Being a student can be time-consuming, and in my case, that means I have been unable to update this blog.
However, that doesn't mean nothing has happened in the last few months. First and foremost, I have hosted the 2007 International MGTOW Conference, which drew in a grand total of... three other men. It's not a lot, but it is twice the number of attendees at the 2004 conference.
In 2004, MGTOW brothers Ragnar and Meykio got together and wrote out the overall idea for MGTOW: Masculine Men, Feminine Women, and Limited Government. The idea has taken off and has led to the internet-based MGTOW movement that we have today. In 2007, we've added one new term to the general concept of MGTOW.
Brotherhood.
The internet movement has produced some results. Men are now willing to step up and give comments on news sites, and a few are meeting. The Men's Chat Network is now up and running. I've even seen a company recruiter go to an MGTOW forum for recruitment! However, meetings between men offline have not been continuous, and men have yet to make a stand in public. We feel that the next big step to enable continuous meetings between men, and to give men the bravery to stand in public, will come from the creation of brotherhoods and male-only spaces. The core men of the MGTOW movement feel very strongly that men will not be able to stand up for themselves if they have nowhere to go should they fall into trouble for doing so, and may not have the ability to understand the idea of men's rights if they do not have a place where they are guaranteed a few. The right to associate with other men in a male-friendly environment is the right we feel needs to be established first.
Will we be able to form brotherhoods? If the outcome of the 2004 conference is any indicator, I and the other men of the MGTOW movement have reason to be optimistic.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Angry Harry for best political blog
For those of you who haven't heard, Angry Harry is in the running for Best Political Blog. So far, after about two months, he is holding a solid first place, and has shown no signs of losing ground.
http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/categories/19
This brings up, of course, a very interesting question. Is AH's success a sign of the Men's Movement growing in general, or a sign that they are gaining power over the internet? It will be interesting to see how this develops.
http://www.bloggerschoiceawards.com/categories/19
This brings up, of course, a very interesting question. Is AH's success a sign of the Men's Movement growing in general, or a sign that they are gaining power over the internet? It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
MGTOW vs. the Cycle of Victimization
In recent months, feminists have begun turning up the heat on men's activists. The reasons for why it's happening vary, but the only reason MRAs can be sure of is the fact that we've been gaining ground in the last few years. However, brilliant minds among the Men Going Their Own Way have another important explanation to add: the concept of a "cycle of victimization."
The idea is this: At the beginning of the cycle, a group claims that it is the victim of another group, due to real or perceived offenses, and sets out to, in some way, punish the other group. In so doing, the second group becomes an oppressed group, and in their oppression, decide that it is indeed they who are the true victims. They set out to oppress the first group in much the same way they were oppressed. And the cycle repeats itself, though with each turn in the cycle, the oppression becomes more extreme. It continues until another group intervenes, or until one group or the other is effectively destroyed. Indeed, it may be that both groups are destroyed, or disempowered to the point they can no longer act. In the case of feminism, the worry may indeed be that the up-and-coming MRA and antifeminist movements will arrive as feminism's destroyer. Indeed, some within the MRA and antifeminist movements fear the same thing themselves, especially since a number of adherents may equate women with feminism, something discussed briefly in this post.
In order to prevent a cycle of victimization between men and women, we have to do a few important things. First, of course, is to mentally divorce women and feminism. In my opinion, this is hard in personal battles at times but not the greatest challenge. Second, and more important, is to abandon the antifeminist idea that merely destroying feminism is enough. No, the goal we need to pursue is the goal of creating a new culture and new world, which recognizes the importance of men, and creates healthy families which raises children properly, among many other things. The second item goes with a third; the understanding that a "new" culture does not mean something unlike anything seen before. There were many things from cultures in the recent and farther past that worked, and should be considered for the culture we are building. We are not, in other words, in a world in which the only right thing to do is refuse anything created in the past as "backward."
