Response to Feminist Protest Art(?)

OK, lot’s of comments to address. Now that the kids are off to bed, I have a tiny bit of time to take it all in and do my best to respond.

First of all Sailor Mars, it’s  hilarious that you think I’d post anonymously on my own blog. It’s an anonymous blog. So, you don’t think I’d post with my pseudonym? Or, do you think I’m the only crazy man walking this earth who actually challenges feminist bullshit? See, I work during the day. I don't have time to spout nonsense over at tumblr all day. I have what are called responsibilities - work, family - and I take them very seriously. Something I also take seriously is my responsibility as a citizen of a democracy. I know that the vast majority of people are willing to ignore people like you and all politics in general, but I'm not the vast majority. I see the damage that delusional people like you can cause and I'm willing to stand up to it.

So now I'm a Sailor Basher? Really laughing now. Let's see the replay. First, Sailor Venus came and called me "a fucking joke." I thought that was rather childish, so I responded in kind and she went away. Then Sailor Mercury had an equally mature comeback. So, I called my son's favorite cartoon character, Pikachu to come and lay some battle moves down. I guess that did her in and she's no longer able to battle. Then you come in with some serious shaming language and a accusation of hiding from an "authority" figure. I just got a chill, is the Kremlin involved now?

Also, DO YOU KNOW what catcalling even *IS*?
Oh. Oh. Oh. I know this one. Cat-calling is a tool of the Patriarchy used to subjugate women and let them know their place. It is not a call for sex, because women never, ever, ever respond in a positive way. All women are fearful of being cat called because it poses a threat and leads to rape.
Am I close?
I know you don't like having anything explained to you, so, for the rest of the readers (I know, I have readers now!) I'll provide an alternative opinion. You can just shuffle on back to your studio and collect those worthless credits.
Cat-calling is a low-class (sometimes demeaning) way of getting attention from women. It can work on certain women who like the attention from aggressive males. Most women are turned off, because it speaks to the low-class nature of the cat-caller. So, the cat-caller risks ever having a relationship whatsoever with a girl, even an embarrassing rebuke, if she doesn't like it, but since there are so many women and so many different kinds, he eventually finds success enough to continue the practice. It is all part of the mating ritual embedded in human nature.
Cat-calling can always be considered rude, however, it is seen as less inappropriate in certain circumstances, such as "clubbing" streets frequented by people in the "hook-up" culture during the club hours. In this circumstance, the street is considered a more dangerous extension of the clubs where people often go to meet people.
Recently, feminism has vilified most expressions of male sexuality and painted catcalling as nearly as bad as rape. The basis for the belief is Patriarchy Theory which states that rape and catcalling are part of a "rape culture." In this rape culture, rape and cat calling is supposedly about power, not sex. The culture allows and even encourages rape as a tool to keep the male position of power over women. However, if this were true, then there are a lot of rapists in jail wondering why society asked them to go around raping women and then betrayed them by throwing them in jail. Rape has always been illegal. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to prove in a court of law. Feminism, has used the fact that not all rape accusations (even false ones) result in convictions to support it's theory - preposterous.

Anonymous (Dear Pete Smith),
Thanks for putting it clearly and concisely. But, you know that the signs aren't sexist against men, don't you? The signs are cis-sexist. See, she doesn't want to rip Men's dicks off. She only wants to rip people who have dicks, dicks off. Not all people with dicks are men, so she's not being sexist against men... or something....
http://feministartdegree.tumblr.com/

S.Mars (again) < It's important to point out that such a test would only be effective if gender equality was present (spoiler alert: it isn't),

So, when women become the oppressors (as Mike has argued they are now), would it be OK to say hateful things toward them again? Is hate speech defined as speech from a oppressive group toward an oppressed group? Interesting. When we HAVE equality, THEN we can start treating people equally. Until then, hate away, right?

Now to the art professor Pete Smith:
I find your existence sad. Not that you're a painter or an art professor - I appreciate art as well as anyone. But, the fact that you encourage students to behave like this without trying to temper their hatred, words or actions with compassion. That you are using a publicly funded institution to spread this hate is disgusting. Not surprising, mind you. All of academia is infected with feminist theory these days.

