The blogger Fidelbogen likes to think of himself as some sort of grand theoretician of “counter-feminist” thinking. Which means that his posts are usually far too long and ponderous to read, much less to write about. His ideas – at least judging from the few posts of his I’ve had the patience to wade through — are really not much more advanced than your typical MRA; he’s just much more pretentious (and long-winded) about it.
He is, in other words, the sort of guy who could take 3000 words to explain the rather basic MRA notion that women control men with their vaginas.
I mean that quite literally. Our excitable MGTOWer friend MarkyMark recently drew his readers’ attention to a 5-year-old post by Fidelbogen with the enigmatic title “Ideas Which Go Against the Grain,” which offers, yep, a 3000-word précis of the evils of pussy power. Perhaps against my better judgement, I’ve decided to give it a detailed look. Strap in!
I’ll give him credit for one thing: despite his vague title, Fidelbogen states his thesis quite plainly at the start:
Female sexuality is raised high upon an altar like a golden calf. Male sexuality is looked upon as a ratty old kitchen chair with a cracked vinyl seat, under suspicion of mildew.
Well, ok, not the very start. Right about here:
This disparity, this imbalance, this . . . . inequality, accounts for most of women’s power over men. By extension, it accounts for a great deal of feminism’s leverage in the realm of gender politics.
In other words: vagina=power.
I leave it to the poets to wax lyrical about the mysteries of the eternal feminine, and to the psychoanalytic priesthood to plumb its shadowy depths. As a political tactician and theorist, it is my cold-blooded task merely to figure out how the world works, blabbity blabbity bloo.
Ok, those last three words are my paraphrase of his argument. Focus, Fidelbogen, focus!
The higher valuation assigned to female sexuality generates a seller’s market for women in the so-called game of love. That is how the world works; women do not queue or cluster in quest of men’s favors. No, it is nearly always men who act this way around women.
And this leads to, yep, the dreaded Pussy Cartel:
Deprived of euphemism, the case is this: women have cornered the market on sexual intercourse, and are able to dictate the price and the accompanying politics much as OPEC might set the terms for oil. …
Understand, that the higher valuation of female sexuality translates into both female power and loss of male power. Since female supremacy is feminism’s driving ambition, it makes sense that the women’s movement has undertaken to siphon power away from men using every siphon hose imaginable.
Normally, I would assume this last bit was some kind of sniggering reference to blowjobs. As Fidelbogen seems to be utterly without a sense of humor, I have to assume it’s merely a belabored metaphor.
So how do the evil feminists siphon away male power? By driving along some sort of road:
Certain lanes, deeply rutted by age-old usage, serve handily along feminism’s route to power.
So after siphoning their way down this road, we (and the evil feminists) arrive at what I’ll call (to keep Fidelbogen’s metaphor going) “Courtship Lane.”
The word “courtship” is revealing. Men are the “courtiers”, which is to say lackeys or sycophants who wait upon the pleasure of their “lord”. In courtship, more often than otherwise, women hold all the cards. Feminists, being women, are well aware of this. But they are also aware that the realm of courtship, while being women’s greatest zone of power over men, is likewise a critical link in the chain of power which binds men specifically to the designs of feminist domination.
After a bit of empty rhetoric, Prof. F continues:
Most women are aware of their superior sexual bargaining power. And many women have been politicized to some degree (more or less) by feminist ideology. This latter group will most certainly carry their politicized outlook into the sexual bargaining arena, and in their minds both feminist ideology and the knowledge of their age-old power will meld together into a troublesome sort of hybrid entity.
Fidelbogen, alas, does not take the opportunity to name this dastardly “hybrid entity.” Let’s just call it THE FEMIGINA!! (In all caps, with two exclamation points.)
At this point, Prof. F loses what little steam his argument has, and begins prattling about this and that and the evils of feminism. I will attempt to convey the gist of it with the following excerpts. In order to truly capture the flavor of it, I will replace the traditional ellipses – used to indicate excised material – with the phrase “blabbity blabbity.”
Blabbity blabbity to gauge the extent of feminist indoctrination among the female population would be like measuring the spread of a gaseous substance with a rubber band. Blabbity blabbity [f]eminism has blabbity blabbity secured a tremendous power over men by means of a momentous bio-political conjunction. Blabbity moral corona of the ideology blabbity female noosphere blabbity blabbity feminist-tinted spectacles blabbity blabbity the path lies clear before us.
And then he comes to his point:
Men should cease to value female sexuality beyond a certain fixed rate. Once the cost exceeds this rate, the value should fall to zero—leaving the purveyors in their deserted market stall.
Yep. That’s right. He’s talking about what we here on Man Boobz know as the Cock Blockade.
Blabbity blabbity it would go against nature blabbity blabbity laborious gritting of teeth. Blabbity blabbity supremely human accomplishment. Blabbity blabbity we are more than simply animals.
