By Black Power

It has been scientifically established by various researchers that men have a brain that is approximately 11% bigger than women, on average. But this finding does not in any way mean that men are smarter than women; the differences in brain size is solely down to bodily differences – the fact that men are generally bigger than women physically.

However, some people, particularly men, contest the assertion that men and women have equal brainpower or intelligence. They argue that if women’s brain is as potent or sharp as that of men, why is the world of significant inventions superlatively dominated by males? This, obviously, is a question to which science alone cannot provide an adequate response.

Arguing from historical, sociological (socio-cultural), biological, biblical (religious), as well as philosophical and logical angles, this article maintains that until the term ‘intelligence’ is very credibly defined, it would be silly of any individual or group to measure one’s level of intelligence solely by their inventions. It reiterates that men may be superior to women physically, but certainly not intellectually.

The notion that men are intellectually superior to women just because of the former’s apparent dominance in the world of inventions is simply preposterous. If people’s level of intelligence were to be determined or measured solely by their significant inventions, over 90% of men would be classified as unintelligent or ‘tabula rasa’ (empty-headed) as only a minute proportion of the male population itself are key inventors.

The fact is that there is no one universally accepted way of measuring intelligence or brainpower; and until a generally accepted definition of the term ‘intelligence’ is given, and a scientific and supremely credible criterion or criteria for measuring intelligence is provided, no one can justifiably question the intellectual ability of an individual let alone an entire gender or sex.

It has for instance, been convincingly proven, that women are better than men at learning languages; whereas men perform better at mathematics. Classifying females as less intelligent just because their presence is not much felt in the field of inventions is thus not only flawed, but betrays one’s own ignorance and exposes his jaundiced mentality.

It will interest those who believe in the ‘efficacy’ of IQ tests in judging intelligence to know, that the latest research has revealed that women now have a significantly higher IQ than men. I personally have always challenged the credibility of IQ tests (which depend on who is asked what questions and how much practice one has had) as a tool for measuring intelligence. I thus prefer to place no emphasis on it.

As a matter of fact, there are a number of factors or reasons accounting for the seemingly unimpressive representation of females in the world of inventions.

For thousands of years, females have been unduly dominated and supressed by men and society at large; and their education has been discouraged. Even as late as the 1970’s women in many parts of the world including the western world were compelled to accept that they didn’t need an education, because all they were going to do was get married, become child-bearers and child-carers, cook for the family, and take care of the home while their husbands enjoy a considerable peace of mind to brainstorm in their offices or in the garden shed.

Clearly feminism took quite a long time to get started because for all those thousands of years women were held back by systems which were ultimately backed up by male violence. In some cultures, women were considered as part of the property of their husbands and were treated as such. Women never had the chance to embark on innovative activities; and even if they did, their inventions had very little chance of seeing the light of day, as they (the women) were in various ways prevented from patenting them. So evidently what women could/can do was strictly limited by society.

In the UK for instance, women were not even allowed to vote until 1918 (for women over 30 who met minimum property qualifications) and 1928 (for women over 21 years). It is also gathered that up until the 1970s, women in the US and Europe were actively discouraged from pursuing serious careers, especially science-related careers which are vital to/for invention.

Some people quite rightly but short-sightedly argue that denial of education is not an excuse for lack of female inventors, as many past male inventors never had any formal education. They maintain that most of the renowned ancient and medieval inventors (who were almost entirely male) were never sent to school, yet they had the ability to design and create wonderful things.

Obviously, this viewpoint loses sight of the fact that invention can never be initiated or embarked on in a chaotic mind or a messy environment; but unfortunately that was the kind of environment or situation in which women, for no fault of theirs, found themselves. How could an ‘oppressed’ woman or a woman caring for two or more children and a husband have the time, and the kind of composure, serenity and atmosphere needed for the initiation of innovative undertakings?

Besides, males are biologically or physically about 40% stronger than females. This is due to the fact that males have greater muscle mass brought about by high levels of testosterone. The Y chromosome associated with the male sex, facilitates the production of higher levels of testosterone which is responsible for the increase in muscle mass.

Thus, because men produce far more testosterone than women, they develop superior muscle mass and consequently become physically stronger than women. Males generally have denser and stronger bones and ligaments; and they weigh about 15% more than females, on average. Obviously the delicate nature of the female reproductive system also limits women’s physical strength.

The point being made here is that invention is not just about concepts; it is about actualizing the idea conceived. In other words, a great deal of innovative or invention-related activities, require not only intellectual aptitude, but a considerable amount of physical strength which most women, as it has already been established, lack.

For instance, the idea of a pyramid, a hanging garden, an aircraft, and/or a train could undoubtedly have been conceived by females, but would they have had the bodily strength to actualize them? And if they had solicited the help of males to build them, how many men would have paid attention to them or carried out their instructions in those days? It could also be loosely argued that because of their physical superiority, men, in general, are better placed to confront extreme danger or risk, a phenomenon prevalent in the world of inventions.

There is a viewpoint or popular saying that “behind every successful man, there is a woman”. Well, I would rather say that behind every successful human being, there is at least a supportive person (male or female). However, a more cynical school of thought insists, that “behind the downfall of every great man, there is a woman”. There is also a third school of thought that welcomes the notion that women are behind the successes of great men, but quickly stresses that women have caused more downfalls of great men than their successes.

They cite great biblical, real and fictional figures (men) whose downfalls were caused by women: Adam who was floored by Eve, King Ahab twisted by Jezebel, Samson disarmed by Delilah, the supposedly wisest king that ever lived – Solomon himself outsmarted by the Queen of Sheba, King Herod made powerless by Herodias and her daughter, the warrior Macbeth dismantled by Lady Macbeth, etc.

I am in fact not interested in the veracity or falsity of these three varied viewpoints. My interest lies in the fact that each one of them justifies my argument that women have exceptional and unique brainpower that is parallel if not superior to that of men.

It is an incontrovertible fact that empty-headedness and success are not bedfellows. So whenever we say that “behind every successful man, there is a woman”, we imply that women have a hand in, or are the brain behind all inventions of men, and consequently acknowledge the intellectual prowess or superiority of women. If we are proponents of the third viewpoint, then we admit that the fate (success or failure) of men lies in the hands of women; and thus concede that women are mentally more powerful than men.

If we go with the second proposition, we confirm and admit how intellectually inferior men are to women, as the mind of the former (men) gets tossed around quite easily by the latter. Look at how Eve, the first apologist of God and His designs, compelled Adam through logical arguments, to disobey his creator. It must be noted that none of the downfalls cited above occurred as a direct result of sexual attraction or sexual weakness. Each pair was engaged in some form of intellectual contest, not sexual combat; so we should discredit the notion that the lust of men or their inability to resist the allures of women is the only cause of their ‘defeat’ by women. Besides, if a so-called superior brainpower or intelligence could so easily be overpowered by lustful feelings (that ultimately lead to doom) then there is a huge question mark somewhere.

It follows from the above presented arguments, that men and women have equal intelligence, and that if granted a fair opportunity, women would do far greater things than men. But in addition to their intellectual ability, women are hugely irresistible; and men’s so-called superior brainpower, many a time, metamorphosizes into ‘brain-powerless’ when it comes face to face with the charms and ‘perfumes’ of women.

I must admit, that the knowledge that women are not as physically strong as men, gives me immense relief, for, if females were as physically powerful as males, men would probably be the most miserable, pitied and doomed entity on earth.

Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu-Ansah (Black Power) is an Investigative Journalist, a researcher and the author of Fourth Phase of Enslavement (2011) and In My End is My Beginning (2012). He may be contacted via email (andypower2002@yahoo.it).