This is where the MGTOW philosophy is particularly suited to tackle the issue of what to do after feminism. Since it is based around men figuring out and going in the direction they find most beneficial, while avoiding pressure from the world around them, Men Going Their Own Way can continue doing what they did before feminism and after, as that movement is immaterial. Unlike the cycle of victimization, where victory conditions are set on destroying an enemy, the victory conditions of a man going his own way does not include, or does not focus, on his enemies. If the philosophy catches on in other parts of the Men's Rights Movement, and more men choose to build their own world and throw the prevailing culture aside, we may indeed see the day in which a feminist wakes up one day, and sees that the world no longer finds his ideology relevant. In this mentality, we might be able to answer the questions of what to do when it comes time to disband or change any of the larger organizations, once they have neutralized the forces of misandry.
In any case, Men Going Their Own Way will continue building and maintaining islands of sanity in the ocean of insanity known as the Western World, and if you aren't working on this yourself, why not consider it?
The idea is this: At the beginning of the cycle, a group claims that it is the victim of another group, due to real or perceived offenses, and sets out to, in some way, punish the other group. In so doing, the second group becomes an oppressed group, and in their oppression, decide that it is indeed they who are the true victims. They set out to oppress the first group in much the same way they were oppressed. And the cycle repeats itself, though with each turn in the cycle, the oppression becomes more extreme. It continues until another group intervenes, or until one group or the other is effectively destroyed. Indeed, it may be that both groups are destroyed, or disempowered to the point they can no longer act. In the case of feminism, the worry may indeed be that the up-and-coming MRA and antifeminist movements will arrive as feminism's destroyer. Indeed, some within the MRA and antifeminist movements fear the same thing themselves, especially since a number of adherents may equate women with feminism, something discussed briefly in this post.
In order to prevent a cycle of victimization between men and women, we have to do a few important things. First, of course, is to mentally divorce women and feminism. In my opinion, this is hard in personal battles at times but not the greatest challenge. Second, and more important, is to abandon the antifeminist idea that merely destroying feminism is enough. No, the goal we need to pursue is the goal of creating a new culture and new world, which recognizes the importance of men, and creates healthy families which raises children properly, among many other things. The second item goes with a third; the understanding that a "new" culture does not mean something unlike anything seen before. There were many things from cultures in the recent and farther past that worked, and should be considered for the culture we are building. We are not, in other words, in a world in which the only right thing to do is refuse anything created in the past as "backward."
This is where the MGTOW philosophy is particularly suited to tackle the issue of what to do after feminism. Since it is based around men figuring out and going in the direction they find most beneficial, while avoiding pressure from the world around them, Men Going Their Own Way can continue doing what they did before feminism and after, as that movement is immaterial. Unlike the cycle of victimization, where victory conditions are set on destroying an enemy, the victory conditions of a man going his own way does not include, or does not focus, on his enemies. If the philosophy catches on in other parts of the Men's Rights Movement, and more men choose to build their own world and throw the prevailing culture aside, we may indeed see the day in which a feminist wakes up one day, and sees that the world no longer finds his ideology relevant. In this mentality, we might be able to answer the questions of what to do when it comes time to disband or change any of the larger organizations, once they have neutralized the forces of misandry.
In any case, Men Going Their Own Way will continue building and maintaining islands of sanity in the ocean of insanity known as the Western World, and if you aren't working on this yourself, why not consider it?
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Once upon a time...
This was an article written by a long-time member of MGTOW. I bring it here to illustrate one of the things men have lost in the feminist era: wonder.
Having been in the Men's Movement a number of years, and having had the chance to recently experience growing out of childhood and into adulthood (I am currently 22, making the change more recent than for most men), I can really identify with what the man is saying, and why going one's own way is very important.
