Don't underestimate the harm 'brittle masculinity' can do to the world

[ashling]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/20/dont-underestimate-harm-brittle-masculinity-do-world?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Trump’s Twitter flood of late-night mendacity is an unhindered celebration of fragile manhood, a ceaseless summons to the millions for affirmation, a proclamation to vulnerable men across the land that endless preening and stroking is a normal and imitable way of life. But behind the absurdly overstated concern for strength lurks real weakness.

His daybreak attacks on the press reveal a man who is afraid to read the morning newspapers. The portrayal of (male) presidential spokesman Sean Spicer by (female) actor Melissa McCarthy on Saturday Night Live left the president, uncharacteristically, unable to tweet.

The passionate proclamation of masculinity, though it can seem laughable, is an effective sort of politics. There is nothing at all funny about the confusion and pain of the millions of American men who find themselves battered by globalization: unemployed, underemployed and often supported, in ways that they find demoralizing, by wives or partners.

[annabanana]

1. "proclamation to vulnerable men across the land that endless preening and stroking is a normal and

imitable way of life"

That sentence is at the absolute center of our National problem. Men who are truly secure in their manhood have no need for constant reaffirmation.

[Scarsdale]

2. These men

like tRump, O'Leilly and Limbaugh have used $$$ to get women for many, many years. They never learned how to develop their softer side when dealing with females. Maybe some women like that, or at least the $$$ aspect. Most women, women with any self respect, avoid men such as these. Then the men treat all women like the gold diggers that are "attracted" to them (or at least pretend to find them attractive) These guys demean women because they know they themselves are ugly inside and out. They THINK the $$$ gives them a certain attractiveness. WRONG!! Most women find them repulsive.

[secondwind]

3. Ole Rush prefers young boys... just ask anyone in Dominican Republic. He is married but they

live separately.

[crazycatlady]

4. Sounds like Trump's marriage

[Duppers]

5. During the 20th century women redefined their roles

While some men(R's), not all thank goodness, continue to have a huge struggle with theirs.

[BigOleDummy]

6. I don't know......

.... I was with this article until I got to this line : "There is nothing at all funny about the confusion and pain of the millions of American men who find themselves battered by globalization: unemployed, underemployed and often supported, in ways that they find demoralizing, by wives or partners."

So ........ Trump's insecurities are fanciful but "these" guys aren't? I'd say that this is almost ,if not outright, pandering to those poor fragile boys. Ahhhhhh, poor little man your wifey makes more than you? You must have tiny hands huh? I've been all those adjectives , unemployed, underemployed and yes my ex-wife make more money than me for awhile. That most definitely didn't have a thing to do with our parting of ways though. I fact I was PROUD of her and happy to see her get that promotion and the recognition it entailed. And the monetary rewards sure made our life easier!

I submit that if you're too insecure in your masculinity to face the facts of the modern world, then you're just as insecure and pitiful as our whiner-in-chief. You cannot bash one person for something while excusing others for the same behaviors imho, of course.