What are men for...?

Question

...Society (in Britain) will warmly cheer a woman who takes on a man's world (be it pick-'n'-choose or the extreme variety), and succeeds - but will express cynicism and suspicion if a male 'strays' into what used to be a 'woman's world'. He will be seen as a 'loser' - and to some (in the times we're in, in the UK) with 'paedophiliac tendencies' if he can expertly keep the bairns happy and well behaved.
Men's position in life seems to be eroding while women can 'do it all' - is this what Germaine Greer, et al. yearned for in 1971, or perhaps the compass has gone well over to the other side?

...compass has gone well over to the other side...even making the early 'Women's Libbers' regret the subsequent results?

Nice one, Tabor - but wonder what the British think about it all. The traditional role is now over...and in the UK we are not reassessing priorities - happiness comes solely from moneymaking, rather than homemaking...and as men in the UK have been assaulted with the multi-tasking of lasses, and so making their roles hard to define, what comes next?

What, Sharon B...men are for 'women's power' - someone has to give it 'em!

Johnnyunr...relax, man - there's been fair answers here now - and some a wee bit weird (by both sexes). On the whole, the balance is good.

KD...off the high horse! Spent three years at Manchester University in late seventies watching half the women students lapping up the Greer/Steinem literature...From Monday to Friday, they hated us until the weekend. I wonder where they are now...well I do recall that one decided to become a prison officer despite shining in economics. Now, if you are British, I'm sure you might get the indirect suggestion that she never ever put down her 'women's lib' books.

Answer 1

hmmmm, well we're getting there. equality surely is what we're striving for as a society? Germaine Greer, et al. have a lot to answer for in my opinion.... a woman is expected to be able to achieve everything a man can do ASWELL as everything that is 'traditionally' expected of her. don't know about any other girls out there, but i'm tired!... whereas men, are having more and more of their role stripped from them; they complain, but i don't see anything being done about it. thereby they are losing the respect of society as a whole, and are considered lazy and useless.... there for reproductive purposes solely. men and women should share the workload equally, no things should be considered solely 'male' or 'female' roles... nope we haven't got it right yet.

Answer 2

You are listening to what the media and what everyone tells you to do. You are perfectly capable of living the life you want to live.
Gordon Ramsey
Nicky Clarke
Alexander McQueen
The man who sweeps the litter from the street.
Nannies (who are sometimes men)
Just a few examples of men who are in what is traditionally considered female roles.
What's wrong with people doing the work that they are capable of doing?
Sounds like to me, you've been listening to a lot of people complaining about how they can or can't do this or that but you know what? There's a whole world of people doing what they love to do and not listening to negative people.
Try this, go for a day and spend the whole day on your own. No newspaper (especially tabloids), no TV, no Internet and no acquaintances who get in moaning sessions at the pub. Experience life for a day or two as yourself and only yourself and judge the information around you by what YOU see - NOT what you're told.
Good luck.
Marizani - only partially true "men are not the brains behind ALL the technology". That is easily forgotten because women throughout history have gotten very little credit for their roles.

Jimbo - You're not discriminated against - in the US AND the UK, men still make a third more than women on average and ironically, there are more single mothers - without men in their lives - who would need the money.

Answer 3

Regardless of what Germaine was planning to do, we now live in an anti-male culture. This is ironic, of course, because without men, there will be no one in the glass cellar to take care of our fuels, our food, our water, our electricity, our plumbing, or any other vital part of our infrastructure. Men, who in the general sense have always been the worst treated of all, are now waking up this fact.

It makes you wonder what will happen when more and more men decide that they no longer wish to contribute to the (western) women who so obviously hate them. In New Zealand there is apparently a problem with male expatriation (the result being a widespread shortage of men). Maybe the UK will experience it next, if things are as bad as you say. In any case, I am finding an increasing number of pro-expatriation/pro foreign marriage movements around, and the ranks are swelling. I can only imagine what the long-term effects will be.

Answer 4

RE: "Men are the brains behind all the technology you see around you and they are responsible for ensuring that the human species continues to thrive around the world."

