Hmm

[deathpixie]

Funny how things travel in coincidences. Not a couple of days after a conversation with a friend about the way women are viewed as manipulative and somehow evil, Joss Whedon shares his thoughts.

I'm not entirely sure of the Womb Envy theory - my presonal theory is that it's a function of fear, of men in general (not any one specific man or group of men) being afraid of the impact women have on them, on their behaviour and the control they can weild through sex that leads to the 'evil' tag, but again, that's just a vague opinion and nothing to do with any of the actual men I know (with a couple of exceptions). It's something to think about, any way, the fact that 50% of the population is not only targeted as weak and morally reprehensible, but that that 50% also buys into it.

The article also raises for me the question of the power of the modern media in our society, and whether, with the glut of reality TV, we've become so used to viewing things as part of a giant television show or movie or game, that we don't stop to considering the actual reality of it. The empathy of it.

Heavy thinking before heading off for the traditional May 2-4 BBQ, this time at Johnny's place where we don't have to get caught in the rain. I'll leave you to it.

Comments

[ion-duck.livejournal.com]

I don't know-- there are some women and I have to say five out of the six of the ones I've actually dated who really are (or at least were when I knew them) just plain manipulative.

Granted-- the first girl I ever went out with used me as a means to get closer to my best friend. Just like on The Wonder Years. The second was a woman with admitted problems with depression who was trying to recover some of those not so great years she lost when she didn't have the right meds by dating someone three and a half years her junior. And the fifth-- well that's the one the really messed me up. The sixth tried to force my hand when it came to helping two of my closest friends when they needed my help and I surprised even me by doing the right thing. (The fourth is a remarkable woman and I hope things are going great for her. If they aren't-- maybe I'll run into her again at the local comic shows and I can try to fix that. If I'm lucky and/or brave enough.)

I also think EVERYONE has the potential to be a manipulative P.O.S. and I don't think gender really has anything to do with it. It's part of the human condition. You can do it. Christ could it. Ghandi-- don't get me started. I don't think Tony Snow knows how not to be one. Me though-- impossible. I'm perfect.

[deathpixie]

My ex - who is a man, very much so - was one of the most manipulative people I've ever met. The difficulty that Joss is highlighting is when that tag gets labelled on 50% of the population, for no other reason than the fact they're women. It'd be like me saying all men are like my ex, emotionally manipulative, scared little boys, just because of my experiences with him.

You're right when you say everyone has the potential to be manipulative. However, it's frequently a personality trait that's slapped on women, regardless of culture, race or, you know, actualy behaviour. And that's what opens things up to the type of extremes you see, like women being punished for refusing to fit the molds imposed on them.

[ion-duck.livejournal.com]

That's like saying are learning disabled people are stupid or all hard of hearing people are completely oblivious to what is going on. Or that the disable are lazy and could do as much as a standard model human but they just don't want to. Or the equally annoying sterotype that all disabled people have 'hidden secret abilities'. Trust me, I've none many disabled people in my life. They could do some pretty remarkable stuff. Only one or two were there cases that were truly out of the ordinary. None of them are lazy-- it's that they've had to work two or three times hard because just doing things that comes natural to (pardon my language) S.M.H.s

They don't have a choice in being what they are matter. No one does. We have problems and sterotypes attached to that. The thing is realize that we all do and to treat people with respect. What goes around comes around.