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Smith has a book coming out from Encounter Books entitled Male Strike: Society’s War on Men. The thesis of the book is that the deck is so stacked against men that they are “going Galt,” as Smith puts it. The term comes from Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged in which society’s productive members went on strike—led by John Galt—because they were being exploited.
...
...
The male strike can take the form of not marrying, not going to college or working at low-paying jobs and taking up hobbies to avoid paying into a system that uses state and federal programs to transfer men’s taxes to women. And taxpayer money doesn’t just go to what we regard as traditional welfare programs. Smith cites the Violence Against Women Act, which funnels taxpayer dollars to organizations staffed by activist women.
What's happening is that white middle class men, having run everything by right for the past few centuries, are getting peeved by the fact that they are now expected to compete with women and black people on a relatively even playing field.
It's interesting, especially considering who it's coming from. Reminds me of the somewhat inflammatory articles that were circling around about a year or so ago talking about how "men are boys nowadays" and rubbish like that. She does have a point in that it seems like, between a man and a woman, all that's required to convict and demonize the man is the word of the woman. I've heard enough horror stories on that to find it plausible.
Kilkrazy wrote: What's happening is that white middle class men, having run everything by right for the past few centuries, are getting peeved by the fact that they are now expected to compete with women and black people on a relatively even playing field.
That's... not the direction in which I would have interpreted the article, and it's curious that it was the one you did.
daedalus wrote: It's interesting, especially considering who it's coming from. Reminds me of the somewhat inflammatory articles that were circling around about a year or so ago talking about how "men are boys nowadays" and rubbish like that. She does have a point in that it seems like, between a man and a woman, all that's required to convict and demonize the man is the word of the woman. I've heard enough horror stories on that to find it plausible.
The book is called "Man Up!"... and yeah, it's rubbish.
There's articles galore our there about men not marrying too... even though I had a favorable divorce, if someone asked me if they should marry... I'd only do it for one of two reasons:
1) to have kids
2) religous beliefs
Other than that... don't do it.
Kilkrazy wrote: What's happening is that white middle class men, having run everything by right for the past few centuries, are getting peeved by the fact that they are now expected to compete with women and black people on a relatively even playing field.
That's... not the direction in which I would have interpreted the article, and it's curious that it was the one you did.
Pffft. Yeah. Come back to me when income equality is anywhere near happening and when high level positions are equally staffed. Men don't have it rough. Far from it.
Probably the only aspect that sucks for guys is the custody courts, but come on. The stats are their for anyone to find.
daedalus wrote: It's interesting, especially considering who it's coming from. Reminds me of the somewhat inflammatory articles that were circling around about a year or so ago talking about how "men are boys nowadays" and rubbish like that. She does have a point in that it seems like, between a man and a woman, all that's required to convict and demonize the man is the word of the woman. I've heard enough horror stories on that to find it plausible.
The book is called "Man Up!"... and yeah, it's rubbish.
There's articles galore our there about men not marrying too... even though I had a favorable divorce, if someone asked me if they should marry...
Young(er) soldiers used to ask me this a lot, probably because my face looks likes its been through two divorces. I always council that marriage is a last resort, or "only marry her if you are prepared to hate her." My wife is less than amused.
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Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
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Manchu wrote: So, men who are losers are really just on strike because they are besieged by women.
Typical Randian fantasy.
To paraphrase xkcd: I find myself agreeing with a lot of what Rand says up until every sentence ended with "...therefore, you should be a donkey-cave to everybody."
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
daedalus wrote: It's interesting, especially considering who it's coming from. Reminds me of the somewhat inflammatory articles that were circling around about a year or so ago talking about how "men are boys nowadays" and rubbish like that. She does have a point in that it seems like, between a man and a woman, all that's required to convict and demonize the man is the word of the woman. I've heard enough horror stories on that to find it plausible.
The book is called "Man Up!"... and yeah, it's rubbish.
There's articles galore our there about men not marrying too... even though I had a favorable divorce, if someone asked me if they should marry...
Young(er) soldiers used to ask me this a lot, probably because my face looks likes its been through two divorces. I always council that marriage is a last resort, or "only marry her if you are prepared to hate her." My wife is less than amused.
Heh... I wouldn't go THAT far...
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/09/20 17:49:10
The interesting thing is that most of the men and women I know ran out and got married just out of college (or even high school) simply because it was what you did.
It takes two to get married, so surely men and women are getting married less than before? I put it down to a trend towards more individualism in society. People are less willing to compromise on their goals and so on than they used to be, perhaps.
Powder Burns wrote:what they need to make is a fullsize leatherman, like 14" long folded, with a bone saw, notches for bowstring, signaling flare, electrical hand crank generator, bolt cutters..
Manchu wrote: So, men who are losers are really just on strike because they are besieged by women.
Typical Randian fantasy.
You're a loser if you don't get married?
