Sir, - The link I find between what Caroline Walsh says about the views of the Japanese-American academic Francis Fukuyama (Well & Good, October 6th) and my decision to vote for Derek Nally as our President may seem tenuous, but I suggest it is significant.
Fukuyama's overall point is that the more females liberate themselves via the Pill, their earnings, etc., from dependence on males, the more do they liberate males from obligations towards females. He could have added that, since secularism's eschatology says that what happens when we die is unaffected by how we behave towards others beforehand, males are now tempted to let females more or less look after themselves while males do likewise, rather irresponsibly.
That this male attitude is now developing strongly is evident all around us. The more, for example, that females move into the caring professions - teaching, nursing, counselling, social work, probation work, medicine and even law - the more do males divert into other areas. The more the priesthood is open to females, the more do males leave it to them.
Our Presidency is now enmeshed in that trend. Until Nally entered the race it looked as if we males were about to leave it to females. I suggest that another seven years of a female President would reinforce selfish, irresponsible behaviour among males, whereas a male President would do the opposite. It would put it up to us males generally to be contributors rather than bystanders. That is why I will vote for Nally. - Yours, etc.,
Sandford Road, Dublin 6.