Male Bashing

[Rollo Tomassi]

I know I'm starting a fire with this but I thought this would be a good jumping off point for discussion:

http://www.alternet.org/story/14954

Have a read here (it's not too long).

It just supports a point myself and a lot of other guys have been making,..

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Which is????

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

TV is for chicks.

Read the article, you'll understand.

 

[jprjrjr]

Originally posted by Francisco d'Anconia
Which is????

Which is that men are being portrayed as bumbling idiots in main stream media, and it's wrong. Can't you read?

 

[Gravyboat]

Rollo--this is an EXCELLENT topic you've brought up for discussion, and I couldn't agree more.

I started taking notice of the male-bashing media trend as far back as five or six years ago, when it suddenly seemed as though every commercial or sitcom featured a grown man who couldn't find his own underwear if his wife put a leash on him, led him to the top dresser drawer, and said "be a good boy and open this."

It's almost as though this male-bashing crusade is supposed be some sort of restitution for years of chauvanism and female oppression throughout general society. Like, all of a sudden we're supposed to feel guilty about some 1954 sitcom portrayal of a woman making dinner for her husband and his business associates. Meanwhile, that was the TRUTH back then.

Sure, gender roles have gotten a bit cloudier over the past twenty years, but give me a break. Men are still men and women are still women. We have complementary strengths and weaknesses (although you'd never know it with the snide, condescending way men are portrayed now.)

And talk about double-standards...if a woman says something to another woman like, "you have him well-trained," hilarity ensues. If a man says something to another man like, "you have her well-trained," it's misogyny.

No wonder so many guys walk around like they don't have testicles...that's what's being perpetuated.

I'm actually not nearly as bitter as this rant sounds--but I do find this trend rather annoying. People tend to drink the media's kool-aid, so this sort of thinking leaks out of Hollywood and into society.

Man--all this thinking made my brain hurt. I think I'm gonna call my girlfriend up, and after I tell her how much I miss her, ask if it would be okay for me to take two Advil. Of course, I might need her to come over and show me which bottle is the Advil, and which is the rat poison. I don't want to make a boo-boo.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by jprjrjr
Which is that men are being portrayed as bumbling idiots in main stream media, and it's wrong. Can't you read?

The article states several different opinions one of which was men's portrayal in the media.

Can't you comprehend?

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by Gravyboat
Rollo--this is an EXCELLENT topic you've brought up for discussion, and I couldn't agree more.

I started taking notice of the male-bashing media trend as far back as five or six years ago, when it suddenly seemed as though every commercial or sitcom featured a grown man who couldn't find his own underwear if his wife put a leash on him, led him to the top dresser drawer, and said "be a good boy and open this."

Have you guys ever considered any group that hasn't been bashed in the media? Face it, people generally enjoy the "us vs. them" entertainment that television gives us. Getting pissed off about it just because there are people who easily believe what they see is just as peculiar.

Ever consider how easy the media allows anyone who doesn't fit their mold stand out beyond what they depict? If you choose, spend time b1tching about the injustice of it all or use it to your advantage. One definitely takes more work however, the payoff is worth it.

 

[jprjrjr]

Originally posted by Francisco d'Anconia
The article states several different opinions one of which was men's portrayal in the media.

Can't you comprehend?

The article's main topic was the portrayal of men in television and media as buffoons. Brush up on your own comprehension skills.

 

[jprjrjr]

By the way, I just re-read the article, and ALL it talks about is how men are portrayed on TV, and the media in general. Where the hell do you see several different opinions?

 

[Julian]

Who cares?

We run the world anyway.

 

[Wyldfire]

This has been going on for years. I notice it all the time. The only way I can see to combat it is to keep track of the products using advertising practices that are demeaning to men and then boycotting those products. Write letters to men's rights groups to point it out, start online petitions and send them to the companies, etc.

Guys can complain about it all they want, but that isn't going to change it. If you want it to stop get off your butts and write some letters.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by jprjrjr
The article's main topic was the portrayal of men in television and media as buffoons. Brush up on your own comprehension skills.

From the article.. "Some feminists might argue that, for decades, women on tv looked mindless, and that turnabout is fair play."

This still happens today but no one makes any mention of it

And another viewpoint.. "Then, during the "sexual revolution," tv began to feature independent women who could take care of themselves (Mary and Rhoda on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Julia, Alice and Flo on Alice, Louise and Florence on The Jeffersons)."

Not feminism but portraying women as competent enough to do more than just raise children.

So there it is for you jp, or would you like for me to have someone actually read it for you?

