Status Updates From What Is Wrong with Men: Pat...

What the.... no on so may levels

“Everything about speculative masculinity fights against solidarity. But there’s no true liberation without it.“

“Solidarity is the antidote to all of that. It is the understanding that if there is a shared need, that creates a bond, and then the other disagreements can be forgotten. Whatever someone does with their money, their hair, their cattle, their body, their brain is extraneous and separate from this bond, which is precious.”

“One way to silence self-doubt is to proselytize. Which is why men who get sucked into speculative masculinity end up perpetuating it by advising others to adopt its extremes. They are easy to find on social media, professing their loyalty to scams and con artists, picking fights with anyone who dares to disagree.“

“But that’s grievance will do. It causes a person to retreat instead of advance. It ages a person prematurely, and a person trapped in their grievance will get left behind as society advances. But grievance is also a big business.“

“Nostalgia is an active form of delusion…to avoid seeing reality. This is why nostalgia takes over in times of great strife – it’s a coping mechanism that tells us there were better days in the past, so surely there are better days to come. This is also why it’s a useful political tool. It distracts citizens from the disappointment of reality and disguises political violence.“

“Let’s not get confused. Masculinity has always been about competition, war games, and who dies with the most toys. But the patriarchy…has for a long time encouraged…hard work, delayed gratification, and public service. Now those material incentives like financial stability and property ownership, and a sense of purpose have been…replaced with a mad scramble for acquisition and the hoarding of resources.“

“And in Falling Down, he plays D-Fens, the agreed loser, laid off due to corporate restructuring. The loss of his marriage and employment has so destroyed his sense of self….And his scattershot attempt at getting revenge, attacking women, queers, and immigrants, instead of the executives and politicians who actually ruined his life, mimics the inability of the modern man loser to confront his true adversaries.”

I purchased this book, a hardback copy signed by the author, after attending an event last summer with her at a local bookstore. I am finally getting around to reading it.