And he comes to another point:
Devaluation of female sexuality would alter the balance of power between the sexes. There would come a point where a man, any man, could make the personal choice to cast loose from women altogether—in all but the peripheral aspects of his life.
Blabbity blabbity men would need to cut each other some slack blabbity blabbity stop competing with other men in the customary arena where female flesh is the prize. Blabbity blabbity. The question “are ya getting any?”, along with the adolescent mindset it signals, would be out of place in this altered scheme of things.
And this would put the ladies in their place – standing lonely in their vagina stalls, gamely trying to interest men in their now worthless vaginas.
Women would be the courtiers, the ones who queue and cluster. Deny women their fundamental age-old power, and feminism would find itself reeling in shock as though from a serious blood loss. The best way for men to free themselves from the boa-constrictor grip of feminism is to free themselves from the power of women.
So now I have the image of lady boa-constrictors with head wounds standing in a line, displaying their boa-constrictor vaginas with a sort of desperate hopefulness to the wholly uninterested men who pass by.
After a good deal of blathering so tedious it’s not even worth quoting in part, Fidelbogen begins to ponder the power of “no.”
[M]en must play hard to get. They must learn to exercise the very same option which has historically been the province of women, namely, the power to say NO.
Saying no lies coiled at the very heart of playing hard to get. Saying no signifies a withdrawal which generates a vacuum along its line of retreat, and this vacuum by its draft draws the other into a pursuit by default.
I feel a bit of a breeze myself, but I think that’s just because Prof. F is talking a lot of wind.
Let’s move from breezes to earthquakes:
The changes I am discussing here would amount to a tectonic realignment of unquestionably world-historic magnitude. An inversion of the Victorian pedestal.
The old way of doing things, Prof. F tells us,
I have decided to call it the pussy paradigm—a somewhat vulgar expression to be sure, but it has the common touch!
Ironically, the common touch is something hetero dudes will have to become masters at if they swear off the ladies. Prof. F continues:
So, this pussy paradigm belongs in the category of things which predate feminism’s arrival in the world. And when the feminists got here, they saw in a flash where their advantage lay, and they closed in, and they threw a harness around it.
They threw a harness around a paradigm?
The heart of feminism is female supremacism, and the heart of female supremacism is the pussy paradigm. Remember this if you remember nothing else.
So what does Prof. F call his pussy-optional way of doing things? The “optionality paradigm.” That is, dudes can have sex with women or not, whatever they want, and shouldn’t pressure one another to score with the ladies. (I’m not quite sure how, in Professor F’s economic model, the price of pussy can be reduced to zero if some dudes are still interested in it, but I confess that I only sort of skimmed that bit of his post. Life is short, and Fidelbogen’s posts are long.)
More blabbity blabbity:
The future, in theory, should see a migration of the optionality paradigm toward the center of the map within hetero-normative male culture, along with a corresponding displacement of the pussy paradigm toward the perimeter. This would exactly reverse the present disposition of forces. The optionality paradigm would, at that point, become the ruling paradigm.
After reading this turgid turd of a paragraph , I decided to cut my losses and skip directly to Professor F’s grand conclusion. Which turns out to be neither grand nor much of a conclusion:
My endeavor in writing has been to flesh it out somewhat. To write about it is to give it a form, to make the inchoate choate, to fashion an anchor of words that can hold things usefully in place so we can discuss them, if need be, with a view toward implementation and concrete action. The time to draft contingency plans is now. Put these ideas in your thinking cap and ponder their utility.
Even better, put them in a small bag, weigh it down with rocks, and toss it into the nearest large body of water.
Jesus, this turned into a long post. Still, it’s only about half the length of Prof. F’s original.
Blair Witch was spooky to me in a theater at midnight, with only three other people in the theater, which was run down. I was also alone at the time, no one else wanted to go to it. Not sure it would work as well on a tv, though.
Thank you for agreeing to talk with me all chilled like. I interpreted your comments to refer to your remarks about Star Wars, not to other peoples’ remarks about your remarks about Star Wars. So I was wrong there, and I apologise.
But as regards a lot of what you say you’ve been accused of, I think you’re reading more there than was intended. Almost everyone else here is also a feminist; they’re not saying WELL YOU ARE UGLY AND HAIRY AND SMELLY AND YOU DON’T SHAVE AND YOU CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT INJUSTICE THEREFORE YOU’RE “HYSTERICAL” WHARGLBARGL because many of us have also been called those things, and know that that’s how patriarchy speaks when it wants to insult people with stuff that doesn’t actually refer to anything “bad.”
Nifty. If you’re into comics, have you seen Alan Moore’s “Swamp Thing”? Same Creature-Feature nastiness, but smart smart smart underneath.