 

[DJStudent]

This is definately an interesting topic, one of which I have closely noticed over the past few years. I don't know about you guys but when ever I talk to a girl that happens to be a feminist, they really see guys in the same light as the article was describing. Like I hear them talk about how injustice everything still is and all that good stuff.

Now I'm not saying all the feminist are like that buy a the majority I've encounter seems to be like that. What's funny is that they don't see nothing wrong with bashing men, although they become indignant when it comes to men talking down about women. What's even funnier is that a few of them agrues adamantly that the social stereotype is true otherwise why would they be showing that point of view.

Instead of fighting this stereotype of male bashing I have use it to my advantage. To be honest, I get away with more things using this stereotype as a guy. Also because this is a stereotype (which means a representation of the majority) I stand out more because I am not a stumble idiot who always goes yes, maam.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by DJStudent
...Instead of fighting this stereotype of male bashing I have use it to my advantage. To be honest, I get away with more things using this stereotype as a guy. Also because this is a stereotype (which means a representation of the majority) I stand out more because I am not a stumble idiot who always goes yes, maam.

This is exactly what I said. Why worry about fitting into the generalizations, especially if they are (mostly) false?

 

[flyinshark]

I also noticed this male bashing thing. I live in Quebec, and the number of feminist women here is pretty impressive, hence a lot of male bashing.

I heard about women that go as far as being disapointed if they have a baby boy when they give birth. Now when some people think like this, it's because the thing has gone pretty far.

I am not feeling personally attacked, but i feel sorry for many of those weak young guys that i see growing up in this feminist society. They are put down by their own parents (moms especially) from a tender age, so no wonder they become AFC's in their teenage years and young adulthood.

All this while girls are educated in a very different way. They are always told that they are strong, they can do whatever they want, they are princeses, etc... U know the add for mascara or whatever it is where they go "BECAUSE U'RE WORTH IT". Well, you have that and so many more tv thinggies that encourage women and discourage men.

I see nothing wrong in encouraging women to be stronger and stuff, but the LACK of similar encouragement for GUYS disapoints me. I dont think it's fair.

 

[penguin]

What's sad is that males run most of these things. In many cases, men have the authority in these situations. But you know what, they really don't care as long as their advertising/programs etc. work and are popular.

Femnists and every other pansy-man pipe up when they see anything resembling this kind of thing towards women, but guys generally aren't as fussy when they are targeted.

Too busy doing other things to worry about all the woman-drama associated with complaining etc etc.

If the media wants that kind of TV viewing etc. (for example, to get a laugh), they're going to choose the gender who are less likely to ***** and moan about it (i.e. males)

In the end though it doesn't matter. If someone is going to straight off treat you like the typically portrayed male in the media, we all know to not take any disrespect. You are who you are, regardless of what women think.

 

[jprjrjr]

Originally posted by Francisco d'Anconia
From the article.. "Some feminists might argue that, for decades, women on tv looked mindless, and that turnabout is fair play."

This still happens today but no one makes any mention of it

And another viewpoint.. "Then, during the "sexual revolution," tv began to feature independent women who could take care of themselves (Mary and Rhoda on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Julia, Alice and Flo on Alice, Louise and Florence on The Jeffersons)."

Not feminism but portraying women as competent enough to do more than just raise children.

So there it is for you jp, or would you like for me to have someone actually read it for you?

What you just quoted correlates DIRECTLY to what the article was about...MALE BASHING. If you can't keep up with the flow of an article..don't ask me if I need someone to read it for me....

You're basically saying you couldn't ascertain the crux of the article? Dumb ass....

 

[jprjrjr]

It's funny. Everyone else knew what the guy was referring to except you, and you question my comprehension?......

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Originally posted by jprjrjr
You're basically saying you couldn't ascertain the crux of the article? Dumb ass....

Along with your comprehension ability, you level of elocution amuses me....

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

Is there a supply because there is a demand or is the supply creating the deamand?

I'd certainly agree that men are probably the final OK in sitcoms like this or commercials like that, but you have to understand the complex chain that goes into creating a show or commercial. People have to write it, people have to shoot it, people have to edit it, people have to act in it, people have to watch it and approve of it and other things like it for there to be a demand for it. Shows like Sex & the City, Desperate Housewives, Everybody loves Raymond, etc. are all results of this process, but they all follow the same formula - men (by virtue of being men) are flawed and require women (by virtue of being women) to correct their flaws. I would challenge any guy on this board to present an example of a positive, confident and capable masculine character on any primetime TV show currently running. Every last one is emasculated and/or ridiculed for any behavior even resembling a masculine trait.

By any demographic, women are the primary consumers in western culture, anything that increases their viewship and spending will be promoted commercially. The only thing left on TV for men is sports and we need special cable channel just for that.