I completely agree that the titles that are listed are mean-spirited. If anything it hurts the authors' causes. To call men jerks only inflames the situation and brings out even more "jerkiness".
But I would like to add that the gender bashing is not all one-sided. Instead of using book titles the bashing against women is more ingrained in society and perhaps more subtle.
Many might not agree with me here, but most of the porn industry uses women as sex props, as objects (please don't justify porn for men by saying that men are more visual. There is absolutely no credible scientific study that supports this). Places like Hooters are acceptable luncheon spots for "real guys". Hardees commercials and shows like "Girls Gone Wild" show women in very disrespectful situations. All the diet ads are geared toward women, rarely do you see an ad calling for men to shed a few pounds.
The infidelity among men is rampant (at least that's what the news portrays). Bill Clinton, Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards very publicly humiliated their wives by their philandering.
I think what's missing is a general respect of each other. You don't call someone you respect a jerk or treat them as an object.
Women choose to be in porn flicks voluntarily. Men don't have a choice when they are, and they truly are, denigrated by all of society's major thought control vehicles: schools, colleges, media, including what should be the most responsibly derived source: book publishing.
Of course, the much more substantive unfairnesses to men outlined in my other men's issues posts are infinitely more damaging, for example, that despite men living 5.2 years shorter and in worse health in their last decade, the vast majority of gender-specific medical research for the past 60 years has been on women.
Concerning longevity, it seems men are in a position to help themselves but choose not to.
For example, of the leading pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer, Novartis and Johnson and Johnson all have male CEOs. Why are they not compelled to develop drugs or fund academic research that is specific to male-related longevity issues?
These are wealthy companies with men at the helm that don't need govt-sponsored grants that might otherwise promote women's health.
The bias is definitely there. Funny thing is, my husband and I are already teaching our children that just because someone does something bad to them, does not mean they should do something bad in return - but it seems that the modern feminist-minded woman never learned that lesson. (And I don't think life for the average Western woman was anywhere near as bad as the feminists like to say it was, in any case.)
Arielle, I agree that titles such as "All Men are Jerks" are inappropriate and mean.
But, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, I think it is unfair to off-handedly state that Western women really didn't have it "near as bad as the feminists like to say it was". I don't know your background but if you lived most of your adult life before the 1970's and can truly speak from experience then I apologize. But realize that it wasn't until 1963 that the Equal Pay Act was passed and until 1975 it was lawful to prohobit women from serving on a jury.
I agree with everyone here that the titles that Dr.Nemko listed are completely out of line, offensive and inflammatory. And I understand this a forum to legitimately vent the frustrations that men have with society's shortcomings against them. But I felt the need to state the above.
And, Anonymous, I must stress, as I've often written, the supposed gender pay gap is VERY misleading. Per recent studies of unmarried people, FOR THE SAME QUANTITY AND QUALITY of work, women make the same as men. Also, see the book, Why Men Earn More.
Arielle and Dr.Nemko, thank you for your comments in response to my message.
I just wanted to clarify that when I was referring to the wage gap and that women weren't allowed to sit on a jury (Anonymous 9th comment) it was referenced before the mid-1980s.
My message was mostly to address the comment that "life for the average Western woman was anywhere near as bad as the feminists like to say". This suggested that women never faced any real inequalities. Western women currently do earn equal wages but that was the result of the efforts of all the women and men before me and I didn't want their efforts dismissed or minimized. Based on personal stories, I know that I enjoy certain privileges in the work place that my mom and older sister didn't have. And I'm very grateful for that. That's what I was acknowledging.
I was also not trying to bring up past history as an excuse for women's behaviors today.
Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung too far so that books such as "All Men are Jerks" are starting to appear which is absolutely unfair and wrong.
More offensive is the cultural acceptance of this line of thinking.
But the concept is nothing new--it has just reached awful extremes.
Can I add to your list: Berenstain Bears children's books beginning in the 1960s and 70s, which regularly make fun of Papa bear as often part of the family problem and essentially a floundering incompetent?
Can anyone name children's books in the past couple of decades which celebrate strong men in their traditional masculine roles? I'm struggling to think of any.
Do you think these books would have been published if their titles, instead of insulting men, insulted women, or Jews, let alone Blacks? For example:
Marty,
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right.
So why do we let these authors and publishers be so blatantly sexist?
What would be the respose if someone did publish a racist book? A lawsuit from the ACLU?
Good point.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that the titles that are listed are mean-spirited. If anything it hurts the authors' causes. To call men jerks only inflames the situation and brings out even more "jerkiness".