For a number of men, much of their life is, knowingly or unknowingly, something they decide upon in their boyhood dreams. Perhaps interest in flying will lead a man to be a pilot, even if he has to plan and save for decades. Perhaps a few adventures in the back yard or nearby woods will yield a lifelong pursuit of the wild. For most every boy, as noted above, their wonder in women, also can lead to a lifetime of love as he and a special girl begin a family. In brief, that early sense of wonder, and lifelong pursuit, is something that not only drives individual men, but indeed, any society of which they are a part.
And that's where feminism has done its damage. In trying to create their ideal society, many avenues of encouragement are being cut off for young boys. Without this, the odds that that sense of wonder will be developed will diminish. The culture of fatherlessness inspired by feminism will erode that sense of wonder further, and without seeing healthy male-female relations at home, the odds predict that boys will have any concept or desire of creativity and passion crushed. If you pick up a newspaper at this time, you will likely find that articles that include women giving advice to men about women will be laden with laments over the development of the "nice guy," a code word for a man who has lost all passion and purpose, and merely works and hopes a woman will come along and give him purpose. Perhaps it can be said, then, that a world without wonder is not something that is going to happen, but has happened already. Looking at the anger and the rage toward the end of the quoted text above, one also sees the result of what happens to men robbed of purpose.
The question is, if we are in a world without wonder, without some kind of purpose, how do we find it? This is where I will draw from my experience in the Men's Movement, and tell you that the answer is not found in a woman's arms, as many men have discovered at their peril, and it certainly is not to be found in feminized society. In all truth, it has been lost, and the best known solution is to go your own way, and make your purpose. To this end I will use an illustration from my religious background (Christian, not aligned to any denomination), in which it is known that the God I believe in very rarely uses the same formula twice. While there are some fundamental rules to my faith, what one does once has "arrived," is not fully set. There is a reason for this; for some it is for the best benefit of themselves and others to work with the poor. Maybe another man is called to work with those in prison, and another within a church. This is analogous to the idea of going one's own way, in which it is assumed that there are some fundamental concepts of manliness, but manliness is not the stereotype that is portrayed in popular culture. Finding it requires thought, patience, and persistence. It requires owning up to your own faults and overcoming them. And indeed, what is arguably the most terrifying step of all is the all-important decision of what you are going to do with the short time you've been given to live. Maybe something that truly caught your interest a while ago may be a good place to start.
In any case, if you are a man going your own way, and are breaking free of feminism, the second word of your identity is "going." Now that you are free, where will you go?
Once upon a time I dreamed about being a movie star, a pilot, an athlete, a teacher, a poet, a singer. I was so anxious to grow older out of my 12 year old body. My hormones would rage rage especially when I got past age 16. I would go head over heals over girls I saw --even in pictures--my mind would roar into a magical world. Who are these interesting creatures -- only a few years ago, girls would annoy me -- and now they are everything I think of. I was anxious and looking forward to finding that one girl who would be part of my being. I wanted young children and the world just fascinated me. I felt I could move a mountain, my energy level so high, I could barely sit still. Every day was exciting and I marveled at flowers, stars, sun, rivers --and even Star Trek.
Then at age 17 I met the girl of my dreams. She turned out to be a slut and broke every part of my heart and mind and crushed my spirit. Others told me it was a natural part of growing up and you will get over it. Slowly it took me five years to convince myself that my experince is normal and part of life. So I foolishly convinced myself I should not take it so hard, I should be a man. I forgave that girl so I thought, and also refused to have any more contact with her.
Then in university, I started noticing girls with all this hostility and anger-- and it seemed especially directed at me. I just could not figure out what was happening. I was told that girls have been oppressed by men, girls are second class citizens, girls get paid less than men, etc, etc. So I just went with the flow and tried to be polite.
After a number of years, I finally hit the limit when a girl at work falsely accused me of coming on to her -- and I had to quit my job. That was my breaking point. Then I discovered feminism and began to educate my self what really is going on in women's head nowadays. How me being a nice guy is a turn off for them, but a drug addict, bad boy, is a huge turn on.
