Lets take it as a given that they have a reason to organize (I'm sure that there are people reading this who think they don't, but just stick with me for a moment). Have men EVER successfully organized as a gender to do ANYTHING? I'm not asking if they have the skillset - because clearly they DO. Anybody who has watched the military in operation knows that men can operate an organization completely without female help. Can they organize for the sake of representing MEN - or is the idea of representing their gender so fractious that it just can't happen? Does the idea that men might have interests that separate them women and therefore needs that are different from women and therefore require them to take action without women standing behind them saying "Go men!" - is that possible? I'm not even saying something that women are against - just something that women aren't having any opinion about one way or the other. Let's say that men all of a sudden find it crucially important that jock straps no longer come in pink. Could they actually organize a boycott? Yes, I'm serious. I've seen a lot of typing here - but the only thing I've seen outside of furious typing was the ncfm's attempt to get Selective Service to include women, and frankly, it was a pretty half hearted attempt. OK, "The F'Bomb" even if you DO believe in the concept of "The Patriarchy" (And I most assuredly don't), you cannot believe it is a conscious organization. Do you really think such an organization would have the average boy reading 2 grade levels behind the avearge girl in US schools, 60% of our Universities being women, etc etc? Really? Seriously? You are either kidding or so indoctrinated by some women's studies class as to be a danger to yourself and society. Woody Blue, I'm not talking about shoulder crying parties, I'm talking about getting laws changed. OK, "Common sense", I can see where not making gender an issue in a lot of places where women have might make sense, but when you start to see kids education fall apart, surely there is a line being crossed. When you start to see guys having their lives destroyed by false accusations which when uncovered the false accuser does not suffer any penalty, there is a line being crossed. I see your "Don't sweat the small stuff" argument, but it's not all small stuff. Is there nothing worth getting worked up over?
Best Answer:
♥Glinda♥ at 12 May,2013
I'm sure men can. Yes, military is a good example of this, but you say you are looking for an example of men organizing for the sake of men themselves. Gay men organize very well, have done demonstrations, have changed laws to their benefit and inclusion, so it can be done. I do look at the MRA website now and then (www.avoiceformen.com), and they do have a lot to say. They do have valid points that can be made. The question is, why don't they organize into protests, marches, signing petitions, boycotts, changing child custody laws, whatever it is that they want changed. If you look at the schedule for the MRM, it shows event after event that has been scheduled, but cancelled due to no-shows. Why aren't men showing up for these causes? Maybe they are concerned they will appear to be whiny or people will judge them in a harsh manner if they stand up for what they believe in, things that benefit them. I typed a lot, but my end conclusion is...I don't know.
Other Answers:
- They have for centuries upon centuries to oppress women. It's called patriarchy.
- yes
- we dont cry on each others shoulders in feel good circles like women tend to, patting each other on the back for being the same gender.
Nor would we have any interest in lowering ourselves to that.
Women really need to gather some collective self respect and stop doing that. The MRM will never become anything even remotely resembling feminism.
* change laws, yeah sure - one thing you wont catch us doing is having meeting groups where we get together to discuss how we feel about our private parts. haha .. feminists are funny.
We wont have MALE film festivals - where the audience are told "all women get out now - this is for MEN only " .. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/asking-men-to-leave-feminist-film
... *sigh* - god I hate feminists.. - I'm sure men can. Yes, military is a good example of this, but you say you are looking for an example of men organizing for the sake of men themselves.
Gay men organize very well, have done demonstrations, have changed laws to their benefit and inclusion, so it can be done.
I do look at the MRA website now and then (www.avoiceformen.com), and they do have a lot to say. They do have valid points that can be made. The question is, why don't they organize into protests, marches, signing petitions, boycotts, changing child custody laws, whatever it is that they want changed.
If you look at the schedule for the MRM, it shows event after event that has been scheduled, but cancelled due to no-shows. Why aren't men showing up for these causes? Maybe they are concerned they will appear to be whiny or people will judge them in a harsh manner if they stand up for what they believe in, things that benefit them.
I typed a lot, but my end conclusion is...I don't know. - I'm sure there's the ability. But I think we've been socialized to defend only women and to think men's problems are unimportant. So maybe men don't have the capacity to organize for our gender right now just because of socialization.
- Men are much more individualistic (wolf) whereas women are much more collective (herd)
Having said that, men at the very top have colluded to remain in power, not as a gender in the sense of the mythical 'patriarchy'. But the few families (male in leadership) who run the world do collude to keep things the way they are.
One of the most brilliant things they have done is create Feminism (see links). This has divided common women against their men. Their men who could have benefited from women's support to make change at the top, is now removed and traded for chump change. Women get to have jobs working for the man (they call it a career because it sounds much nicer), and the government and the police take care of their other needs. The common man is increasingly demotivated and this ensures no change in our present power structure. This was the same tactic used by slave owners who pitted the slave females against their own males.
Brilliant. - Obviously men can organize. It think the issue is that men don't want to make an issue out of gender the way feminists have.
Look at recreation opportunities for women and men in college for example. When athletics become 60% male, feminists want to make a huge issue of that. However, aerobics, pilates, yoga, etc. can be 85% women, and men for the most part don't care to complain about that.
I see this at work as well - The women in my department want to make gender an issue, they want to have their women's group. The men have no desire to have a mens' group.
I think overall, there's just a different mindset about wanting to focus on gender issues when it comes to men and women.
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