That's true. The fact remains that it was men who were educated and given the opportunity to learn and invent, whereas women were not. I just wanted to make that point as it really irks me when incredibly stupid men (and equally stupid women) wonder why men invented so much.

NB: Before anyone jumps on my head, I'm not calling the above poster stupid... just pointing out a fact before someone who really IS a fool starts banging on about it.

I agree with the rest of what you said there. We all need to move the hell on and get on with our lives together instead of glaring at each other through the barrel of a gun.

We're all someone's daughter/son....

Answer 5

they are the part that comletes women. In any given situation the man is the 'head' cognitive, thinking and calculating part and the women are the 'neck'; instinctively and intuitively directing and supporting the head for a complete union, and also for the whole body to function properly.
No one can usurp the others role. Its the natural order of things.

Answer 6

God some of the womens answers are just as sexist as they accuse men of being. Only good for reproduction? The last stats I saw the single best predictor of violent tendencies later in life for children is not having a father figure present during childhood.

Men are needed just as much as women we just have different roles. Sexism goes both ways ladies. Grow up.

Answer 7

Who else would pay alimony when the wife leaves a good man for an exciting bad man? Who else would pay child support? Who else would die in wars so that women can sit at home privileged and taking advantage of the benefits of technology designed, developed and built by men? If there were no men, who would women then blame? Never themselves.

There has never been a patriarchal conspiracy to "oppress" women. There have been a higher proportion of female "inventors" prior to women's "liberation" than following it. Men gave women the vote over a century ago, and I have not observed women being a significant proportion of workplace deaths, or simply earlier death as a result of harder work.

Answer 8

My daughter's nursery has two young men who care for the children - I think it's wonderful that they do what is traditionally seen as a 'woman's' role. I also think it's really important that young children (especially boys) have male role models and carers to give them a balanced and equal view of the world. These admirable young men are breaking new ground for their peer group and giving children the best care possible - their gender is irrelevant.

Answer 9

I'm not sure that you have thought through 'some' areas of what you are trying to get across with your question.

The term 'Loser,' as some form of 'putdown,' I see as a very poor way of trying to simplify dealing with or describing someone who is being dismissed, without any attempt at rational argument for a justification of it. It’s one often used by those who cannot conjure up a rational argument, or are arrogant enough to simply apply this term as a belittling ’put-down’ in order to justify themselves.

'Women’s World' is what exactly?

I've known, for example, many 'male nurses' who are easily equal to their female counterparts, and some who are better.

'Chefs,' the vast majority are male.

'Clothing Designers' are in the majority, male, as are cutters and tailors.

So to which ‘Women’s skills and acumen' areas are you referring to?

Men were (and frequently still are) emotionally dysfunctional in dealing with their emotions, as well as the interactions between male and females. Watch for example when a politician being interviewed states 'His feelings' over some subject, and then proceeds to talk about anything BUT his 'feelings,' instead quotes Policies or just maybe his Thoughts on the subject of the moment.

Hisorically, women have quite rightly, wanted men to become in-touch with their feelings, but then often seem to not want to listen to what emerges, or be dismissive of it ...Though this could have something to do with the poor quality of emotional expression. On the other hand, a woman can express an emotion very well but, leave the opposition in the dark as to what the feeling/s is or is about, beyond she being 'distressed.'

I've expressed my feelings on more than one occasion which has included my explanation for Why I feel the way I do ....and have been met with non understanding. In the end, my saviour has been to point out that although the person does not know how a telephone actually works, but she accepts that it does. So, likewise, not understanding my feelings, why can she not just simply accept my feelings as stated?

There is a lot of Bad, Poor and None educated individuals out there, and this status leads simply to poor communication and poor communication skills - for both sexes.

[ And I acknowledge that there are those individuals who understand 'Communication' to simple mean, 'I speak, you listen,' and that 'Communication Skills' means to them that ‘the listener is not listening / paying attention properly.’ ]

Sash.

Answer 10

Men are the brains behind all the technology you see around you and they are responsible for ensuring that the human species continues to thrive around the world.
The world we live in is now very competitive and if you can't beat women, then you join them; I don't see anything wrong with that! We now have males in what were once female jobs and vice versa, let us not discourage those who enjoy such jobs as no job depicts one as a loser.