Tags
ADHD, boys, discrimination, feminism, feminist, gender, gender neutral, good men, leftist, psychology-pharmacology complex, radical feminist, woman, women, women's rights, zero tolerance
A friend I respect shared this article recently as something worth thinking about. She understands (at least I hope she does) that I can be passionately for or against something without it reflecting one iota on how I feel about the person sharing it. And the bottom line is – and this is a lesson for ALL of us – if someone we truly respect holds a position or shares information, regardless of our visceral and immediate reaction, there is probably something worth considering there. I won’t be talking about that here in this post, however (grin.)
The article makes some pretty bold claims. When I read it, my cheeks grew very, VERY hot. Not only does the author believe (furtively suggests) that women have MORE power and opportunity than men (a ridiculous supposition), I felt he was placing the blame squarely on the shoulders of the “women’s movement” with a side helping of “liberals are ruining our white, male-dominated country” and a sprinkle of “without boys in charge our country is headed down the toilet.”
Here are some of the author’s words:
“American society, perhaps as an unintended consequence of our 1960-1980s frenzy of ‘women’s rights,’ is leaving boys behind.”
– Really? PERHAPS unintended?! Is he suggesting maybe THAT was the intent all along? Is he proselytising that women and the men who supported their rights to equality had an ulterior motive – to tear down men? Was it really a “frenzy”, a state of violent mental agitation or wild excitement, a temporary madness or delirium, a mania, a craze? And here I grew up thinking that society had evolved to appreciate that women might just have something to add to the mix other than changing diapers, putting dinner on the table, and folding socks (not that those are bad things.) But according to this guy, I really should think about checking myself into a mental institution or at the very least seeking professional help. I wonder how much he charges per hour?
“A decline in birth rates, especially among the most educated and most wealthy sector of society, bodes ill for our nation’s prospects of remaining the envy of the world.”
– And women are accused of being vain and shallow. Is he worried about boys or about bragging rights? Again, under the surface of this “woe to us wretched, intelligent, white (wealthy) men” dirge is an envious and accusatory finger pointed at the “liberated women” who are not popping out enough babies for these pompous, privileged, and pampered male lords. I also believe it is a poke at poor, dumb minorities who are apparently having way too many babies.
“But men should be what good men by nature are, not what a radical-feminist gender-neutral zero-tolerance ADHD-overdiagnosing X-box addled society is turning the next generation of males into.”
– What are good men by nature? It would have been helpful to know what he envisioned. I think I have a pretty good idea, though. I picture the Taliban or perhaps America pre-1920s. Whatever country or society or era you place in that blank, it will be one where men are dominant, not necessarily in numbers, intelligence, work ethic, capability, wisdom or even force, but in access to power, privilege and wealth; strictly because they are men. Don’t be misled that I am putting all men in this category; just the whiny, bitter ones.
“Through an overzealous feminism which abandoned boys in a supposed effort to boost girls, through political correctness, a leftist educational establishment, and a horribly damaging-to-boys psychology-pharmacology complex, America has created a functional analog to China’s demographic problem.”
– Again the “overzealous feminism”?! This man is a broken record. A SUPPOSED effort to boost girls? SUPPOSED?! How condescending, sir. I have a daughter-do you? I want my daughter to be taught math and science, not as a mandate, but because educators truly believe she is capable of learning and employing the concepts. I want my daughter to have the opportunity to be all that she can be whether that is a stay-at-home mom or a kick-butt sniper in Afghanistan. If that makes me overzealous, then so be it!
Further, the author seems to ignore the fact that the psychology-pharmacology complex is by-and-large still a “good ole boy” establishment. Men, with the same world view as this author apparently embraces, do not have a problem foisting Gardasil and vaginal ultrasounds upon young girls and women. Where is the outrage in those cases?
Even the evil, liberal educational establishment is overwhelmingly controlled by men; men who hold most of the positions of power and make most of the educational decisions despite the fact that the majority of teachers are women.
And, really – comparing boys in America to baby girls in China who are dashed upon the rocks or who have their fully formed brains Vitamixed inside their skulls is a STREEEEEEETTTTTTTTCCCCCCH and, quite frankly, it sickens me!
“But the primary blame for these boys not living up to their potential does not lie with the boys themselves. It takes a truly unusual person to escape by his own efforts the educational and cultural quicksand into which so many American boys are being casually tossed.”
– Well, well, well….finally something about which I can almost agree with the author. It truly IS almost impossible for someone on their OWN EFFORTS to pull themselves out of oppression when those who control society have them under their boot heel. The irony is that as women and minorities have been trying to point this out for years, those in “power” (code word: men) have been telling us it is all in our heads, it is a fabrication of the liberal media, that we have the same opportunities as white men, and that all we need to do is stop our whining, put on our big girl panties, suck it up and get to work. If we do all that, then we’ll enjoy the same privilege and pay as white men. However, in secret, they really don’t believe we ARE equal or that we DO have the same capabilities as men or that we DESERVE equal pay and opportunities.
I have some final thoughts on this issue. I believe that men of the old guard are making excuses for future men and they are trying to hang the albatross of blame around the necks of women, minorities, and liberals. In so doing, they are telling boys that they do not have a chance of success so they should give up trying (women of the old guard are familiar with this negative self speak and its self-fulfilling damaging effects.) Children hear AND believe this HOGWASH! Is it any wonder that boys are playing a bunch of video games and many of them end up bitter and angry before they age-out of puberty? Should we be surprised that some of them wind up taking out their frustration with guns or just decide to spend the rest of their lives in their parents’ basements playing Grand Theft Auto, Carmeggedon and Gears of War?
Hey, I have a suggestion. Let’s aim for a “real” gender (and ethnic) neutral educational and employment culture. Perhaps then there will be no excuses, no finger pointing, and no reason for grumpy old white men to stir up the pot trying to pit their sons against their mothers and sisters.