Comments on: My ‘PMS Disaster Level’: High http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:36:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: I am Also anonymous for this one http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85294 I am Also anonymous for this one Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:27:33 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85294 I think individual choices are incredibly powerful when many people are making them, the propaganda about how little they matter is designed to get us to toe the line. Corporations and governments are really aware of how those individual choices can cook their geese and they will do and say anything to keep us feeling powerless when we are anything but. It is possible to choose not to allow men to profit from our unpaid labour (another good argument for nigellessness). Western economies were built on slave labour and are propped up on the unpaid labour of women. Imagine if that labour were withdrawn? It seems to me that men are either perpetrators or enablers. The Nigels of the world, by refusing to confront their friends, are enabling women to be abused and violated. They need to grow up, develop a basic level of integrity and stop being enablers. I think individual choices are incredibly powerful when many people are making them, the propaganda about how little they matter is designed to get us to toe the line. Corporations and governments are really aware of how those individual choices can cook their geese and they will do and say anything to keep us feeling powerless when we are anything but.

It is possible to choose not to allow men to profit from our unpaid labour (another good argument for nigellessness). Western economies were built on slave labour and are propped up on the unpaid labour of women. Imagine if that labour were withdrawn?

It seems to me that men are either perpetrators or enablers. The Nigels of the world, by refusing to confront their friends, are enabling women to be abused and violated. They need to grow up, develop a basic level of integrity and stop being enablers.

]]> By: genevievetaggard http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85100 genevievetaggard Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:47:04 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85100 Kiki, So true that we have to wonder sometimes how much our small "do-the-right-thing" choices really add up to, although, as you point out, it has to be better than doing nothing. I notice that each of the examples you give, such as carrying a reuseable shopping bag or buying organic, locally grown foods, is something <i>you</i> are able to do without having to involve anyone else. When it comes to the topic of women or men pointing out sexism with the hope that the offender will really learn something or, at the very least, shut up next time such a thought enters the brain, the question of whether our efforts add up to much would seem to depend on our persuading <i>others</i>. For me, that's even an even more depressing thought! Kiki, So true that we have to wonder sometimes how much our small “do-the-right-thing” choices really add up to, although, as you point out, it has to be better than doing nothing. I notice that each of the examples you give, such as carrying a reuseable shopping bag or buying organic, locally grown foods, is something you are able to do without having to involve anyone else. When it comes to the topic of women or men pointing out sexism with the hope that the offender will really learn something or, at the very least, shut up next time such a thought enters the brain, the question of whether our efforts add up to much would seem to depend on our persuading others. For me, that’s even an even more depressing thought!

]]> By: Caukee http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85093 Caukee Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:41:15 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85093 Your blog, but I find him disruptive. Your blog, but I find him disruptive.

]]> By: Twisty http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85091 Twisty Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:00:07 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85091 Caukee, Finnsmotel was never banned. He is here because he is an old friend of mine in real life, and one of the few men I know who is interested enough in feminism to read this blog even semi-regularly. Caukee, Finnsmotel was never banned. He is here because he is an old friend of mine in real life, and one of the few men I know who is interested enough in feminism to read this blog even semi-regularly.

]]> By: Caukee http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85088 Caukee Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:31:51 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85088 Fucking Finn ! I thought you got rid of him. Why is he allowed back ? In case you are thinking of responding, Finn, let me assure you that I am not interested, and I will not read it (I stopped reading your posts ages ago) but your name keeps popping up in other peoples' comments. GO AWAY. NOW. Fucking Finn ! I thought you got rid of him. Why is he allowed back ?
In case you are thinking of responding, Finn, let me assure you that I am not interested, and I will not read it (I stopped reading your posts ages ago) but your name keeps popping up in other peoples’ comments. GO AWAY. NOW.

]]> By: kiki http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85085 kiki Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:52:36 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85085 thebewilderness, lo Siento! At that point it was more a response to others on the thread, I should have been more clear. thebewilderness, lo Siento! At that point it was more a response to others on the thread, I should have been more clear.