O_o
….eeeee.
Nah, Ginmar, I didn’t miss that. I also didn’t miss the bit where you said
“But hey, obviously I touched a nerve that made you want to make sure that people know you’re a good, fun, sexy feminist. You win. Let me know when MRAL or NWO what-the-fuck-ever ask you out. Here’s your trophy.
“(Last sentence omitted for sadism.)”
You’re not nasty because you’re a feminist or fat or own cats, Ginmar. You’re nasty because you’re going for the jugular when no one’s even aiming at you. Sit down and shut up until you can be civil.
I didn’t think it did, really. But then again….the first time I saw Casablanca—not a horror movie, because unless I’m very specific I will be accused of saying so—-I saw it on a big screen, and it was stupendous. But then again….I saw War of the Worlds, (with Tom Cruise, ugh) on the big screen and despite nifty Martians I was not impressed at all. Cloverfield and Monsters both have a more intimate scale but they still got in a lot of shots of the monsters. I have no way of knowing if they would have worked on a big screen or not, which is less forgiving. I’m biased toward that style of camera work, and subject so….I’m desperate for monster/alien invasion movies.
I saw psycho in a theatre for the first time and when I got home my room mate hid in the shower. Obviously I now hate all men because of that. That’s also where I lost my sense of humor. He was a Hitchcock buff so we pretty much worked our way through them all, but some of them were on the VCR and TV. So I can’t say how much weight to give the advantage of Big Movie Screen + Atmosphere versus Smaller Scale + Hitchcock or I Want a Monster Movie At Any Cost, Dammit. I think TBWP did pioneer that shakycam thing, though. Can’t get enough of that. Even Tom Cruise would have looked good with that.
I do like going to movies alone, especially horror ones, preferably in a nearly deserted theater. The half price ones are good, especially because they do not have big crowds at the late night times usually. I am not near that theater now, I miss it very much.
The Japanese movie Infection was also very spooky and creepy watched alone, and was effective on the TV medium. It was on at 2 am. I think it is on Netflix streaming now. I recommend it.
Since we’re talking about geek stuff! 😀
http://eschergirls.tumblr.com/
Has nebody seen this yet? 😀
War of the World with Tom Cruise was only good for special effects really. Unfortunate, because with better casting, it could have been spectacular.
I liked I am Legend.
ಠ_ಠ
Nobody’s saying this. They are saying that your apparent binary approach to Star Wars is counterproductive, because you can’t toggle feminism. They are also saying that this:
is not a proportional response to “you can’t toggle feminism” and is, in fact, pretty hurtful. I think it’s awesome that you decided to discuss stuff with me upthread, but in the passage I just quoted, there’s no room for disagreement, no discussion, there’s only “Agrees With Me” and “Must Like NWOSlave In Secret.” That’s a false dichotomy and it’s lame.
Has nebody seen this yet? *posts women in silly poses*
Is that anything like…
this?
http://knowyourmeme.com/forums/meme-research/topics/11186-mary-jane-pose
You were in a rage, lashing out at everyone in reach, friend or foe. That’s pretty much the definition.
“But hey, obviously I touched a nerve that made you want to make sure that people know you’re a good, fun, sexy feminist. You win. Let me know when MRAL or NWO what-the-fuck-ever ask you out. Here’s your trophy. (Last sentence omitted for sadism.)”
You’re complaining that ppl are strawmanning you and accusing you of being a sex-hating Dworkin-ish rad fem right? : But now you’re doing the same thing, accusing your opponents of being sell outs who just want to impress the male trolls here for dates o_O
This doesn’t seem productive :
Let’s clarify this :3 What do you believe people here think of you and are accusing you of being?
And after you answer, everybody here can say if that’s what they think of you, and if not, they can clarify their position :]
Everybody okay w/ this? 😀
@Voip that picture is in the tumblr too! 😀
But are the Internet reactions to it in the tumblr? I THINK NOT
VOIP, I don’t tend to get into comics much any more, but I do have bunches of early Alan Moore art books and stuff. I’ve got LOTR, Camelot, , some stuff about fairies, and basically lots of art books and stuff about myths and legends and gods and goddesses. Go grab a copy of “Gnomes” immediately, though it’s not by Moore. I also tend to snap up “The Art Of—” books about movies right away. Ironically, I have all the original Star Wars art books, toys, posters, comics….what-have-you that I got, and I was one of the original Star Wars geeks. Oh, God, remember the Star Wars bubblegum cards? I have all those, but it’s all probably in terrible shape because it’s been boxed up since I was a little Star Wars geek. I have all the Ralph McQuarrie(sp?) books, plus all the Art of Star Wars books, which are really nifty. I love the sensibility of the spaceships and stuff looking all used and dirty and real. The same artists worked on the first Alien movie, too, and I think Moore did some artwork for that movie, too?
