Sexism goes both ways + My 2c on Gaza
January 4th, 2009Sexism goes both ways, folks. I keep hearing over and over about how bad women have it. I won’t argue that. There is plenty of misogyny out there. There are a lot of backwards attitudes that women have to deal with. I agree. I’m not arguing that. Blah blah blah.
But what people don’t realize is that there’s just as much anti-male sexism. Take Hollywood for example. Male on female violence is a horrible thing in Hollywood (as it should be). However, female on male violence is comedy.
Another example - women already live eight years longer than men. Men know this, and accept it. It’s part of being a man - you will die before your spouse so you plan accordingly and make sure she’ll be taken care of when you’re dead. That’s something we accept.
Food companies don’t help. They fortify food for women. Like cold cereal - you know how hard it is to find a box of cereal that doesn’t have tons of iron? Geez, iron is bad news for men. Don’t believe me? Why do you think there is zero iron in Men’s Vitamins?
We already live eight years shorter than women. Why speed it up?
You can already guess my two cents on Gaza. Once again, I bring you the great Zombiesladamus, the one with powers to tell the future. One hundred years from now, there will be fighting in the Middle East. Two hundred years from now, there will be fighting in the Middle East. One thousand years ago, there was fighting in the Middle East. Two thousand years ago, there was fighting in the Middle East. There will always be fighting in the Middle East.
Why? Because there are too many people for too few resources. Ever been there? You will notice people everywhere, no trees, lots of sand, no water. That’s what the fighting is all about, folks. Pink Floyd sang “with, without, and after all isn’t that what the fighting’s all about?” for a reason. They get it.
There was some lady in Gaza telling the reporter that five of her seven daughters were killed by the Israelis. Now, that sucks big time and I feel bad for her, don’t get me wrong. But you also have to think “what the heck were you thinking having seven kids?” There’s your answer to why they’re always fighting.
Religion is just the excuse. If they were all the same religion, they’ll fight about race. If they were all the same religion and race, they’d fight about ethnicity, or language, or something else. Believe me, they’ll find something to fight about.
The US should take no stand one way or another and should send no monetary support to ANY side. We have enough problems here at home to deal with.
I agree with you about gender in part. You example about violence is a good one - and it’s true. However, I think it has more to do with wanting to maintain cultural gender norms. That’s also why gay men are funny clowns and lesbians are “hot” - funny makes it less socially threatening. To actually take seriously that there ARE men who are abused by women dredges up all kinds of assumptions about those men - how maybe they’re not “real” men or maybe they’re “sissies”. So if you make it funny, it offsets the problem. So in a mouthful - I agree that both men and women are constrained by what society tells them is the ideal male/female dynamic.
I wonder, why are some conservatives more reasonable than others?? I only ask because I’m in this argument with some douchebag on facebook and he’s one of those “if you don’t agree with me, because I know it all, then you’re an idiot” dittoheads. Where do those guys come from and can we close down that factory?
I agree with you on the gender part. Laura also makes some good points.
Gaza - It’s just such a waste. I really wish there could be peace.
I agree too many people are fighting over too few resources in the Middle East, but in their minds, their religion justifies the killings. I’ve even heard American Christians say we need to help Israel because it’s written in the Bible that it’s their land. Our battle isn’t over there; it’s trying to rebuild our own nation.
i’m not getting involved in the middle east thing other than to say yes…there will ALWAYS be fighting there.
as for the male bashing. i totally agree. i am so thankful for the women who went before me and helped create a society in which women have gained more respect and greater freedom. but i don’t want that to translate into men being torn down. i disagree with those who think it’s now ok to beat down men as some sort of retribution. i have not only daughters to raise but i have a son to nurture to maturity. both my daughters and my son need to grow up with respect and opportunity.
zs-
ahhhh… caught up on your blog via the google reader. It’s true, about snobbishness. I had just finished telling the shuttle driver (here’s a person who should expect to be “laid off”, there aren’t that many of us who take the shuttle and we can take the VTA … ehoh…) anywya, I just finished telling the shuttle driver why I QUIT college in the first place and she /literally/ 1 minute later, even though she seemed to comprehend what I said and possibly agree with it, said: “you should go back; how long has it been?”
