superstition into the light how did they
superstition into the light how did they do that they did it with their minds it
do that they did it with their minds it
do that they did it with their minds it is what she calls the universal human
is what she calls the universal human
is what she calls the universal human privilege of applying our capacity for
privilege of applying our capacity for
privilege of applying our capacity for rational thought to an established order
rational thought to an established order
rational thought to an established order and challenging it of actively using our
and challenging it of actively using our
and challenging it of actively using our own minds instead of merely accepting a
own minds instead of merely accepting a
own minds instead of merely accepting a handed-down tradition now Wollstonecraft
handed-down tradition now Wollstonecraft
handed-down tradition now Wollstonecraft applied her order to a hierarchy a rigid
applied her order to a hierarchy a rigid
applied her order to a hierarchy a rigid hierarchy which had been in place since
hierarchy which had been in place since
hierarchy which had been in place since time immemorial and it went like this
time immemorial and it went like this
time immemorial and it went like this God King men women non-white people
God King men women non-white people
God King men women non-white people children animals and she looked at this
children animals and she looked at this
children animals and she looked at this and did not accept it she wrote the
and did not accept it she wrote the
and did not accept it she wrote the following
following
following it is necessary emphatically to repeat
it is necessary emphatically to repeat
it is necessary emphatically to repeat that there are rights which men she
that there are rights which men she
that there are rights which men she means people inherit at their birth as
means people inherit at their birth as
means people inherit at their birth as rational creatures who were raised above
rational creatures who were raised above
rational creatures who were raised above the brute creation she means animals by
the brute creation she means animals by
the brute creation she means animals by their improvable faculties we have only
their improvable faculties we have only
their improvable faculties we have only to cultivate our reason she argues that
to cultivate our reason she argues that
to cultivate our reason she argues that reason is the only thing that lifts
reason is the only thing that lifts
reason is the only thing that lifts humans above animals above the brute
humans above animals above the brute
humans above animals above the brute creation and that it’s reason that
creation and that it’s reason that
creation and that it’s reason that places each and every human on an equal
places each and every human on an equal
places each and every human on an equal footing with each and every other human
footing with each and every other human
footing with each and every other human she applied reason herself she had a big
she applied reason herself she had a big
she applied reason herself she had a big argument with the Enlightenment
argument with the Enlightenment
argument with the Enlightenment philosopher jean-jacques Rousseau who
philosopher jean-jacques Rousseau who
philosopher jean-jacques Rousseau who said women aren’t capable of reason and
said women aren’t capable of reason and
said women aren’t capable of reason and so she proved him wrong by reasoning
so she proved him wrong by reasoning
so she proved him wrong by reasoning with him look at me I’m doing it right
with him look at me I’m doing it right
with him look at me I’m doing it right now
now
now QED she tackles monarchy slavery
QED she tackles monarchy slavery
QED she tackles monarchy slavery she had a go at the Hindu caste system
she had a go at the Hindu caste system
she had a go at the Hindu caste system as an ancient handed down tradition this
as an ancient handed down tradition this
as an ancient handed down tradition this is a ready target for human reason and
is a ready target for human reason and
is a ready target for human reason and she described it as debasing to humanity
she described it as debasing to humanity
she described it as debasing to humanity the application of Reason led directly
the application of Reason led directly
the application of Reason led directly to the rights of man which is what we
to the rights of man which is what we
to the rights of man which is what we now call human rights
now call human rights
now call human rights Wollstonecraft was fighting that fight
Wollstonecraft was fighting that fight
Wollstonecraft was fighting that fight right at the beginning before the
right at the beginning before the
right at the beginning before the terminology even existed now reason was
terminology even existed now reason was
terminology even existed now reason was not new as a concept I don’t if you
not new as a concept I don’t if you
not new as a concept I don’t if you remember your Hamlet ah what a piece of
remember your Hamlet ah what a piece of
remember your Hamlet ah what a piece of work is man how noble in reason how
work is man how noble in reason how
work is man how noble in reason how infinite in faculty he goes on to list a
infinite in faculty he goes on to list a
infinite in faculty he goes on to list a number of other virtues but first of
number of other virtues but first of
number of other virtues but first of course is reason what’s happening now
