There’s no denying it, girls; women are fickle-minded creatures. Whether it comes to clothes, to relationships, to work, or some profound life-changing decision, most women take quite a while to make up their minds. The blame doesn’t lie on femininity alone, however; the conflict between mankind’s curiosity, morality and survival instinct is an eternal one and frequently leads to indecision in any aspect of life. But as many have experienced, the average woman is usually more indecisive than the average male; and now the question is, does this indecision also extend to her life goals as well? Do women know what they really want?

But the question at hand here is not about female rights and feminism, nor is it about humanity’s indecision. The key question in this debate, is whether modern feminist movements and contemporary societal roles play a part in a woman’s decision of her life’s goal? Do modern women know what they want, any more or any less than women in the past? In essence, does modern gender perception help or hinder a woman’s quest in finding her goals; her life goal as well as all the smaller ones along the way.

Let’s make this simple. The answer is no.

Contemporary societal perception of the gentle sex only serves to add to the confusion in reflection of their life’s goal. In less poetic terms, modern society makes women confused as to what they want in life.

Why? Think about it; more often than not, an individual’s goals in life usually depend on society, both his standing and society’s current situation. For example, in the industrial age, many wanted to become engineers because engineers were needed and respected by society, and so many made it their life goal to become engineers to gain cash and prestige. In contemporary times, many want to become doctors or lawyers for the same reason; society looks up to these professions and so many decide they want to go into medical or law school. Or if a child comes from a family from a long history of a profession, a soldier for example, chances are he’ll aspire to join the family profession, simply because both his family and the neighbourhood expect him to. There’s no escaping the fact that society shapes the mindsets of the young; and this includes what they expect and want to become in their very own future.

Then we take a look at perceived gender roles in our modern society. Men have it easy; society really doesn’t care what they become. Business and economics, law, science; society doesn’t impose any expectations, except the prerequisite of success, which is imposed upon everyone. Our culture requires individuals to succeed in whatever profession they choose so they can contribute to society, and this is all they require of men, to succeed, support their families, and bring home the bacon in whatever profession they choose.

However, modern feminism has complicated things for women. Women’s traditional roles still hold, being ingrained in humanity for too long to be extricated. We still expect women to find the perfect husband, to settle down and be the homemaker, and to take care of the adorable children. We expect them to take care of most of the domestic problems, while men take care of the cash. Yet, feminist movements have ensured that society allows women to go into any profession they choose as well; they now have the freedom to choose any profession they like (albeit with a little unavoidable gender bias in a few professions), to supplement a household’s income, and to exert their individuality in society.

And with the freedom of choice, comes indecision.

Women now have to decide against two varying, contrasting goals; do they stay at home as the domestic, stable homemaker, or do they expound upon their professional lives, trying to earn their own living? Both are equally honourable and give equal recognition, and earn a woman her place in society. Yet, the two paths are absolutely different, both in goal and in methodology. A domestic woman has to focus on finding the right guy, focus on improving her domestic skills, and focus on a happy family life spent with her children. A professional woman has to focus on improving her skills, improving her standing in her workplace, and clawing her way up the corporate ladder. Both require different skills and mindsets, and are totally different goals. And woe betide the woman who attempts to balance both; jack of all trades, master of none, and the result is usually satisfaction in neither her domestic or professional life.

So, what’s a woman to choose? She has so many decisions to make in life, compounded and complicated by the fact that she has to further choose between her domestic and professional life, unlike men who have only their professional life to consider first, with their domestic life a distant second. In traditional societies, the decision was simply to stay at home. In the revolutions of the industrial age, the decision was usually to forge a professional life. But now? Society gives equal recognition to both the domestic and professional woman, and this starts the whole confusion.

To choose a calm domestic life, or to choose a professional life? That is the question for modern women, one that rages on in their minds all the time, one that causes them to second guess all their decisions, thinking “would my life be better if I had gone down the other path?” It causes them to consider the ultimate question of all: Do I really know what I want?