It seems feminism has destroyed many boy hood dreams and ambitions -- and in turn has destroyed future stable, and healthy families. Now we live in a world of emotional instability and chaos. And these modern chicks still don't get it at all. They will keep destroying the charms of innocent boyhood youth and ambitions -- and in turn they destroy themselves.
So now that this ugly feminist reality has set in, I am lucky that I have survived it in one piece and am trying to channel my interests to other things. Trying to pick up the pieces and make something good of what else is left over.
The hell what women think -- now is the time to protect and look after our young boys. Under the umbrella of feminism, women are no longer accountable for their actions, and they no longer have to do their part of the work.
Equal to the feminists, however are manginas -- and genuine male skanks (bad boys) whom women seem to love. We live in the era where the thug is glorified, and the responsible nice guy is out of fashion. This seems only to be in the feminist countries, however. In the more poor, under developed countries, the nice guy is still respected --whereas the thug is not thought much of. So let the feminists enjoy the thugs all they want -- and let nice guys forge their own way into a new world -- without these skank breeds who will hopefully die off as their liabilities and debt exceed their incomes.
Having been in the Men's Movement a number of years, and having had the chance to recently experience growing out of childhood and into adulthood (I am currently 22, making the change more recent than for most men), I can really identify with what the man is saying, and why going one's own way is very important.
For a number of men, much of their life is, knowingly or unknowingly, something they decide upon in their boyhood dreams. Perhaps interest in flying will lead a man to be a pilot, even if he has to plan and save for decades. Perhaps a few adventures in the back yard or nearby woods will yield a lifelong pursuit of the wild. For most every boy, as noted above, their wonder in women, also can lead to a lifetime of love as he and a special girl begin a family. In brief, that early sense of wonder, and lifelong pursuit, is something that not only drives individual men, but indeed, any society of which they are a part.
And that's where feminism has done its damage. In trying to create their ideal society, many avenues of encouragement are being cut off for young boys. Without this, the odds that that sense of wonder will be developed will diminish. The culture of fatherlessness inspired by feminism will erode that sense of wonder further, and without seeing healthy male-female relations at home, the odds predict that boys will have any concept or desire of creativity and passion crushed. If you pick up a newspaper at this time, you will likely find that articles that include women giving advice to men about women will be laden with laments over the development of the "nice guy," a code word for a man who has lost all passion and purpose, and merely works and hopes a woman will come along and give him purpose. Perhaps it can be said, then, that a world without wonder is not something that is going to happen, but has happened already. Looking at the anger and the rage toward the end of the quoted text above, one also sees the result of what happens to men robbed of purpose.
The question is, if we are in a world without wonder, without some kind of purpose, how do we find it? This is where I will draw from my experience in the Men's Movement, and tell you that the answer is not found in a woman's arms, as many men have discovered at their peril, and it certainly is not to be found in feminized society. In all truth, it has been lost, and the best known solution is to go your own way, and make your purpose. To this end I will use an illustration from my religious background (Christian, not aligned to any denomination), in which it is known that the God I believe in very rarely uses the same formula twice. While there are some fundamental rules to my faith, what one does once has "arrived," is not fully set. There is a reason for this; for some it is for the best benefit of themselves and others to work with the poor. Maybe another man is called to work with those in prison, and another within a church. This is analogous to the idea of going one's own way, in which it is assumed that there are some fundamental concepts of manliness, but manliness is not the stereotype that is portrayed in popular culture. Finding it requires thought, patience, and persistence. It requires owning up to your own faults and overcoming them. And indeed, what is arguably the most terrifying step of all is the all-important decision of what you are going to do with the short time you've been given to live. Maybe something that truly caught your interest a while ago may be a good place to start.
In any case, if you are a man going your own way, and are breaking free of feminism, the second word of your identity is "going." Now that you are free, where will you go?
