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I get email #1: A rambling critique of feminism

ArgusEyes — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:35:21 GMT

The original email:

ArgusEyes,

First off I wanna say I agree that there are some very radical feminists out there and can come across very strongly and some are even man haters. But look at the years of oppression they were fighting against… Imagine not being able to vote, to go to collage, looked down open because your gender, not being able to work where you want to work. Did you know that in the 1920’s if a woman was to become a teacher she would have very set rules (which a man didn’t) one example is she couldn’t drink any form of alcohol (which was common back then as strange as it sounds now) not even a glass of beer. She wouldn’t be able to find a partner and would remain a ‘spinster’ and then for that reason would be shunned. If you do more study you will also find out woman where put on opium to be happy whilst doing the house work and (heroine was named for this reason) after that basically took over woman another drug was used to ween them off it and this was called heroine NICE! I could elaborate on the history of that little incident but then this letter would be way to long.

When the men where all away at war the woman were allowed into the mans jobs and in one of the adds it said ‘remember girls you’ve still have to look pretty’ Even today woman are getting 84 cents to every mans dollar even if they have the same education and working in a similar or same position as a man. That is in 2008, so I am a little offended when you prattle on about how bad feminism is. I think that people have ruined the meaning of feminism anyone who says one gender is better than the other is not a true feminist! I do thrive for equality I love men and I love woman, I want to be able to become a scientist and get recognition even if I wasn’t a ‘beauty’, and yes I know men are seen in the media a lot today and they are judged on their looks to but you have to admit it is enforced in girls at a very young age. You get Tonka and army tanks and we get Barbie and a toy oven WOOOPY. So yes it is sexist on both behalves.

I am not sexist I respect your opinion but I think you need to open your eyes, think what if you weren’t blessed with the white male privilege (and I am sorry but that if what you have) imagine if you had to abide by these unfair laws, you couldn’t have your say without looking like a piece of meat (I wont get started on Hugh Hefner). You had to be beautiful and elegant and if you wanted the chance to run your country or even have a little bit of a say who did you were just laughed at.

Also when you discussed rape, I believe this is a very important issue to tackle even if it was only 1 in a million it should be STOPPED whether it be a male victim or a female victim. I am sure you agree I just wanted to say that.

Also I have to point out that there are men feminists you know. For example Ian MacKaye, John Lennon, members of the bad brains, Bob Marley, Joss Whedon, Jack White, The Beastie Boys, Eddie Vedder, Phil Donohue and I know many male feminists. The list goes on…

Also you said feminists where all man haters!?? That is a little sexist and stupid to say, you are contradicting yourself. You want this to stop yet it seems you have very strong issue against feminists…. (Correct me if I am wrong). Anyway you threw in some quotes so I will to but you see I wont just focus on the bad or the ones where they where obviously making a joke to prove a point of how most men have been through the 1920’s – 1950’s…. but anyway here they are: but first I looked for a few of those quotes and I found the Germaine Greer quote but others like Barbra Jordon and pretty much the rest I could not find. I am interested and (I am not being nasty) would like a link to them please. Oh and Marilyn French a woman of the 1920’s come on you have to understand her angry. I did find a good quote of hers I think you will like. And she actually said “All men are rapists and that's all they are. They rape us with their eyes, their laws, and their codes.” She is saying they take from us our rights, I don’t know how you can’t see how true that was in her day?? You should have quoted some more modern feminists.

“To ask women to become unnaturally thin is to ask them to relinquish their sexuality.” Naomi wolf

“Most urgently, women's identity must be premised upon our "beauty" so that we will remain vulnerable to outside approval, carrying the vital sensitive organ of self-esteem exposed to the air” Wolf again

The first problem for all of us, men and women, is not to learn, but to unlearn. - Gloria Steinem

For women... bras, panties, bathing suits, and other stereotypical gear are visual reminders of a commercial, idealized feminine image that our real and diverse female bodies can't possibly fit. Without these visual references, each individual woman's body demands to be accepted on its own terms. We stop being comparatives. We begin to be unique. – Gloria

How do we create a harmonious society out of so many kinds of people? The key is tolerance -- the one value that is indispensable in creating community. Barbra Jordon

“Anyone determined to find another person or group inferior can always find whole lists of grounds that demonstrate inferiority because we are all inferior to the ideals of humanness we have erected” Marilyn French

And I could go on and on but I have taken a lot of your time. I just really wanted to say all of this because I believe you have either met some really stupid “feminists” that only ever says ‘I hate men’ or ‘if woman where running the world there would be no war.’ Well once again I have to say feminism is not anti man, it really truly is a fight for equality between the sexes it is for both men and women.

