why does this crud continue

[DeadParrotz]

44. I'll answer, if you don't mind.

Groups are not privileged or disenfranchised by their own innate characteristics. They are positioned relative to other groups with more/less institutional power. A lot of people in this Men's Group suffer under the same gender essentialism as the History of Feminists members you like to poke fun at. In reality, you share more than you differ.

Thus:

The whole argument by MRA champions that males are dropping behind in education, work more dangerous jobs, live shorter lives, etc. because there is some sort of institutional bias against males is problematic for ONE SIMPLE REASON:

MEN oppress each other. It's predominantly MEN crafting all sorts of social and legal frameworks to marginalize other groups, including other men. MEN oppress other groups disproportionate to any other group. Specifically, rich white men. But, I will say that the most powerful indicator of privilege is class, and THAT is one thing you should be focusing on.

All of this is to say: men repressing other groups has nothing to do with the fact that they are MALE. Throughout history and cultures, control and authority are positional, not essential. Until very recently, power was predominantly achieved through force. In more egalitarian cultures, power is granted by displays of generosity facilitated by immediate strategic political alliances. Example: potlatches. As societies became more hierarchical, power was taken by armies and leveraging resources. Eventually, technology came to replace brute human force, but history had still granted men the position of power in terms of creating and profiting from these tools.

These days, being male is starting to rapidly drop in importance, replaced by class and I would even go so far as to say profession. The most effective way to escape your socioeconomic class is to go into a high-prestige profession. The Geek Revolution controls a lot of important consumer products, and along with products comes the software that shapes the way that we use things and access information. Data has become so valuable that consumers themselves are now the product. This is power. Are most STEM professionals men? Yes, but this is changing. Especially in countries like China, India, and Japan where education is less gendered. The US clings to gender essentialism, and it's harming everyone.

There are a lot of great arguments from gender studies that talk about how our society's expectation of stereotypical male and female behaviors force people into narrow, proscribed gender roles that greatly limit what they can and cannot do.

The key, to me, is NOT to single out men as either victims or oppressors but to look at the economic and social pressures which result in disproportionate access to freedom and resources. Stop poking fun at those who point out the "Patriarchy". The "Patriarchy" is not just Men vs. Women. It a PATERNALISTIC system of authoritative influence over everyone, a hierarchy of "suitable" behaviors for both/all genders. Men who do not fit into the dominant role of provider/sexual agressor/competitor/etc. are also marginalized. This has been the default mode of thinking for much of Western history, and it's silly to dismiss its pervading influence.

Gender essentialism is tied to homophobia, too, as seen by the recent transphobia in the History of Feminists Group. I'd like to stick evolutionary psychologists who perpetuate this bullshit with nebulous, poorly-constructed or outright misleading "studies" on a fucking island somewhere. They can fight it out while the rest of us evolve