Monday 8 January 2018

Men Being The Equal of Women - It May Take Generations.

I have drafted this Post over 15 times and have not been happy with it.

I generally try to be balanced.

I try to acknowledge two sides of an argument and to consider the background or history that may have led to a point of view or way of behaving that is the opposite to the position I am taking.

In drafting this post, this is exactly what I was doing. I was acknowledging the history of society oppressing women and of us Men imposing physical, financial, physiological, political and sexual power upon Women.

I had drafted dialogue in support of this including  the history of voting in democratic elections and pay parity.

I had even gone in to detail about what should be Socially Progressive intellectuals working in tech industries designing ways of making the way we live and consume different, better, quicker and cheaper.

However, all this background is nonsense. There is no excuse.

I read an adaption from a book called Brotopia written by Emily Chang*.

It details drug-fuelled sex- laced parties for the benefit of the male elite in Silicon Valley. The invitation and admittance requirements ensure a ratio of Women to Men that favour the Men.

She is clear that all sex is consensual.

Consensual it may be however she details that the “Women are participating in this culture to improve their lives”. What sort of culture creates such a need?

The Men involved justify their actions saying they are disrupting normal societal expectations by participating in an alternative lifestyle.

Chang talks about open relationships and what are referred to as “Founder Hounders”.

The adaption from the book reads to me like nothing more than wealthy Men with low self esteem exercising power for their own sexual gratification and to feed their fragile egos.

This is not the structuring of a new form of society.

This is a return to a bygone era where Women are downtrodden, disrespected, used and demeaned. It is a return to a time when Men have the money and the power and that justifies everything. It is the suppression of Women.

What has been outlined is another form of the casting couch culture, one also justified by way of the “consensual” argument.

Maybe I live a sheltered life and maybe this type of culture is welcomed by intelligent Men and Women. Perhaps it is an expression of equality, be it one I don’t understand.

What is says to me (yet again) is that there is only so much Women can do to cease being suppressed. It is us Males that need to take our share of the responsibility and play a meaningful role.

It is us Males who need to seek equality, a higher equality.

Until we (Males) collectively develop the self esteem and self respect to behave as the equal of Women, genuine progress will continually stall.

And yes, you read correctly.

Men, need to develop the self esteem to claim our position as the equal of Women because this is not about money and power, this is about ethics, morality and humanity.

My fear is, it may take generations.

·     This is the link to the adaption of Brutopia             

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