Saturday, June 2, 2007
A woman, a womyn, and a feminist
One of the more common tactics in a debate is to control the language being used. To use an example, look at the debate over abortion. Those in favor of restricting it call themselves "pro-life" and their opponents "pro-death," whereas those in favor of easier access to it call themselves "pro-choice" and their opponents "anti-choice," and many other words an phrases are exchanged. It is the same with the identities of feminism. While they very often call what they do advocacy for "women's rights," and they very often claim that they represent all women, nothing could be further from the truth. Evidence for this can be found by looking up the writings of conservative and antifeminist (notice that there were two terms used) women. Laura Schlessinger is one example.
For this reason, I will talk about women and feminists using definitions that try to classify them into separate groups, as opposed to lumping them all into one word. I will further speak on the significance of this later in the essay.
To begin, let's talk about the most general term: women.
Women are humans with a pair of XX chromosomes, and the appropriate body parts. "Women" do not have a particular political affiliation, and do not act in one specific manner. This is why, when a woman describes herself, she typically uses other nouns or descriptive adjectives in order to describe herself. For example, terms often heard are "traditional woman," "new woman," "feminist," "stay-at-home mom," "princess," and many, many others. That "woman" is a very general term and does not fit into the identity ascribed to it by feminism is of importance, as the feminist assertion to the contrary is at best a deception.
With this, let's move on to feminists. Coming from the MGTOW experience, and from countless hours debating with and analyzing feminist arguments, there is one common thread among feminism's various forms. There is a model feminists use to describe the world, in which "men" have oppressed "women" for all (or most all) of previous time, and that, in the last N years (approximately 50, 90, or 130, depending on who you ask), women have suddenly had a chance to overcome the oppression. A feminist can be a man or a woman, but the main question is one of whether or not they fit into the model above. It is also worth noting, of course, that in order to be a feminist, that one must also be active in supporting the spread of the model given above.
To continue along the series, and to finish up my title, there is a class of woman known as womyn. The origins of the word are feminist, as feminists once came up with the idea of removing "man" from everything, and the result was the creation of words like womyn and wimmin. Ironically, of course, Men Going Their Own Way have taken the word and now put it to use. by the MGTOW definition, a womyn is a woman who wants everything her way. This is typically seen in the "new woman/traditional woman" hybrid of what WW (Western women) want, in that they want the generosity afforded them by chivalry, but all of the benefits associated with equality. Such cognitive dissonance is something fit for its own topic.
Why is it worthwhile to bring up these words? Mainly, the reason is to show that they are different words with different definitions. This is important because, if you listen to feminists speak, or read what they write, you can find some very common patterns. First is the unification pattern. This is when feminists appeal to "all women" or "all men who love women," implying that everyone who does not get onto the bandwagon is a woman-hater. This is when "women's rights" comes out, and when you see pictures of all kinds of wonderful mothers with their daughters, and how it is such a shame that they will be "held back," so on and so forth. This is also when feminists will say that "all women" are behind whatever it is they are demanding. Second is the dust pattern. When one is able to bring forward pointed, thoughtful criticism of what feminists are doing or advocating, this pattern will be employed. All of a sudden, the unified, monolithic mass of women shatters, and breaks into innumerable pieces of dust. Experienced men's rights activists have know arguments in which a feminist will suddenly switch gears and say "not all feminists are like that!" and rattle off a list of feminist groups that are apparently very different, such that you can no longer say anything about feminism.
This is why definition of terms is very important, and why it is important to point out the "men holding women down" model as being core to any kind of feminism. To succeed as a Man Going His Own Way, you should be aware of, predict, and overcome these tactics from feminists. But these are, however, not the only tactics you will face if you pick the path of the MGTOW.
And this, of course, is why I will continue on from feminist tactics, and now speak of womyn. As I noted, a womyn may or may not be a feminist, but she wants the benefits of both chivalry and equality, with none of the drawbacks. When you criticize poor behavior, you will hear "don't judge me" and "well, men do that too." Of course, they will have every right to judge men for the same behavior, but that is beside the point. In the same sense, if there is anything you refuse to do, for any reason, you will likely hear "that's not the way to treat a lady," though "that is not how you treat a gentleman" is never a worthy counterargument.