course is reason what’s happening now
course is reason what’s happening now though in walleston crafts time is
though in walleston crafts time is
though in walleston crafts time is different it’s being applied much more
different it’s being applied much more
different it’s being applied much more dangerously because if women can have
dangerously because if women can have
dangerously because if women can have reason and black people and slaves to Oh
reason and black people and slaves to Oh
reason and black people and slaves to Oh for heaven’s sake where will it all end
for heaven’s sake where will it all end
for heaven’s sake where will it all end naturally she encountered some fairly
naturally she encountered some fairly
naturally she encountered some fairly fierce hostility to her ideas but her
fierce hostility to her ideas but her
fierce hostility to her ideas but her radical writings shook the world
radical writings shook the world
radical writings shook the world she was quoted by the then President of
she was quoted by the then President of
she was quoted by the then President of the United States of America imagine
the United States of America imagine
the United States of America imagine that happening today no I can’t
that happening today no I can’t
that happening today no I can’t so the historian the mighty historian
so the historian the mighty historian
so the historian the mighty historian Mary beard says of Wollstonecraft every
Mary beard says of Wollstonecraft every
Mary beard says of Wollstonecraft every woman that has a stake in how her
woman that has a stake in how her
woman that has a stake in how her country is run has Mary Wollstonecraft a
country is run has Mary Wollstonecraft a
country is run has Mary Wollstonecraft a frank and the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
frank and the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
frank and the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has described her as perhaps the most
has described her as perhaps the most
has described her as perhaps the most underestimated thinker of the 18th
underestimated thinker of the 18th
underestimated thinker of the 18th century now a quick aside I should
century now a quick aside I should
century now a quick aside I should confess that it wasn’t all this noble
confess that it wasn’t all this noble
confess that it wasn’t all this noble human rights and reason that kind of
human rights and reason that kind of
human rights and reason that kind of captivated me into the Wollstonecraft
captivated me into the Wollstonecraft
captivated me into the Wollstonecraft story I kind of wish it should be but no
story I kind of wish it should be but no
story I kind of wish it should be but no it was her adventures remember when you
it was her adventures remember when you
it was her adventures remember when you first met her the incident with the
first met her the incident with the
first met her the incident with the rocky bow in a wild dark sea we’ll wait
rocky bow in a wild dark sea we’ll wait
rocky bow in a wild dark sea we’ll wait till you hear this Mary Wollstonecraft
till you hear this Mary Wollstonecraft
till you hear this Mary Wollstonecraft the great Enlightenment philosopher and
the great Enlightenment philosopher and
the great Enlightenment philosopher and human rights champion was on a treasure
human rights champion was on a treasure
human rights champion was on a treasure hunt a treasure hunt it’s because she
hunt a treasure hunt it’s because she
hunt a treasure hunt it’s because she heard dodgy boyfriend that she met in
heard dodgy boyfriend that she met in
heard dodgy boyfriend that she met in revolutionary Paris she got pregnant he
revolutionary Paris she got pregnant he
revolutionary Paris she got pregnant he was smuggling out of this revolutionary
was smuggling out of this revolutionary
was smuggling out of this revolutionary hotbed one of his cargos of smuggled
hotbed one of his cargos of smuggled
hotbed one of his cargos of smuggled silver went missing somewhere off the
silver went missing somewhere off the
silver went missing somewhere off the coast of Norway guess who goes off to
coast of Norway guess who goes off to
coast of Norway guess who goes off to find it cause she does off she goes
find it cause she does off she goes
find it cause she does off she goes and even better she takes their ten
and even better she takes their ten
and even better she takes their ten month old baby with her
month old baby with her
month old baby with her which makes Mary Wollstonecraft the
which makes Mary Wollstonecraft the
which makes Mary Wollstonecraft the world’s first and only single mum
world’s first and only single mum
world’s first and only single mum enlightenment treasure hunting
enlightenment treasure hunting
enlightenment treasure hunting philosopher on the high seas we you
philosopher on the high seas we you
philosopher on the high seas we you couldn’t make this up so it was this
couldn’t make this up so it was this
couldn’t make this up so it was this moment this dark adventure with a baby
moment this dark adventure with a baby
moment this dark adventure with a baby in tow that completely caught my
in tow that completely caught my
in tow that completely caught my imagination and it never let go and I
imagination and it never let go and I
imagination and it never let go and I became a bit obsessed I ended up
became a bit obsessed I ended up
became a bit obsessed I ended up retracing this journey and took my baby