ReplyDeleteBut I would like to add that the gender bashing is not all one-sided. Instead of using book titles the bashing against women is more ingrained in society and perhaps more subtle.
Many might not agree with me here, but most of the porn industry uses women as sex props, as objects (please don't justify porn for men by saying that men are more visual. There is absolutely no credible scientific study that supports this). Places like Hooters are acceptable luncheon spots for "real guys". Hardees commercials and shows like "Girls Gone Wild" show women in very disrespectful situations. All the diet ads are geared toward women, rarely do you see an ad calling for men to shed a few pounds.
The infidelity among men is rampant (at least that's what the news portrays). Bill Clinton, Eliot Spitzer, John Edwards very publicly humiliated their wives by their philandering.
I think what's missing is a general respect of each other. You don't call someone you respect a jerk or treat them as an object.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Women choose to be in porn flicks voluntarily. Men don't have a choice when they are, and they truly are, denigrated by all of society's major thought control vehicles: schools, colleges, media, including what should be the most responsibly derived source: book publishing.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the much more substantive unfairnesses to men outlined in my other men's issues posts are infinitely more damaging, for example, that despite men living 5.2 years shorter and in worse health in their last decade, the vast majority of gender-specific medical research for the past 60 years has been on women.
Concerning longevity, it seems men are in a position to help themselves but choose not to.
ReplyDeleteFor example, of the leading pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer, Novartis and Johnson and Johnson all have male CEOs. Why are they not compelled to develop drugs or fund academic research that is specific to male-related longevity issues?
These are wealthy companies with men at the helm that don't need govt-sponsored grants that might otherwise promote women's health.
Most research is funded by the govt and there is TREMENDOUS bias toward women's research and against men's.
ReplyDeleteThe bias is definitely there. Funny thing is, my husband and I are already teaching our children that just because someone does something bad to them, does not mean they should do something bad in return - but it seems that the modern feminist-minded woman never learned that lesson. (And I don't think life for the average Western woman was anywhere near as bad as the feminists like to say it was, in any case.)
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the positive spin put on this will be.
ReplyDeleteFrom the article:
"WOMEN are now more likely to cheat than men, a survey reveals.
"One in five said they would 'definitely' have an affair if they fell for another bloke.
"In contrast, just nine per cent of fellas were certain they would betray their partner."
Arielle, I agree that titles such as "All Men are Jerks" are inappropriate and mean.
ReplyDeleteBut, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, I think it is unfair to off-handedly state that Western women really didn't have it "near as bad as the feminists like to say it was". I don't know your background but if you lived most of your adult life before the 1970's and can truly speak from experience then I apologize. But realize that it wasn't until 1963 that the Equal Pay Act was passed and until 1975 it was lawful to prohobit women from serving on a jury.
I agree with everyone here that the titles that Dr.Nemko listed are completely out of line, offensive and inflammatory. And I understand this a forum to legitimately vent the frustrations that men have with society's shortcomings against them. But I felt the need to state the above.
Your examples are unequal pay and no jury duty? You're kind of proving my point, there, anonymous.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Anonymous, I must stress, as I've often written, the supposed gender pay gap is VERY misleading. Per recent studies of unmarried people, FOR THE SAME QUANTITY AND QUALITY of work, women make the same as men. Also, see the book, Why Men Earn More.
ReplyDeleteHere's a recent article from the San Francisco Chronicle proving your most recent point, Marty.
ReplyDeleteArielle and Dr.Nemko, thank you for your comments in response to my message.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to clarify that when I was referring to the wage gap and that women weren't allowed to sit on a jury (Anonymous 9th comment) it was referenced before the mid-1980s.
My message was mostly to address the comment that "life for the average Western woman was anywhere near as bad as the feminists like to say". This suggested that women never faced any real inequalities. Western women currently do earn equal wages but that was the result of the efforts of all the women and men before me and I didn't want their efforts dismissed or minimized. Based on personal stories, I know that I enjoy certain privileges in the work place that my mom and older sister didn't have. And I'm very grateful for that. That's what I was acknowledging.
I was also not trying to bring up past history as an excuse for women's behaviors today.
Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung too far so that books such as "All Men are Jerks" are starting to appear which is absolutely unfair and wrong.
Agreed! These are blatantly offensive titles.
ReplyDeleteMore offensive is the cultural acceptance of this line of thinking.
But the concept is nothing new--it has just reached awful extremes.
Can I add to your list: Berenstain Bears children's books beginning in the 1960s and 70s, which regularly make fun of Papa bear as often part of the family problem and essentially a floundering incompetent?
Can anyone name children's books in the past couple of decades which celebrate strong men in their traditional masculine roles? I'm struggling to think of any.