I did not want all of this attention. I was actually reflecting on whether my mild pre-occupation with feminism and men's rights was an over-reaction. When I saw your student's posters, however, posters like those really justify the entire men's movement. You see, they prove that feminists do not get enough scrutiny. They expect that their ideas are just unquestionable. That is why I had to post the pictures.

Your last paragraph is funny really. It reminds me of my very first post here. Go and read it, I actually used the word patriarchal. I began writing because I was worried about a way of life. I wanted to examine that way of life and hopefully save it. I like it here (admission: I don't really live on a cul-de-sac, it's a crescent). I like my neighbours (who are not all white). I like that I can afford a house here with some grass around it and still have access to fields and facilities for my kids to enjoy sports, art and other activities. It's a struggle and I've always worked hard and sacrificed to be able to enjoy this lifestyle. I suffer for it. I know you may suffer for your art as well. I wish you well in that. You can live in the city, but the city runs because of people like me who work hard. I don't know why you feel such bitterness towards me and others like me. But, I ask you to please, please stop spreading it to the youth who look up to you.

Feminist Protest Art(?)

So, I was walking along a Toronto street last week when an interesting sign caught my eye. I immediately stopped and did a double take and noticed some more interesting signs in the street level window display.  I stood there reading the signs in disbelief.  I had never been so face to face with feminist misandry before (well, at least not since University).  The place appeared to be an artists studio with many work stations with drafting boards and art supplies.  I looked at some other visible stations and some displayed pieces of modern art, but this one was the only one that had political messages. 

I kicked myself for not carrying my smart phone with me, but, I was able to return the following day to snap some photos.  I'll let you judge what the messages mean.  I apologize for the glare, but the lights were out in the basement studio and it was a bright day outside. I did not want to stick around too long with this kind of mad person lurking.

This is the one that initially caught my eye.

 



This one is the most disturbing.  (Do NOT compliment this woman on her fashion sense).

In case you can't read the other photo.

 



A lot of  thoughts went through my head.  As a blogger, one that is loosely affiliated with the manosphere, I immediately planned to post the pictures here. I worried, however, that there was some danger in posting these.  What if this sparked a controversy?  It definitely would if a man was saying this about women.  Somehow, this woman feels justified in advocating aggravated sexual assaut, genital mutilation and humiliation for the "crime" of saying, "Hey, you're looking mighty fine."

I decided to email these to an MRA and see what she thought about it.  I have not had a response, so, here I am, posting about my experiences.

The wall was covered in posters.  It looked like a Slut Walk staging area.

Presumably, whoever is responsible, likely thinks of this entire display as "art". The pink punching bag, the baseball bat decorated with glittery stars.  But, anyone can stensil slogans on bristol board.  I guess it takes a feminist art degree to use a heart shape so ironically.

I am lucky that I got these photos when I did, because, the cat calling sign has been removed along with the Kill Your Rapist poster.  Who would have thought that it wasn't a good idea to display threats of murder and assault in a public window?  I don't know why they were taken down, maybe someone complained directly.  I thought of calling the Police myself.  Even though I am a staunch defender of free speech, the messages could be interpreted as an illegal threat.  Even though Canada has strong anti-hate-speech laws, it is hard to imagine that messages with an anti-rape theme would get called to a human rights tribunal, even though, this is the epitome of hate speech.  Besides, they don't look like they have a lot of money.

Today, the posters on the wall are different, but, in some ways, more hateful.

Oh, those awful nice guys are after you.

In a world where you can be arrested for being Shrodinger's Rapist (H/T Neckbeard Chronicles - adieu good sirs), how is one to interpret the messages displayed here, on a busy street with plenty of foot traffic?  When rape can defined as having sex with a woman who's had one drink too many, can this be considered a demand for a legal way to commit murder?

The fact the someone feels justified in making this display is a sign that feminist hatred of men has gone too far.  To the casual observer who might agree that rape justifies murder, if it can stop the rape, these signs might seem harmless or even funny.  To someone who follows the current thinking common and understands the nuances and double-speak, this is highly disturbing.