retracing this journey and took my baby
retracing this journey and took my baby with me and wrote a book about it like
with me and wrote a book about it like
with me and wrote a book about it like she did on the way so trying to channel
she did on the way so trying to channel
she did on the way so trying to channel her there and it was the adventure of my
her there and it was the adventure of my
her there and it was the adventure of my life it was the most empowering
life it was the most empowering
life it was the most empowering thing which calls to mind
thing which calls to mind
thing which calls to mind Wollstonecraft’s perfect distillation of
Wollstonecraft’s perfect distillation of
Wollstonecraft’s perfect distillation of feminism I quote I do not wish women to
feminism I quote I do not wish women to
feminism I quote I do not wish women to have power over men but over themselves
have power over men but over themselves
have power over men but over themselves so this was all very wonderful
so this was all very wonderful
so this was all very wonderful adventures in a boat women’s empowerment
adventures in a boat women’s empowerment
adventures in a boat women’s empowerment yeah fantastic but and there’s always a
yeah fantastic but and there’s always a
yeah fantastic but and there’s always a but there is tragedy at the heart of the
but there is tragedy at the heart of the
but there is tragedy at the heart of the Wollstonecraft story she died young and
Wollstonecraft story she died young and
Wollstonecraft story she died young and she died twice first she died in
she died twice first she died in
she died twice first she died in childbirth
childbirth
childbirth aged only 38 giving birth to the Future
aged only 38 giving birth to the Future
aged only 38 giving birth to the Future author of Frankenstein as we discussed
author of Frankenstein as we discussed
author of Frankenstein as we discussed but then she died
but then she died
but then she died via her reputation her reputation was
via her reputation her reputation was
via her reputation her reputation was murdered by the man who loved her most
murdered by the man who loved her most
murdered by the man who loved her most her partner William Godwin deeply
her partner William Godwin deeply
her partner William Godwin deeply bereaved and grieving wrote the first
bereaved and grieving wrote the first
bereaved and grieving wrote the first biography of Mary Wollstonecraft and he
biography of Mary Wollstonecraft and he
biography of Mary Wollstonecraft and he included the things that Virginia Woolf
included the things that Virginia Woolf
included the things that Virginia Woolf describes as her experiments in living
describes as her experiments in living
describes as her experiments in living by which she means having a baby without
by which she means having a baby without
by which she means having a baby without being married that kind of thing Oh so
being married that kind of thing Oh so
being married that kind of thing Oh so this unleashed a torrent of abuse
this unleashed a torrent of abuse
this unleashed a torrent of abuse Wollstonecraft had a lot of enemies and
Wollstonecraft had a lot of enemies and
Wollstonecraft had a lot of enemies and this was what they’d been waiting for
this was what they’d been waiting for
this was what they’d been waiting for this was proof that she was a whore a
this was proof that she was a whore a
this was proof that she was a whore a hyena in petticoats her friends were
hyena in petticoats her friends were
hyena in petticoats her friends were silenced her enemies came galloping to
silenced her enemies came galloping to
silenced her enemies came galloping to the feast poems were circulated about
the feast poems were circulated about
the feast poems were circulated about her naked body
her naked body
her naked body overnight her legacy became toxic Mary
overnight her legacy became toxic Mary
overnight her legacy became toxic Mary Wollstonecraft was thrown onto the
Wollstonecraft was thrown onto the
Wollstonecraft was thrown onto the historical scrap heap for over a century
historical scrap heap for over a century
historical scrap heap for over a century the campaign group Mary on the green is
the campaign group Mary on the green is
the campaign group Mary on the green is fighting to change this to celebrate her
fighting to change this to celebrate her
fighting to change this to celebrate her life and her legacy so please check out
life and her legacy so please check out
life and her legacy so please check out their website but this brings me back to
their website but this brings me back to
their website but this brings me back to the opening thought to the nasty woman
the opening thought to the nasty woman
the opening thought to the nasty woman to the name-calling to the trolling and
to the name-calling to the trolling and
to the name-calling to the trolling and to the endless spectacle of the backlash
to the endless spectacle of the backlash
to the endless spectacle of the backlash we’ve seen it over the centuries again
we’ve seen it over the centuries again
we’ve seen it over the centuries again and again it’s
and again it’s
and again it’s hiring the response to this has to be to
hiring the response to this has to be to
hiring the response to this has to be to be true to Wollstonecraft’s legacy her
be true to Wollstonecraft’s legacy her
be true to Wollstonecraft’s legacy her legacy of reason reason or in our
legacy of reason reason or in our
