By the sweat of one's brow...or bro?

Ah, the power of the female mind! No offense, guys. But it stands to reason that one should be suitably impressed by someone who asked "How can a rational being be ennobled by any thing that is not obtained by its own exertions?" Mary Wollstonecraft asked this question, as I'm sure you know, and dared the women of her time to answer it for themselves. It was a bold move in 1792, but I think it is a question that, for all intents and purposes, seems timeless. What is she really asking here? Is it specific to women? Is the notion of a "rational being" limited to one sex or the other? No need to be politically correct here, it is far better to say what you really think. Just be sure to qualify your answer with relavant examples, either textual or personal. (300 words/35pts)

Aphorisms R Us

Our old pal Henry David Thoreau said, "Men have become the tools of their tools." Now, this quote was written way back in 1860 before tools such as cell phones, the internet, iPods or PDAs were even a glimmer in Steve Jobs' eyes. How much relevance does this pithy little declaration hold in these modern times? What do you think it means? What did it mean to him? What does it mean to you? (250 words/25pts)