Moore did a sketchbook for LOTR that’s absolutely amazing. I know I’ve got more books that he’s done but I’d have to go dig them up.
My ex used to work for a guy named Chaykin, and he autographed all his comics for me. If you like Moore, you should look up a guy named Simon Marsden, I think it is, but he does photography rather than painting. Seriously. Run. Now. Amazing stuff.
@VoIP nobody is stopping ppl from reacting to it 😀 I would actually like to see ppl trying to do these poses xD I’ve been trying…. I keep hurting my spine D:
Ami
nobody is stopping ppl from reacting to it
Ah, sorry: I was referring to the link I posted, in which various people from the Internet tried to sit like MJ in that panel and failed. That wasn’t in that tumblr, because that tumblr is not for fan reactions but for the original artwork. I wasn’t implying that anyone was trying to prevent people from sitting like doofuses if they wanted.
And Ginmar
the Art of Star Wars books…are really nifty. I love the sensibility of the spaceships and stuff looking all used and dirty and real.
I remember reading a review of one of the prequel movies, back when they first came out, that said that the problem with the new Star Wars is that nothing ever gets dirty on it. Something happened to Lucas…:/
Ami, Holly called me a Alpha feminist who didn’t like anything. She then contrasted herself with me, saying something like she wasn’t like me, blah blah. She said twice that I didn’t like anything, based on the fact that….I didn’t like George Lucas’ treatment of Leia, given that she was the only female character in the first trilogy. Or second, if you prefer. Based on that alone, she accused me of being Miss Alpha Feminist—her words—and then topped it off with the sentiment that I didn’t like anything at all because I was so much more perfect than her and everybody.
Ginmar Rienne | September 13, 2011 at 1:06 am
Ami, Holly called me a Alpha feminist who didn’t like anything. She then contrasted herself with me, saying something like she wasn’t like me, blah blah. She said twice that I didn’t like anything, based on the fact that….I didn’t like George Lucas’ treatment of Leia, given that she was the only female character in the first trilogy. Or second, if you prefer. Based on that alone, she accused me of being Miss Alpha Feminist—her words—and then topped it off with the sentiment that I didn’t like anything at all because I was so much more perfect than her and everybody.
Everybody not named Ginmar or Ami: Is this true? And do people think of Ginmar as this? :]
@VoIP now I want to take pictures of myself trying to do each of those poses and put it up XD
Also I would ttlly be open to putting up pictures of nebody trying to do them 😀 (just don’t kill yourself)
VOIP, this is the original comment to me:
We get it, Ginmar, you are the Alpha Feminist because you refuse to like anything.
I unfortunately am a weak human and like some things, and thus will forever be a Beta Feminist.
Criticizing Lucas for his consistent casting and script choices over some thirty years hardly merits accusations of a binary approach, does it? Is arguing one’s point really enough to get one’s self labeled as somebody who ‘refuses to like anything’, especially when the accuser then preens and points to one’s self as the best option? I never said I didn’t like the movies, flawed though they are. I wasn’t given the chance. And calling women nuts—do I really have to point out the history of that particular gambit?
Ami, here’s the verbatim comment:
We get it, Ginmar, you are the Alpha Feminist because you refuse to like anything.
I unfortunately am a weak human and like some things, and thus will forever be a Beta Feminist.
I refuse to like anything, you see. Refuse. That’s a choice I make. Anything at all.
By contrast, she helpfully offers herself—mockingly—- sarcastically saying she’s weak and that she ‘likes some things.’ She herself offers herself as a contrast to the label she gives me. But her sarcasm is okay, mine is not.
Ginmar does appear to me to not like much of anything and if we disagree with her, she does tend to lash out rather then say the quite reasonable thing that she said at 1:06 AM.
There was no call to say that Holly is sucking up to an MRA simply because she does like someone such as Princess Leia in Star Wars. There is call to say that she is being unfair to Ginmar for not liking the Princess Leia character and claiming that Ginmar does not like anything which is not proven. (Which is why I said “appears to me” because it is not proven one way or the other, this is just what I have seen.)
Ginmar, I’ve read you on other sites, and usually know that what you’re saying is going to be forthright and sensible. Then you blow up here, and I start to remember you blowing up in years past. I don’t understand why you need to take down Holly, when you two could be having an AMAZING conversation. Oh well, maybe another day. In the meantime, we get to play Ginmar Bingo. http://www.journalfen.net/users/mcity/4068.html Just needs a bit of updating to include “sexy feminist” as a put down.
Felix BC, it’s kind of funny how you and others fixate on that one word, while so resolutely ignoring the implication’s of the language Holly used on me. Would you care to address that?
Also, do you have proof at all that I said that, including the context in which it was said? For example, my father was not Jewish.