I such cases, MGTOW have developed a number of strategies to deal with womyn. Arguably the best one is the DNA tactic, or "do not approach." If you choose to get into the argument, remember that the goal is not to convince her of anything. She has likely become emotionally engaged, and logic fails in such cases. Instead, show that you have the upper hand in the argument, in the sense that you will not back down to her conniptions. One way to do this is to get her to take a side (in other words, are men and women the same, or are they different? There are other such questions you can pick up from experienced MGTOW), and put her in a situation where she suddenly is arguing about a non-problem, or something that is her problem. Once you establish it, walk away. Another way is to take away validity from the argument. One classic case is the phrase "don't judge me." Why shouldn't you? Ask, and more than likely she will give you a reason which really means that she doesn't want to be held accountable for what she does. Once again, make your point and leave.
Understanding the difference between women, womyn, and feminists is important if you move along the path of MGTOW. While many movements and ideologies are content with having adherents simply repeat canned answers until they wear the other side down, Men Going Their Own Way are just that, men who are finding their own answers, and who create intelligent answers in the face of questions. The first part of this is to see how our opponents play with words in order to get their way.
I hope you have enjoyed today's essay. Coming up is a discussion of who the adversaries of MGTOW are, and why. I will, as well, begin working into some of the finer points of the movement, and be giving an explanation of why I am writing.
For this reason, I will talk about women and feminists using definitions that try to classify them into separate groups, as opposed to lumping them all into one word. I will further speak on the significance of this later in the essay.
To begin, let's talk about the most general term: women.
Women are humans with a pair of XX chromosomes, and the appropriate body parts. "Women" do not have a particular political affiliation, and do not act in one specific manner. This is why, when a woman describes herself, she typically uses other nouns or descriptive adjectives in order to describe herself. For example, terms often heard are "traditional woman," "new woman," "feminist," "stay-at-home mom," "princess," and many, many others. That "woman" is a very general term and does not fit into the identity ascribed to it by feminism is of importance, as the feminist assertion to the contrary is at best a deception.
With this, let's move on to feminists. Coming from the MGTOW experience, and from countless hours debating with and analyzing feminist arguments, there is one common thread among feminism's various forms. There is a model feminists use to describe the world, in which "men" have oppressed "women" for all (or most all) of previous time, and that, in the last N years (approximately 50, 90, or 130, depending on who you ask), women have suddenly had a chance to overcome the oppression. A feminist can be a man or a woman, but the main question is one of whether or not they fit into the model above. It is also worth noting, of course, that in order to be a feminist, that one must also be active in supporting the spread of the model given above.
To continue along the series, and to finish up my title, there is a class of woman known as womyn. The origins of the word are feminist, as feminists once came up with the idea of removing "man" from everything, and the result was the creation of words like womyn and wimmin. Ironically, of course, Men Going Their Own Way have taken the word and now put it to use. by the MGTOW definition, a womyn is a woman who wants everything her way. This is typically seen in the "new woman/traditional woman" hybrid of what WW (Western women) want, in that they want the generosity afforded them by chivalry, but all of the benefits associated with equality. Such cognitive dissonance is something fit for its own topic.
Why is it worthwhile to bring up these words? Mainly, the reason is to show that they are different words with different definitions. This is important because, if you listen to feminists speak, or read what they write, you can find some very common patterns. First is the unification pattern. This is when feminists appeal to "all women" or "all men who love women," implying that everyone who does not get onto the bandwagon is a woman-hater. This is when "women's rights" comes out, and when you see pictures of all kinds of wonderful mothers with their daughters, and how it is such a shame that they will be "held back," so on and so forth. This is also when feminists will say that "all women" are behind whatever it is they are demanding. Second is the dust pattern. When one is able to bring forward pointed, thoughtful criticism of what feminists are doing or advocating, this pattern will be employed. All of a sudden, the unified, monolithic mass of women shatters, and breaks into innumerable pieces of dust. Experienced men's rights activists have know arguments in which a feminist will suddenly switch gears and say "not all feminists are like that!" and rattle off a list of feminist groups that are apparently very different, such that you can no longer say anything about feminism.