Frankly, with the divorce statistics as high as they are, and having witnessed two separate good friends get married right out of college and winding up divorced before 30, I'm not entirely sure I see the benefit - or the point - to the enterprise. I have yet to date a girl that I'd actually want to forsake all others for.
- not marrying,
- not going to college
- working at low-paying jobs
- taking up hobbies to avoid paying into a system that uses state and federal programs to transfer men’s taxes to women.
To me, this is the quintessential loser. For crying out loud, he's only interested in his hobbies as a way to hypothetically hurt the women that he didn't meet in college, aren't impressed with his low-paying job, and will never marry.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/09/20 18:38:28
Smith has a book coming out from Encounter Books entitled Male Strike: Society’s War on Men. The thesis of the book is that the deck is so stacked against men that they are “going Galt,” as Smith puts it. The term comes from Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged in which society’s productive members went on strike—led by John Galt—because they were being exploited.
...
...
The male strike can take the form of not marrying, not going to college or working at low-paying jobs and taking up hobbies to avoid paying into a system that uses state and federal programs to transfer men’s taxes to women. And taxpayer money doesn’t just go to what we regard as traditional welfare programs. Smith cites the Violence Against Women Act, which funnels taxpayer dollars to organizations staffed by activist women.
It sounds stupid...BUT:
-Men aren't getting married.
-Men make up less than 55% of undergrad students now (and falling).
-Out of wedlock births are increasing rapidly among most US ethnicities.
I don't know about the cause and effect here. These events are happening though and are a cause for conern.
Da Boss wrote: It takes two to get married, so surely men and women are getting married less than before?
Yeah, but it's the man's job to propose to the woman, so obviously it's their faul.... woah.
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The next thing I know I'm saving for kids' college. What the???
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/09/20 19:17:04
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I haven't read the book, and I doubt things are either as extreme as the author claims, or for the reasons she thinks.
That said, many rational men need to take a hard look at the system before making some big decisions. You can wind up paying huge child support on a child you can only see occasionally and at your own time and cost. A lot of states will only consider awarding custody to a father if the woman is a complete wreck.
The point is: marriage doesn't offer much to men these days. Modern conveniences reduce the need for a housewife, and nobody needs to be married to have sex. This isn't about loss of love, this is about loss of financial security.
Does that make it a war on men? Well, one that men, for the most part, are still winning. But divorce and custody laws have made mothers the de facto heads of household.
- not marrying,
- not going to college
- working at low-paying jobs
- taking up hobbies to avoid paying into a system that uses state and federal programs to transfer men’s taxes to women.
To me, this is the quintessential loser. For crying out loud, he's only interested in his hobbies as a way to hypothetically hurt the women that he didn't meet in college, aren't impressed with his low-paying job, and will never marry.
Sounds more like the "Slacker" of the previous 2 decades.
I wouldn't place this as some kind of "randian" thing though. It is the way society has been evolving.
Boys are no longer "expected" to push for success. They are being taught that just participation is a mark of success.... no losers, only 'winners'. Everyone gets a trophy even if they finish last.
No real work ethic either which goes back to the previous point. Just show up and get paid. You don't have to try, just do the basics and you get paid. Share the load, and don't work harder than you have to. Everyone still gets credit for a job well done.
I see this kind of attitude from the younger guys I work with.
Half of them cannot even change a tire. They never learned because they were taught that someone else will do it for them. So why try?
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That reminds me of a time I saw 5 guys standing around a Jeep with a flat tire on the side of the road just kind of milling about. If I could have read their minds, they were probably thinking something along the lines of "Ah man, no amount of popping our collars is gonna get us out of this one, brah.."
Of course, then I recall the time I had to go drive to meet a (male) friend who couldn't change a tire, and I get kind of bummed out. He's an English professor though, so that kind of makes sense. Still depressing though.
As a divorcee I can kinda see where the decline in marriage is coming from. Between statistically more and more people coming from broken homes, and how likely you are to see at least one messy and painful divorce amongst your friends before you graduate college why would you want to expose yourself to that?
Allegedly we're getting more and more selfish as a culture as well, so why would you want to submit yourself completely to the needs and desires of another?
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Lemme at least leave a good hoof beat they'll remember loud and long
Polonius wrote: The point is: marriage doesn't offer much to men these days. Modern conveniences reduce the need for a housewife, and nobody needs to be married to have sex. This isn't about loss of love, this is about loss of financial security.
Boom, headshot.
I chose to get married and have a family, which I am the sole provider for. I've been married for less than 5 years. I can list off 5 1-off financial decisions, as the result of my marriage, that have cost me about $30,000. My family costs me, average, somewhere in the ballpark of an additional $1700 per month. That puts the financial impact to me, personally, in the ballpark of $100,000 in four years, or about $25,000 per year.
An incremental $25,000/year (after taxes) is generally enough to change lifestyles.
Given that sex outside of marriage is common, you can gain access to a lot of relatively hassle-free [not the miniatures company] [feminine companionship] [edited by moderator] for $2k/month.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/09/21 10:02:34
