Dr. Hochschild's Thoughts on the Future of the Disciplines and Feminism

In a review of one of Hochschild’s writings, the Commercialization of Intimate Life: Note from Home and Work, Barbara Risman states that within her book Hochschild’s is arguing that “feminism has been hijacked from its original goal of gender equality to provide the ideological legitimation to a commercialization of intimate relationships.” (Risman, 2). We also read that Hochschild is quoted as saying, ““feminism is to the commercial spirit of intimate life as Protestantism is to the spirit of capitalism.”(p.23).” (Risman, 2).
In all of her issues, Hochschild makes good arguments that persuade us and convince us that what we are partaking in is wrong, that we do spend too much time at work, and not enough with our own families. Along with proving that we need to do something to fix this horrible trend of dismissing our families for more time at work, to get ahead and be successful, she provides a possible solution. She suggests that we need to integrate work and family more often. Most importantly, in her writings, Hochschild suggests that we need to just “cut back on work to give more of themselves to intimate relationships…” (Risman, 2). We need to stop being so worried and concerned with work and being successful and more about our families and keeping them together.
From reading her work and reading other peoples reviews and interpretations of Hochschild’s work, I feel that it would be alright to assume a few things as to what she would want for the future of her discipline and for the future of feminism. One would have to be that Hochschild would desire that there be more women in the disciplines and more women in employment positions in general. I would also say that it would be safe to assume that with as much as Hochschild wants more women in the job field; she would want this to happen with these women having the ability to do so and keep her job as mother at the same time. Therefore, there would be more women who want to work, working, but also spending more time with their family and not being punished for wanting to do so. In an interview, Hochschild suggests that in order to accomplish this, a solution may be “to create generous care packages that allow for the care of children and sick members and give you-in Norway they have care salaries-but to have them equally used by men and women.” (http://www.genderonline.cz/view.php?cisloclanku=2007010610). This solution may equal out the playing field.
Another assumption I have is that Hochschild would desire for the future, that women be given a break once in a while. I feel that she would in the future want men and women to share to household duties, rather then the women having sole responsibility of getting the chores done. Hochshild’s tells us in the interview that we have the ability to create change, “Freedom is in the context. So we’ve got to change the contexts. That’s why we need a feminist movement.” (http://www.genderonline.cz/view.php?cisloclanku=2007010610).
Hochschild has been a pioneer for many events in the course of the sociology discipline. She has set many examples for those of us who choose to go into the field of sociology can follow. She states in the interview that “We older women have tried our best, but we’ve gotten only so far, and the young have to realize that they’re not the happy inheritors of a gender revolution, which has been accomplished, and so their only job is to live it. I think the more profound truth is that they have to carry on the unfinished job.” (http://www.genderonline.cz/view.php?cisloclanku=2007010610).