This is why definition of terms is very important, and why it is important to point out the "men holding women down" model as being core to any kind of feminism. To succeed as a Man Going His Own Way, you should be aware of, predict, and overcome these tactics from feminists. But these are, however, not the only tactics you will face if you pick the path of the MGTOW.
And this, of course, is why I will continue on from feminist tactics, and now speak of womyn. As I noted, a womyn may or may not be a feminist, but she wants the benefits of both chivalry and equality, with none of the drawbacks. When you criticize poor behavior, you will hear "don't judge me" and "well, men do that too." Of course, they will have every right to judge men for the same behavior, but that is beside the point. In the same sense, if there is anything you refuse to do, for any reason, you will likely hear "that's not the way to treat a lady," though "that is not how you treat a gentleman" is never a worthy counterargument.
I such cases, MGTOW have developed a number of strategies to deal with womyn. Arguably the best one is the DNA tactic, or "do not approach." If you choose to get into the argument, remember that the goal is not to convince her of anything. She has likely become emotionally engaged, and logic fails in such cases. Instead, show that you have the upper hand in the argument, in the sense that you will not back down to her conniptions. One way to do this is to get her to take a side (in other words, are men and women the same, or are they different? There are other such questions you can pick up from experienced MGTOW), and put her in a situation where she suddenly is arguing about a non-problem, or something that is her problem. Once you establish it, walk away. Another way is to take away validity from the argument. One classic case is the phrase "don't judge me." Why shouldn't you? Ask, and more than likely she will give you a reason which really means that she doesn't want to be held accountable for what she does. Once again, make your point and leave.
Understanding the difference between women, womyn, and feminists is important if you move along the path of MGTOW. While many movements and ideologies are content with having adherents simply repeat canned answers until they wear the other side down, Men Going Their Own Way are just that, men who are finding their own answers, and who create intelligent answers in the face of questions. The first part of this is to see how our opponents play with words in order to get their way.
I hope you have enjoyed today's essay. Coming up is a discussion of who the adversaries of MGTOW are, and why. I will, as well, begin working into some of the finer points of the movement, and be giving an explanation of why I am writing.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
MGTOW in the larger Men's Movement
For the average man, understanding the breadth of the Men's Rights Movement can be daunting.
Even for me, I stumble across new organizations and websites nearly every day, and in some cases, I will even stumble into an entire new submovement. The total number of men's rights organizations, therefore, is not really known, but there are some identifiable submovements. Below I will list some of the varying types of men's rights activists, or MRAs.
The other defining feature of MGTOW is the concept of "shoveling the gravel." In other words, if one sees hard work that needs to be done, it is known among men going their own way that suggesting for others to do the work is the wrong attitude. Instead, the focus is on men to do the work themselves, as opposed to merely supporting a professional to do the job for them. This appeals heavily to more libertarian men who succeed when they can do the work they have a passion about. Also, since the major tenets of MGTOW are merely "Masculine men, feminine women, and limited government," there is a lot of room for men who prefer to remain unaligned politically.
The result is a movement that has no real political goal, but whose members strive on for other, arguably more important things. Things like respect for themselves and their fellow men, and end to what they consider a cultural madness, and for the younger ones, the ability to become mature men in a world that seems to want anything but maturity.
In the process of writing this I have made quite a number of claims, and in future articles, I will be expounding upon them. In addition, I will discuss in further detail the concepts behind the MGTOW manifesto, and I will be defining terms as I go along. Feminists often like to play with words, and here, I will provide a place in which the wordplay stops.