]]> By: thebewilderness http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85083 thebewilderness Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:48:23 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85083 "I think there’s danger in patting yourself on the back because you believe that your choices are better those others when in fact all of those supposed “choices” represent nothing more than shades of gray inside a shadow that is cast over us all." kiki, This thing that you seem to think I said, I did not say. “I think there’s danger in patting yourself on the back because you believe that your choices are better those others when in fact all of those supposed “choices” represent nothing more than shades of gray inside a shadow that is cast over us all.”

kiki,
This thing that you seem to think I said, I did not say.

]]> By: kiki http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85080 kiki Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:38:05 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85080 <i>Failure to object is acquiescence. </i> But when faced with an evil of such monumental proportions does your objection really amount to much (other than a feel good moment)? Can there truly be meaningful dissent? I don't know. Does my carrying a re-usable shopping bag, or riding my bike instead of driving, or supporting local farmers really amount to a hill of frijoles? Of course I tell myself that it does and that at least I'm <i>trying</i>. But the truth is that although I live on the fringe of society in a mud house in an empty desert I am still stuck in the system. I keep moving further out and yet the P always seems to hunt me down. I think there's danger in patting yourself on the back because you believe that your choices are better those <i>others</i> when in fact all of those supposed "choices" represent nothing more than shades of gray inside a shadow that is cast over us all. Failure to object is acquiescence.

But when faced with an evil of such monumental proportions does your objection really amount to much (other than a feel good moment)? Can there truly be meaningful dissent? I don’t know. Does my carrying a re-usable shopping bag, or riding my bike instead of driving, or supporting local farmers really amount to a hill of frijoles? Of course I tell myself that it does and that at least I’m trying. But the truth is that although I live on the fringe of society in a mud house in an empty desert I am still stuck in the system. I keep moving further out and yet the P always seems to hunt me down. I think there’s danger in patting yourself on the back because you believe that your choices are better those others when in fact all of those supposed “choices” represent nothing more than shades of gray inside a shadow that is cast over us all.

]]> By: thebewilderness http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85066 thebewilderness Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:48:45 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85066 That really is the heart of the thing, isn't it? It could jeopardize a persons position and safety to stand up for what they purport to believe. So they let it go. They, or we, tell ouselves that it isn't quite bad enough to be willing to do anything about it, yet. But if the person had said or done a thing that was really bad enough, then we would have spoken up. Certainly we would. Of course we would, because we aren't like them, really, we aren't. Failure to object is acquiescence. This time, next time, every time. Objecting can cost us, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, and we hardly ever get a cookie for it. That really is the heart of the thing, isn’t it? It could jeopardize a persons position and safety to stand up for what they purport to believe. So they let it go. They, or we, tell ouselves that it isn’t quite bad enough to be willing to do anything about it, yet. But if the person had said or done a thing that was really bad enough, then we would have spoken up. Certainly we would. Of course we would, because we aren’t like them, really, we aren’t.
Failure to object is acquiescence. This time, next time, every time.
Objecting can cost us, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, and we hardly ever get a cookie for it.

]]> By: redhead http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85063 redhead Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:22:51 +0000 http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2007/08/13/my-pms-disaster-level-high/#comment-85063 Dammit, my post got messed up. It's supposed to read: Writing superlong posts that don’t address the point and threaten to take over the conversation PLUS explaining how hard it is for men who don’t want to lose status in the P PLUS taking the focus away from criticizing men to focus on women who are aiding the P PLUS repeatedly threatening/promising to exit the thread and then still flouncing around a day later PLUS seeming bewildered that the meanie feminists don’t appreciate all this thrashing around = Mandos For some reason, it didn't print my plus signs. Dammit, my post got messed up.

It’s supposed to read:

Writing superlong posts that don’t address the point and threaten to take over the conversation PLUS explaining how hard it is for men who don’t want to lose status in the P PLUS taking the focus away from criticizing men to focus on women who are aiding the P PLUS repeatedly threatening/promising to exit the thread and then still flouncing around a day later PLUS seeming bewildered that the meanie feminists don’t appreciate all this thrashing around = Mandos

For some reason, it didn’t print my plus signs.

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