You know I think Bob Marley had it right when he said “We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game”

I know this is none of my business and feel free not to answer but who was the douche saying that Zionists and Feminists are the same?? Oh and that Bill Maher clip was good I do love him, he is a fucking bitter old prick just like me! You also have really good taste in books, my town is so small I can’t even find animal farm anywhere! It kinda sucks when I have to scavenge in ever second hand book shop within a 30 km radius ha ha but still I will find it!

Anyway thank you for listening. Nat. :)

Idiotic viewer feedback #3 - This is obvious sexism.

ArgusEyes — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:20:17 GMT

I don't like how you failed to even acknowledge my debate on one of your videos. I think I made some very intriguing points. Again, I say this, do something constructive with your videos. Do not blame feminists for all your "man-troubles" in parenting. Blame the men who have made it hard for you. Your problems do not stem from feminism, rather you have an overall problem with women. This is obvious sexism.

My response.

Greetings,

I can assure you that I did not read your comments. For some reason the admin messages system does not report all the comments I receive on videos and I do not have time to check each video every day to see if there are new comments.

But this is YouTube after all, if you have something substantive to say then may I suggest you make a video and post it as a reply to any of mine? I guarantee that I will approve it and that I will make a video in reply to it. This allows us to make more rational arguments, see each other face-to-face and allow others to comment on our points. This is a better way to debate is it not?

Looking forward to your reply.

Sincerely,
Mark

More flies with honey. Or not, as the case may be here. No reply yet.

Idiotic viewer feedback #2 - I hate childbirth!

ArgusEyes — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:09:57 GMT

This one goes way back.

Filming people having sex is not normal and therefore could never be consensual. When a couple are in love are they always want to keep it private.Pornography is the same as prostitution and prostitution is multiple rape/sexual abuse.Anyone who doesn,t believe that pornography should be eliminated is a coward and is afraid of that people might think of you as anti-sex prudish odd and 'not-with-it'That is cowardlyFeminists can see that porn treats women as not human.There can never be regulated porn because it is not natural for women especially to have sex without love.It would still be only men who would buy porn because they don,t go through pregnancy,childbirth,emotions. It is unacceptable to be racist so it should also be unacceptable to be sexist.This is what porn is-sexist.Also you seem to have forgotten the obvious which is that sexuality is for procreating children and for love-you should not ignore natures rules. Very un natural

If you cant understand that hen you have been brought up with a very distorted version of sex education-if it can be called that. Another reason why porn is so humiliating is because is because of the pain women go through when they give birth and the hardship of pregnancy. Porn trivialises a womans sexual parts(sexual parts being the same as her reproductive/procreative parts) which is why it is so cruelly and sadistically insulting.

If you cant understand that then at least think of the fact that you would not exist if you mother never conceived you,carried you for 9 months and then gave birth to you.So you think that women are inferior then it follows you think that your mother who gave you life is inferior to you and to all men.Dont even think that childbearing is not important in itself and for humanity because without it there would be no people.

By the way, I've put this in paragraphs. The original email was all one big block of text. I imagined if this woman were saying this that she would be talking very quickly and in a high pitched way.

Filming people having sex is not normal

Define “normal” many couples film their sexual acts for their own pleasure. Also who cares about normality, the rules are not defined to maintain the common opinion.

When a couple are in love are they always want to keep it private

Nope. Swingers.

Pornography is the same as prostitution.

Maybe, but why is prostitution illegal anyway? Is sex legal? Yes. Is free trade legal? Yes. Is selling sex legal? No. Work that one out.

and prostitution is multiple rape/sexual abuse.

Nope. If it is consensual then it's not rape.