legacy of reason reason or in our current case the lack of the lack of
current case the lack of the lack of
current case the lack of the lack of reason because we’ve just been through a
reason because we’ve just been through a
reason because we’ve just been through a year that took absence of reason to new
year that took absence of reason to new
year that took absence of reason to new heights when you think back where was
heights when you think back where was
heights when you think back where was reason in 2016
reason in 2016
reason in 2016 reason you abandoned er so we abandoned
reason you abandoned er so we abandoned
reason you abandoned er so we abandoned you in the words of the American
you in the words of the American
you in the words of the American founding father Benjamin Franklin if you
founding father Benjamin Franklin if you
founding father Benjamin Franklin if you will not hear reason she will surely rap
will not hear reason she will surely rap
will not hear reason she will surely rap your knuckles well let’s face it that’s
your knuckles well let’s face it that’s
your knuckles well let’s face it that’s exactly what happened isn’t it we’ve
exactly what happened isn’t it we’ve
exactly what happened isn’t it we’ve been through a troll rich loud knuckle
been through a troll rich loud knuckle
been through a troll rich loud knuckle rapping year not so much enlightenment
rapping year not so much enlightenment
rapping year not so much enlightenment as in schouten Munt many of us found
as in schouten Munt many of us found
as in schouten Munt many of us found 2016 destabilizing irrational we’re here
2016 destabilizing irrational we’re here
2016 destabilizing irrational we’re here about things like the death of
about things like the death of
about things like the death of liberalism the rejection of the secular
liberalism the rejection of the secular
liberalism the rejection of the secular state the rise of religious nationalism
state the rise of religious nationalism
state the rise of religious nationalism my favorite the so called post factual
my favorite the so called post factual
my favorite the so called post factual error the most scary part we’ve seen
error the most scary part we’ve seen
error the most scary part we’ve seen people all around the world
people all around the world
people all around the world voting according to their feelings their
voting according to their feelings their
voting according to their feelings their feelings they feel scared or they feel
feelings they feel scared or they feel
feelings they feel scared or they feel angry I’ll come on humanity you can do
angry I’ll come on humanity you can do
angry I’ll come on humanity you can do better than that
better than that
better than that remember the brute creation animals
remember the brute creation animals
remember the brute creation animals animals can feel scared or angry don’t
animals can feel scared or angry don’t
animals can feel scared or angry don’t vote like an animal Wollstonecraft
vote like an animal Wollstonecraft
vote like an animal Wollstonecraft demands that we try harder and we aim
demands that we try harder and we aim
demands that we try harder and we aim higher we have only to cultivate our
higher we have only to cultivate our
higher we have only to cultivate our reason there are two ways in an age of
reason there are two ways in an age of
reason there are two ways in an age of unreason fake news misinformation and
unreason fake news misinformation and
unreason fake news misinformation and feelings feelings feelings all over
feelings feelings feelings all over
feelings feelings feelings all over social media won the restoration of
social media won the restoration of
social media won the restoration of facts facts evidence based data that
facts facts evidence based data that
facts facts evidence based data that needs to get fashionable again to ask
needs to get fashionable again to ask
needs to get fashionable again to ask yourself why you believe what you
yourself why you believe what you
yourself why you believe what you believe why you vote the way you vote
believe why you vote the way you vote
believe why you vote the way you vote where did that come from
where did that come from
where did that come from was that just handed down to you
was that just handed down to you
was that just handed down to you like a tradition challenge it test your
like a tradition challenge it test your
like a tradition challenge it test your beliefs explore their opposites subject
beliefs explore their opposites subject
beliefs explore their opposites subject them to reason and I’ll end with the
them to reason and I’ll end with the
them to reason and I’ll end with the words of the ancient Scottish
words of the ancient Scottish
words of the ancient Scottish philosopher William Drummond he who does
philosopher William Drummond he who does
philosopher William Drummond he who does not reason is a bigot he who cannot
not reason is a bigot he who cannot
not reason is a bigot he who cannot reason is a fool and he who dares not is
reason is a fool and he who dares not is
reason is a fool and he who dares not is a slave the fools and bigots are having
a slave the fools and bigots are having
a slave the fools and bigots are having a field day out there
a field day out there
a field day out there don’t let Wollstonecraft down it’s time
don’t let Wollstonecraft down it’s time
don’t let Wollstonecraft down it’s time for a new age of reason thank you
”
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