Laboratory Mike
Footnotes:
(1) MGTOW Manifesto
http://menforjustice.net/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=4
Even for me, I stumble across new organizations and websites nearly every day, and in some cases, I will even stumble into an entire new submovement. The total number of men's rights organizations, therefore, is not really known, but there are some identifiable submovements. Below I will list some of the varying types of men's rights activists, or MRAs.
- Father's Rights: Father's Rights Activists, or FRAs, are among the most common, in part because they enter into the men's movement the most common way; the divorce courts. Most people do not believe that the courts are biased against men, but after a divorce, most men's attitudes will change. when you lose your children and all you ever worked for to someone who just didn't like you anymore, your first response is likely one of wanting to fight back. That's the basis of the father's rights movement, men fighting for their rights as fathers. This is also the most widely known part of the men's movement.
- Pro-male culture: Advocates of the pro-male culture typically come in upon noticing the way men are treated in commercials, movies, and in other portrayals. Simply put, the portrayal of the "doofus dad" in commercials and weak simpering men in movies is a sign of what is called the "anti-male culture," and pro-male advocates are the ones standing up in response to that. Both in portrayals and cultural attitudes, these men advocate a culture that does not demean men. It is claimed that these men are the ones who brought the word "misandry" into usage, in order to communicate what they are standing against.
- The legal MRM: A number of Men's Rights Activists are focused on the laws that are, effectively, legislated misandry. They take the approach that the anti-male culture cannot be taken care of as long as hatred of men by feminists is enforced by law, and suggest that legal change must take place before cultural change. There are a few organizations that are pressing for this, namely Fathers4Justice and the National Coalition of Free Men.
- MGTOW: In short, MGTOW is in many ways like the pro-male culture crowd, but unlike trying to advocate for changing the overarching culture, the focus is on the individual men, and the process is called "going your own way." This is where MGTOW got its name, as it is the "Men Going Their Own Way." The reasons for MGTOW coming about vary, but it was initially an idea that was put out by other MRAs just to see where it would go, and has since become an entire movement.
The other defining feature of MGTOW is the concept of "shoveling the gravel." In other words, if one sees hard work that needs to be done, it is known among men going their own way that suggesting for others to do the work is the wrong attitude. Instead, the focus is on men to do the work themselves, as opposed to merely supporting a professional to do the job for them. This appeals heavily to more libertarian men who succeed when they can do the work they have a passion about. Also, since the major tenets of MGTOW are merely "Masculine men, feminine women, and limited government," there is a lot of room for men who prefer to remain unaligned politically.
The result is a movement that has no real political goal, but whose members strive on for other, arguably more important things. Things like respect for themselves and their fellow men, and end to what they consider a cultural madness, and for the younger ones, the ability to become mature men in a world that seems to want anything but maturity.
In the process of writing this I have made quite a number of claims, and in future articles, I will be expounding upon them. In addition, I will discuss in further detail the concepts behind the MGTOW manifesto, and I will be defining terms as I go along. Feminists often like to play with words, and here, I will provide a place in which the wordplay stops.
Laboratory Mike
Footnotes:
(1) MGTOW Manifesto
http://menforjustice.net/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=4
So it begins...
Hi, I am "Laboratory Mike," a man going his own way. I have been within the MGTOW movement for about a year and a half, and I have gotten a strong desire to ensure that the world understands what MGTOW is, through some foundational writing. Per the nature of men going their own way, I am writing this blog due to the fact that, if I do not stand up and do it myself, no one is going to accomplish my plans for me.
In future posts, I hope to enlighten readers about what MGTOW is, it's place in the Men's Movement and in the world, and what we are up to. I hope that my writing encourages you to stop and think about the ideas in the movement, and maybe just help us along.
And so, the writing begins.
In future posts, I hope to enlighten readers about what MGTOW is, it's place in the Men's Movement and in the world, and what we are up to. I hope that my writing encourages you to stop and think about the ideas in the movement, and maybe just help us along.
And so, the writing begins.
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