4 ms·

Wait what? This doesn't make any sense? If someone is fighting a cold, they exert no agency, yet it is typical in English to say "He/she is fighting off a cold"

Wait what? This doesn't make any sense? If someone is fighting a cold, they exert no agency, yet it is typical in English to say "He/she is fighting off a cold". This is despite the fact that, in reality, it's the individual macrophages / immune cells doing the actual fighting. Or, a woman giving birth. At the end of the day, this is an involuntary process; there's no way someone can will themselves to stop it (as far as I know). Yet it's extremely typical to say "X gave birth". Saying a human is undergoing X biochemical process in an active voice in English does not imply agency at all.

AndrewKemendo 4y ago
>If someone is fighting a cold, they exert no agency The $11 Trillion healthcare industry might disagree with you >At the end of the day, this is an involuntary process; there's no way someone can will themselves to stop it (as far as I know) I have three children and have been actively involved in two of their home births. Trust me when I tell you that it's a very interactive process for the mom and everyone involved.
- goldforever 4y ago
- anon291 4y ago
  > I have three children and have been actively involved in two of their home births. Trust me when I tell you that it's a very interactive process for the mom and everyone involved. That's great. So have I and I can tell you with 100% certainty that telling your wife to 'stop' while she's giving birth will quickly teach you the answer on whether or not birth is voluntary. Try it next time. See what happens. While some women may be able to exercise some control over contractions (much like we can choose to hold our breath), eventually the brain will take over and perform the action, whether you want to or not. I know of no recorded example of a woman able to stop labor. If you can find one, I will recant.

4 ms·

Wait what? This doesn't make any sense? If someone is fighting a cold, they exert no agency, yet it is typical in English to say "He/she is fighting off a cold"

by anon291 4y ago

AndrewKemendo 4y ago
>If someone is fighting a cold, they exert no agency The $11 Trillion healthcare industry might disagree with you >At the end of the day, this is an involuntary process; there's no way someone can will themselves to stop it (as far as I know) I have three children and have been actively involved in two of their home births. Trust me when I tell you that it's a very interactive process for the mom and everyone involved.
- goldforever 4y ago
- anon291 4y ago
  > I have three children and have been actively involved in two of their home births. Trust me when I tell you that it's a very interactive process for the mom and everyone involved. That's great. So have I and I can tell you with 100% certainty that telling your wife to 'stop' while she's giving birth will quickly teach you the answer on whether or not birth is voluntary. Try it next time. See what happens. While some women may be able to exercise some control over contractions (much like we can choose to hold our breath), eventually the brain will take over and perform the action, whether you want to or not. I know of no recorded example of a woman able to stop labor. If you can find one, I will recant.