F**K YOU folks: it’s a goddamn lie, it’s a myth. it’s a culturally supported, business-friendly myth, but it’s a MYTH. ALL OF IT:
You don’t “need” college. You NEED to know how to read and apply that to actual, I don’t know, BOOKS. If you know how to read and know where your damn library is, dude.
You don’t need to pay some prick thousands of dollars for a damn book reading f**kin’ list! And you most CERTAINLY don’t need to pay them to force you to sit in a room with a bunch of dickheads who don’t want to be there who think they’re just like you. The reason I quit, well, one of them, was precisely that: all those rich pretentious people who didn’t need college, even if you believe the myth. Do some research, folks: tons of companies that aren’t failing, have CEOs and etc without college degrees.
*sorry, get a little riled up*
talk to ya soon zs.
-r
-=-
Laura - I don’t care what people believe, but when someone thinks they have all the right answers, I walk away slowly. If they resemble me in any way, that’s not a good thing because it makes me look bad.
Miladysa - There never will be until people start using birth control for enough generations that the population declines to the point of natural resources catching up. Malthus was right.
Skeletor - If they were fed as well as they bred, there would be peace. But they breed more than they feed, so they’re all killing each other. People with food in their stomach don’t blow themselves up for stupid causes.
Lime - Yes, so you know this first hand. I wish what’s best for both your daughters AND your son. I want them both to have opportunity. I’m very much against retribution because all that does is continue the cycle.
Savage - Yeah, I’m not too crazy about college Nazis. Sure, I got my degree, but so what? Does it make me smarter than someone who doesn’t have a degree? No.
I got to tell you this story. I used to roadie for a band. Was friends with the bassist. One day, he complained that he “wasn’t that smart.” I said, what are you talking about? You can fix motorcycles and make a head shot at 200 meters without a scope. That’s smarter than any engineer I work with.”
I think he got what I was talking about. Intelligence is perspective. I like practical intelligence. Someone who can pay their bills, has a high credit score, can skin and gut an animal, and can change their tires.
Hahaha Excellent post, both of them. Made me laugh to tears. Still not feeling sympathetic towards your good cause of male sexism though, sorry, a tad cynical
However in all seriousness about Gaza, you’re right US/UK/France and other super powers should not take a stand and mind their own freaking business, they have got bigger issues at home. Sarkozi and Brown are pressured to take a stand here, I say charity starts at home and right now these super powers are in deep sh*t and should really be focussing on their own problems.
Yeah… I realized way too late that this guy wasn’t gonna back down, so I ended up asking him why he’s acting like a douchebag and left it at that… Not my most mature moment, but whatever…
“Someone who can pay their bills, has a high credit score, can skin and gut an animal, and can change their tires.”
COOL! According to your standards, I’m a genius! ;P
I not only gut, but I butcher and cook what I kill too. I can also gap a spark plug, build a wall, knit a sweater, and sew just about anything you’d need. Unfortunately, I think that my skill set will be coming in extremely handy in the next few years.
Hi there. Mailed the Scruchies today.. Anyway I never knew we were suppose to live 8 years longer.. LOL.. Who is this GAZA guy here?? Never heard of him…
Laura, I have the same problem with anyone I argue politics with. If they can’t beat you with ideas then they resort to intellectual superiority. It’s not limited to conservatism, I promise you. An example: “I won’t argue foreign policy with you unless you can tell me who Neville Chamberlain was and you can detail to me the mistakes he made.” Or, “I’ve actually read Al Queda’s mission statement, have you?”
I see similarities in what you, Zombie, are saying about men vs. women in being black vs. white. There is a host of constraints put on a white person that are designed to keep us feeling guilty for the sins of our predecessors, which to me feels like racism. I’m white, and as such there are things I cannot say or suggest because I cannot possibly understand. It takes a Bill Cosby to stand up and say that America offers opportunity to everyone; all it takes is to stop feeling sorry for oneself and stop playing the victim. There are plenty of real victims of racism, but there are plenty who imagine it, and others who project onto me things that simply aren’t there.
Interesting Post Zombie.
Back home men do say that they are the underprivileged one… hehe, its funny but true in some cases.
And i agree with your second point. US should live the Middle East to solve their own problems and get out of the mess they have dragged themselves into.