Links

NOTE: I'm trying to take my time with my longer posts make them more succinct and polished. When I drop them without publishing, I often never go back and finish, but I'm trying to change. So for now, here are a couple of links.


NYT: Why Men Fail, via MR: Why Women Succeed?

This theory has less to do with innate traits and more to do with social position. When there’s big social change, the people who were on the top of the old order are bound to cling to the old ways. The people who were on the bottom are bound to experience a burst of energy. They’re going to explore their new surroundings more enthusiastically.

What if the workplace (and schools) has been changed to favour women's traits and personlities and men have largely lost their enthusiasm.

Favorite comment by Jude HOWSEXSELLS Hammerle: 

In other words, men play DOMINATE like gorillas, while women play SUBMIT like chimps. Remember that chimps are much smarter than gorillas. --Jude Hammerle

This makes some sense, since men are still over-represented at the highest levels, while women are over represented at the more numerous positions where following orders is more of a requirement.



As a T-Ball coach, I thought I should mention the Washington Post article on Throwing Like a Girl.  Most people throw like girls unless they are taught, or have natural athleticism.  You can read my other thoughts on  GLP's post.

I'm Free

As I was walking down the train platform this afternoon, I couldn't help noticing the average people on the train are victims of the system and society for which they are working.  Commuters like me spend a great deal of their time working for a system - whether private concern or government - that has no interest in advancing their understanding of truth.  Each spot filled on the train, seating or standing, represents a specialized understanding of specialized information in order to perform a specialized role that enables their department to perform its intended function within the organization.

Beyond this special knowledge and skill, these people are at the mercy of government and other corporations to for information required to make crucial decisions what is best for their well being.

I began riding these trains about 8 years ago when I moved to the suburbs.  At that time, despite being much younger than the average rider, I felt rather average.  I didn't think of myself as over weight, but, I carried between 25-35 extra pounds.  It didn't matter if I was in a workout phase or not, I carried extra weigh, mostly around my waist. 

Fast forward to this afternoon, when I walked down the platform looking at my train-mates, I noticed that probably 2 out of 3 of them are where I was or worse.  I feel like the fortunate misfit because I've lost most of my stomach fat and I can lithely bounce up the steps and glide effortlessly down the platform while my former self would have struggled to keep pace.  I get comments, such as, "You're lucky" from people who don't realize that I've lost so much weight.  I shrug and say that it was easy to lose weight once I understood how.

I can't blame people for thinking that.  There truly are people who are lucky enough to stay skinny despite putting very little thought into how they eat.  I am not one.  Before discovering the manosphere and learning of the paleo/primal diet, I followed the conventional wisdom put forth by the system that I supported with my daily labours.  I ate whole grain cereal with soy milk and a banana for breakfast.  When the hunger came raging back in a couple of hours, I alleved it with whole grain oatmeal or whole wheat bread, fruit and yoghurt.  Lunch was left overs from the home-cooked meal the night before - usually meat with vegetables and rice.  It was what you called a balanced diet, although, I must admit, it was not low in fat.  I didn't worry, because my cholesterol readings were great and so was my blood pressure thanks to genetic predisposition.  But, the gut and all the extra weight remained, while friends stays rail thin eating burgers and fries for lunch almost every day.  Of course, many were more overweight than I was.  These people tried to tell me that the difference was all about how I ate and worked out.

Now that I know better, I feel like Tommy from the rock opera by The Who (I'm Roger Daltry sprinting down the beach while people mindlessly stare out of their cars with sunglasses):

If I told you how to reach the highest high
You'd laugh and say nothing's that simple.
But you've been told many times before
Messiahs pointed to the door
No one had the guts to leave the temple
 

Like the character Tommy, I feel this urge to spread the news I've discovered.  I stare at the people who share my car with their varying states of overweight and know that I can't reach them.  They could feel as good as I do, but they're victims of the system that asks for them to devote all of their time and considerable brain power to performing their duty.  Nobody is challenged to take time to read blogs or volumous books like Taubes' Good Calories Bad Calories to understand how the messages that conventional wisdom are misleading them.  One person actually said when I explained the basics, she felt like I was asking her to change religion.  I acknowledged the similarities and said that the proponents of conventional wisdom are like blind followers and can't see the problem because they are part of it.  Overall, I try to temper my enthusiasm so I don't sound like a preacher.  I just say things like, "Yeah, I don't need that bagel, because I had three eggs and some bacon this morning, as usual." while they stare agog.

