A Crash Course in Feminism Mk. II (or, why everyone should be a feminist)

[Kirsten]

if the statistics make you feel uncomfortable, good. they should do.

nobody here has ever said that all men are to blame for all problems. but the problems are major, they are an international pandemic and rife at every level, and ever single man can do something to help.

you feel you are being persecuted because you don't like the facts being presented here? try telling that to the 85,000 plus women in Britain who will be sexually assaulted this year.

[Deadlift]

if the statistics make you feel uncomfortable, good. they should do.

Not uncomfortable, I see most of them as manufactured lies to be honest. Most statistics are.

[Kirsten]

they are not lies, they are a stark and unpleasant truth, which is why most people want to think they are lies.

[CoffeeGrunt]

Let's face it, if a government body finds out one in four women are sexually assaulted in their lifetime, that points to a massive failing on their part. Why would they manufacture that?

You don't have to look far to see the ways women have it a bit crappy, there's no need for them to make up statistics to prove that. On the flip-side, though, cherry-picking of statistics for anti-Feminists seems to be a necessity, as there's only a few areas men lose out to women, and even those are shaky. (The main ones I've seen repeatedly being custody cases, variety of clothing and apparently being able to leech off men all their lives.)

Most of those are negated or disputed by other studies though. I mean, if there's some massive female conspiracy to overthrow men everywhere, why is their presence in the circles of power around the world so sparse?

[40kGamer]

Not trying to be punchy but would this be the same government that claims inflation is nonexistent, unemployment isn't bad and healthcare rocks, all while being fiscally irresponsible at every level? And why does the government make anything up?

Regardless of the idiocy of our fearless leaders there are real disparities in the world. If we rank order people in the world it all leads back to wealth. Not talking about the individual level but the group level. Who has it best in every society? Wealth provides true power, creates the law and undeniably provides privilege. In the west white men control the wealth so naturally things are best for them as a group.

If you want to see true progress toward group equality find a way to share the wealth without simply redistributing it through some useless government program.

[Path Walker]

Erik, by continuing in his efforts to paint himself as the creepy Nice Guy, does nothing to dispell the myth that all men are sexist, Erik seems to think that the counter to sexism is that because he treats women as an unattainable goddess on a pedestal, that he's not sexist.

Deadlift claims he's not sexist by consistently disagreeing with anyone that thinks that sexism exists and is a problem that needs to be looked at.

Both claim to not be sexist and display that by trying to make the conversation about them.

[Deadlift]

Erik, by continuing in his efforts to paint himself as the creepy Nice Guy, does nothing to dispell the myth that all men are sexist, Erik seems to think that the counter to sexism is that because he treats women as an unattainable goddess on a pedestal, that he's not sexist.

Deadlift claims he's not sexist by consistently disagreeing with anyone that thinks that sexism exists and is a problem tat needs to be looked at.

Both claim to not be sexist and display that by trying to make the conversation about them.

way to contribute there buddy, looking back at your posts though out the forum is plain to see your nothing but unpleasant who adds nothing to a thread but nasty putdowns. I thought I had you on my ignore list, I shall remedy that now as your comments are nothing but pointless.

[Path Walker]

way to contribute there buddy, looking back at your posts though out the forum is plain to see your nothing but unpleasant who adds nothing to a thread but nasty putdowns. I thought I had you on my ignore list, I shall remedy that now as your comments are nothing but pointless.

Please see my response to your boring, self-justifying PM you sent me.

[Santa]

Ho Ho Ho
Coal for someone this year

[YorkNecromancer]

I see most of them as manufactured lies to be honest. Most statistics are.

So... So we can never convince you with any facts? Unless they feel right in your gut?

It seems that disbelieving all statistics and facts is just as erroneous a path as automatically believing them all. Surely, surely you have to agree with that? If we have to automatically distrust every statistic that comes across our way, then that's a huge amount of important knowledge we're disregarding.

And to say that 'most statistics are manufactured' is kind of a statistic! Do you not see the irony there?

If you look at this thread and see 'men are evil', you're not seeing the thread. This thread is not about how men are evil. This thread is about how women are disempowered, and those things are not equivalent. Put it this way: I'm a man, and I don't hate men. I don't think men are the problem. I think the societal structures that unfairly favour men are the problem. I think the culture that unfairly favours men is the problem.

And it is. On average, women are paid less. On average, women are raped more. On average, men commit suicide more than women because we're not allowed to express our feelings. There are so, so many problems that are undeniable.

Unless of course, you choose not to look.

I don't think you're a bad guy, Deadlift. I really don't, and I do think you've been unfairly insulted here, I really do.

But I also think that for a man who seems reasonable, fair and decent, at times, you are guilty of sticking your fingers in your ears and closing your eyes to some things you shouldn't. I hope you don't think I'm being rude; I don't want to offend. I think there's a definite problem with the statement you made that I quoted above though. You can't just dismiss a statistic because you don't like it. Prove it wrong? Sure. Analyse the data more rigorously? Sure. Question the data compiler's political leanings/ vested personal interests? Of course.

Just ignore it? No. That's not how an informed and empowered citizen should behave. It's irresponsible and unfair.