The Folly of Matriarchy

‘And then I understood everything.

 When she stopped on the path under the Baxter’s garden

and heard Roz’s laughter,

she understood it was a derisive laugh.

She was mocking her, and Mary finally

understood everything. It was all clear’

by Doris Lessing, “The Grandmothers”, 2003.

‘The asymmetry between men and women is so

 evident that few, apart from psychologists and

psychoanalysts, deal with female violence.

 Among feminists, it is a taboo subject.

It is unthinkable and unthought of that anything

could diminish the concept of

 male domination female victimization’

by Elisabeth Badinter, “Fausse Route”, 2003:53.

Sandra Berivi – Psicologa

Psicologo Analista – Docente di Psicoterapia Dinamica

SSVPC . Università Medicina e Psicologia – Sapienza di Roma

Antonio Grassi – Psichiatra

Psicologo Analista – Docente di Psicoterapia Dinamica

SSVPC . Università Medicina e Psicologia – Sapienza di Roma

Key-Words: Matriarchy – Hypercare- Violence – Ethics of care

Key-Words: Matriarchy – Hypercare- Violence – Ethics of care

Abstract
The report starts from the case of Marco, a 16 year old teenager. We will evaluate the behaviour, particularly that of the mother, addressing the concept of hyper care or hyper / protection (over-involved/ protective) both from the psychological point of view, pointing to studies that have shown the related psychopathology of this style of care, and social studies regarding the so-called phenomenon of “the long family” and the resulting tendency of young Italians to remain close to parents for a very long time. Many authors have now clearly shown that the intrusive maternal style and autonomy inhibition aid to establish in children and adolescents a style of avoidance or anxious worries that favours internalizing problems, such as depression and anxiety, and externalizing, antisocial and borderline traits, as for neglect or ill-treatment. Finally, the report will touch authors who spoke of ethics of care, from Carol Gilligan to Sara Ruddick, Eva Feder Kittay, Joan Tronto and Sara Brotto. After a brief examination of the positions of the authors, the incestuous aspects that the ethics of care can hold will be emphasised. Finally, the proposal will be, in line with Gilligan, that the ethics of care has to integrate the real aspects of care, how the gratuitous love towards another person, with the principles of justice, identified by Kohlberg.