Laura, I know some conservatives are like that but trust me, so are LOTS of liberals are too. Anyone who can’t carry on a reasonable rational conversation without resorting to invective and insult isn’t worth talking to. I have left several blogs that I used to read on comment on regularly becasue I wasn’t willing to put up with that kind of crap.
yes that’s true they’ll fight over anything.
Why is iron bad for men? All blood carries iron, so I assume men need some, too. Not being a smart ass (as I usually am), just wondering.
I agree with your points and Laura’s re: female abuse of men. It’s not funny nor is male breast cancer.
Gaza - I was watching the Daily Show the other day and Jon Stewart was talking to David Gregory (who is apparently Jewish) and they were both saying how it’s ridiculous that everybody (Dems & Repubs) take the Israeli side. Of course, they’re the only ones who can say it because any non-Jew would immediately be called anti-Semitic.
I think your point re: resources is valid, because I live in Dearborn and Jews and Middle Easterners manage to live in harmony. Same as Catholics and Protestants outside Northern Ireland. Intriguing, isn’t it?
Kathleen: You can overdose on iron though, if you get too much. It’s not that men don’t need iron, it’s just that women need iron supplements because we, erm, well… lose a lot of blood once a month…
I agree with your stand on Gaza. As for sexism, you have a point but I have been victim if doing the same job as a man and got paid less.
Helen - I say charity starts at home and right now these super powers are in deep sh*t and should really be focussing on their own problems.
Couldn’t have said it any better myself.
Laura - There are all kinds out there. I’ve seen them on all sides of the political spectrum though.
Tshsmom - You’ll survive the upcoming zombie plague fo shizzle.
Tweety - It’s a very small section in the Middle East where surprise, surprise, people are killing each other.
Scott - Very well said. That’s a great topic for a new post right there.
Tchoden - Agreed.
Exmi - Yeah. I’ve only blocked two people from my blog and they’re both left-wing whackos. Well, one was senile so it really has nothing to do with politics though. The other contributed absolutely nothing, just threw tantrums.
Kate - Yup.
Kathleen - Men get all the iron they need from regular food. Too much and it’s absolute hell on our stomachs. Increases the risk of digestive track cancers as well.
And yeah, any criticism of Israel, you’re an anti-Semite. Unless you’re Jewish. Me? I just want out completely. No sides. Just out. I simply hate throwing away my tax money.
Laura - Heh. Yup. Also though read what I said to Kathleen. It’s pretty bad for men.
Yoga - Oh, fo shizzle. I’m just saying it goes both ways. Not at all denying that women have to put up with crap (like that is a perfect example).
Of course we don’t like war, we don’t like to see people dying, especially because of war, but hey people do dye one day or another, why are we immersed in that particularly war? as you say they have been fighting and will fight forever, because of race, politics, religion, whatever, I’m simply fed up, I think that the world, the media have always something intelligent to say about it, they are even able to talk and write lenghtly about this speial war, it is a good opportunity for them to do their job.
Hold on, we also have our own beautiful life, I don’t want to hear anymore about the world miseries, stop there, I listen to my innerself, and watch around me how life can be beautiful too.
previous comment is not from helen but her mum’s, cannot change the name sorry. Helen is busy at the moment with her brand new daughter born yesterday, she tells us how life is beautiful.
Have you ever noticed on TV sitcoms how the working men of the family are portrayed as bumbling idiots.
Married With Children
Simpsons
Family Guy
King of Queens
I could go on…
Gaza… all I can do is shake my head. I know the Palestinians want their land back, but too bad. They rebelled against the Ottoman Empire, what did they expect to happen, a nice reward from Europe? Israel is their gift, they need to accept it.
Zombieslayer, we agree as usual. I was one of those females who was considered to be a weirdo at the time. That being said, being ‘pro’ one thing does not mean having to be ‘anti’ anything else. I hate male bashing also. It’s just as sexist as the anti female stuff of decades past.
You’re also right about bigotry in general IMHO. Zimbardo proved that making all things equal, human beings will discriminate on the basis of eye color, hair length/color/whatever. It’s weird, dumb and surely we can do better?
2 weeks!
Post something!
I am starting to think the Zombies took away ZS’s keyboard.. lol.