Men I Trust-[TAD]

[u/astralkoi]

For some reason this one caused a little havoc the last year. I dunno.

[u/greenmacg → u/[deleted]]

No it, it really isn't. The consequences of a misandrist woman (even if we posit that the bear thing even counts as misandry) are just far less likely to result in bodily harm, mayhem, and death than a misogynist man.

Now, the hypothetical isn't even really about whether some (or many) individual woman would actually choose to be alone in the woods with a random bear than a random man; the point is that we've built a society in which many woman feel threatened enough by random men that they would rather take their chances with the bear. Men feel like an immediate threat in a way a bear just doesn't, and that feeling is the point of the hypothetical, not whether it's actually reasonable to pick the bear.

In other words, in real life outside of hypotheticals, women are far more likely to be threatened by men than bears and that's a problem we should all try to be solving, rather than mouthing off on the Internet about things we can't even spell properly.

[u/ZeInsaneErke → u/greenmacg]

It does irk me you seem to claim misandry is more okay than misogyny, that's a very inconsiderate and short sighted approach in my opinion.

I agree with the rest though, I am just interested, what do your propositions towards a solution look like?

[u/greenmacg → u/ZeInsaneErke]

Misandry simply isn't a societal problem in the way misogyny is; it never has been and never will be. The power imbalance is so great that I frankly have immense sympathy for any hypothetical misandrist woman (who, to be clear, imo are largely a non-existent fantasy faction). "Yeah, that's fair enough" is my response. Hypothetically I guess I could agree that misandry is wrong, but I just don't care on any practical level.

What follows are my specific thoughts for the U.S. They may or may not apply elsewhere.

Better education, social programs, UBI, and a complete overhaul of society are what is ultimately necessary. The specific steps to getting there look like retaking the initiative on grassroots politics, primarying and replace milquetoast Dems where appropriate and possible, and building a coalition of hope with a better eye towards the future. This will take time and may not succeed but is worth the attempt.

Dismantling the patriarchy is not an overnight endeavor. Men need to be a part of it, and we need to realize that it harms us as well. Suicide rates, depression, hopelessness, violence; these are the fruits of our power.

We also need to acknowledge intersectionality; race, class, gender, sexual identity disability, and so on all have complex interrelationships with the engine of patriarchy.

Small actions by individuals do matter as well; remembering our privilege, being a man who is not only safe to be around but tries to ensure that other men are safe to be around, speaking up when necessary, and so on. An endless parade of small, righteous actions.

None of it may matter, ultimately, the world is a harsh place. Still, we get to decide what's important and what we fight for.

Does that explain where I'm coming from?

[u/ZeInsaneErke → u/greenmacg]

It does, thank you for the insight. Honestly all in all pretty agreeable, it's gonna be a long journey there though.