Anyone who doesn,t believe that pornography should be eliminated is a coward and is afraid of that people might think of you as anti-sex prudish odd and 'not-with-it'That is cowardlyFeminists

Punctiation is your friend. Also, you can guage the emotional sophistication of an opponent by asking why those who agree with you disagree with you. If what you get back is an ad hominemn then they are a very wise and unsophisticated person.

There can never be regulated porn because it is not natural for women especially to have sex without love.It would still be only men who would buy porn because they don,t go through pregnancy,childbirth,emotions

Really? Well how about you stop defining what women can and can't do based upon stereotypes about them eh? Seriously, generalisations are O.K. I use them a bit meself but you've got to provide examples. This flawed woman's email is a litany of generalisations and stereotypes. It's a veritable Gish-Galllop of hysteria.

Also you seem to have forgotten the obvious which is that sexuality is for procreating children and for love-you should not ignore natures rules. Very un natural

You know what else is unnatural? Cars. Give me your keys.

There is a logical fallacy called the “naturalistic fallacy”. It basically means that a person assumes that something is good if it is natural and/or something is bad if it is not natural. Poison ivy is natural and space flight is unnatural, get it? We as humans are where we are because we have risen above out environment and harnessed it to our own means.

If you cant understand that hen you have been brought up with a very distorted version of sex education-if it can be called that. Another reason why porn is so humiliating is because is because of the pain women go through when they give birth and the hardship of pregnancy. Porn trivialises a womans sexual parts(sexual parts being the same as her reproductive/procreative parts) which is why it is so cruelly and sadistically insulting.

If you cant understand that then at least think of the fact that you would not exist if you mother never conceived you,carried you for 9 months and then gave birth to you.So you think that women are inferior then it follows you think that your mother who gave you life is inferior to you and to all men.Dont even think that childbearing is not important in itself and for humanity because without it there would be no people.

I’m trying as hard as I can to follow this woman’s train of though and I’m coming up dry.<.p>

I’m anti-birth now? I don’t know what I said to set her off let along if I said anything about child birth. As far as I know I’ve always been pro childbirth. Since she petered out like a yammering cat woman I will try to sum up my opinion on porn as succinctly as I can.

Porn uses women, it exploits their bodies for the sexual satisfaction of (mainly) men in the same way as my company exploits my enormous programmatic prowess and brain power to tap away at a keyboard for five days a week. Or that a city council exploits the proletariat to fling our garbage bags into a big truck. Lots of us are exploited for our abilities and efforts. It’s called work.

This is freedom. In freedom some people are going to do things you wouldn’t. Get over it. As long as they are not forced to do it then you shouldn’t butt into other people’s business with your sexual hang-ups.

Idiotic viewer feedback #1 - I live in my parents basement.

ArgusEyes — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:25:19 GMT

From My challenge to Jessica Valenti.

I'm not sure if you're aware but you come across as a pathetic infant, splutteing in rage and indignation due to the fact that you got caught out.

It's clear you're terrified of confident and capable women and wish to blame them for all your failures. In your mind if it wasn't for feminism you would be king of the world instead of still living with your parents.

I'm just glad that England has sensible gun laws otherwise you would be dangerous. Get some counselling

My Response:

I love when people go out on a limb and make a bunch of blind guesses. In fact you're the one who looks like a spluttering infant right now. Let's take a look at each one of your lies.

“…due to the fact that you got caught out.”

Caught out? What?

“It's clear you're terrified of confident and capable women.”

On the contrary. A confident and capable woman would not go anywhere near the kind of victim demagoguery Jessica Valenti peddles. It takes an incredible insecure woman to be on Feministing’s side.

“blame them for all your failures”

Failures? Of course you know nothing about me at all. In fact, the reason I’ve not released a video in so long is due to the amount of work (in and out of home) I’ve got on so nice try. When you don’t know someone but you’re going to make up something about them then it’s not just a lie, it’s the worst kind of slander as well.

“In your mind if it wasn't for feminism you would be king of the world instead of still living with your parents.”

Again you claim I am acting like an infant but you’re pretending you know what I think and do, you are a lying slandering piece of scum who talks shit on youtube. And, like all the worst youtube scum, you don’t have any videos of your own. To make a video would mean showing the world your face and standing up to criticism. And that would require a modicum of courage, of which you have none.

B.T.W. I left home at 18. I know lots of people who continue to stay at home, not me.