I think that Keoni's post called Feedlot USA sums it up the best.  The people are not concerned that their waistlines are growing while the system takes care of their every need and tells them what to think.  It's a shame, but the only way for any person to do what I have done is to seek the truth.  The Internet is an enormous resource filled with information, however, for most, it is not a priority.  They just don't have the desire, energy, time and/or ability to challenge the status quo. There is an inate urge to challenge the BS that they are fed.  Everyone scoffs and rolls their eyes at something when their BS detectors go off.  But the system has people too confused to know what they're scoffing at.  There is so much conflicting information and all of the information is never provided, or is only provided piecemeal and twisted, so people can't put all the pieces together.  It's a nagging uneasiness that slowly eats away at you if you let it, or it gets subdued with junk food and beer until it rolls over and goes to sleep.  But, if you follow truth - that elusive goal, you can control your health, your state of mind and even your destiny.  Truth, if you're brave enough to face it, can set you free.

* edited ending  since I was deprived of sleep at time of publishing.

Stay The Hell Out of My Crucial Life Decisions - Spanking ed.

The Canadian Medical Association Jounral has come out and said that spanking should be banned. Editor-in-Chief, John Fletcher is calling on the goverment to remove the protection for parents who use reasonable force to discipline their kids (read the G&M article if you want the wording of the law or read the whole thing here).
This is the problem when health experts try to influence the law and politics.  They are so blind to their religion of science that they can't see its flaws.  I am not one to go around calling science a religion.  True science has nothing to do with religion.  But, when you have well-meaning people jump all over shoddy scientific studies to advocate criminalizing normal parental behaviour.

Listen to the study that is being held up as evidence.

Harsh physical punishment such as pushing, grabbing, shoving, slapping or hitting was associated with increased odds of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and several personality disorders. Researchers found 2 percent to 7 percent of mental disorders were attributable to harsh physical punishment
 

Ok, pushing, grabbing shoving, slapping are not the same as spanking. This earlier G&M article doesn't even mention these details.

It's hard to let these experts realize that it's a whore they are sleeping with.  They have real feelings for her and they obviously aren't the ones paying, so you just have to shout at them:  SCIENCE IS A WHORE!

Dr. Fletcher says he’s not advocating for the criminalization of the occasional poor parenting choice. “If the aim is to improve parenting,” he writes, “then calling the police is the wrong approach.”

Instead, he’s hoping to shift the focus to how ineffective spanking actually is.

 Just what does he think he's doing?  Obviously he is a medical expert, so he is not too knowledgable about the law (neither am I), but when you criminalize a behaviour, you are calling for the troups (police, CPA) to move in.  The point of the law, is not to protect child abusers. It is to protect parents -who are human and make mistakes and have to deal with real day-to-day issues in the best way they can - who might otherwise have their lives destroyed by the system that has a monopoly on legal violence. The whole unintended consequences argument is totally lost.  I'm not saying that spanking is always necessary - it should probably be used perhaps 1-2 times for most children (in the entire time it takes to raise them).  But allowing the government into the homes of parents should only be done as a last resort in cases of serious abuse.  This do-gooder (mostly leftist) notion to let no single act of harm go unpunished is deeply disturbing.  Do they really blindly believe in the holy grail of government so much that they can't see that the loss of freedom and the potential for severe punishment of minor transgressions is far more harmful than a parent spanking their child once too often?
I truly believe that the love between parents and children can overcome the pain from overuse of spanking (not abuse) and we are better off letting the love heal the wounds rather than some over reaching government agency.