I ran across this remarkable painting, titled “The Irritating Gentleman,” on Sheltered and Safe From Sorrow, a blog devoted to Victorian mourning rituals and other creepiness from that period. The gentleman in question seems to be a Victorian era Pickup Artist in action. He’s even peacocking, Mystery style, with that bow tie and stupid hat and even a non-ironic handlebar moustache. Probably the only thing keeping him from wearing aviator goggles is the fact that airplanes haven’t yet been invented.
What makes it all the worse is that the PUA’s target is clearly in mourning. As the blogger behind rawr I’m a tumblr notes:
She’s wearing all black in 1874. Black gloves, hat, cloak, and dress. In public. The whole nine yards. That’s not a fashion choice or a gothic thing. Back then when people wore all black like that, they were in mourning for someone who died. No one did mourning like the Victorians, that shit was an art form to them.
Someone in her family has died—she could even be a young widow. No one’s accompanying her either. With the carpet bag? She’s traveling alone while still in deep mourning. Look at the closeup. She’s got tears in her eyes. She is upset, devastated in a way that one is only when someone has died. And the guy’s still bothering her, like her problems are flippant bullshit and she needs to just smile or pay attention to him because ladies are supposed to be pleasing for men no matter what shit they’re going through. That’s not a look of “what an ass.” That’s a look of devastation that even in her pain, she’s expected to give people like him focus. She’s not mad. She’s hurt. And to add insult to injury? Everyone would be able to tell. It was a clear sign and still is in ways that someone is mourning, to dress in black crepe like that. He would know why she’s wearing all black, and he’s still demanding her attention.
What an insufferable dick.
Yep.
The connections series was AWESOME! It was really well done, showed how technology sprung up from the newest discoveries AND showed why better designs were scrapped/not implemented in favor of less efficient models.
Beloved has the entire series.
@elodie – your rage is completely understandable. Yikes.
That explains a lot. Dude, you are not “avant garde opinionated,” you’re an angry asshole who resents that you didn’t become fabulously wealthy with a dozen supermodels taking turns in your waterbed. Nothing you have said on this site has ever been original or new. You are not cutting edge. You are in fact not much different than the leering jackass in that centuries-old painting up there. You’re not cutting edge. Your ideas are so old and gross they have mold.
“Um…did you miss where the painting is ~150 years old, long before TV and movies existed?”
150 years ago, the ABNOYs of the world would have gotten all their information from penny dreadfuls.
tl:dr “I can’t be bothered treating people as people, therefore everyone else is is the same.”
“Let’s not try, because we’re doomed to fail.”
Fuck that noise.
I don’t believe it’s impossible for us to get our societies to where we want them to be. I do believe it’ll never happen if everyone just gives up.
The thing is, most people of whatever gender are doing more or less OK with the current paradigm where men and women live together and not in separate societies. Most of those who want relationships have them, and although there are often problems with those relationships most people muddle through. So why would that majority ever agree to scrap the whole system just because a small number of dysfunctional men can’t cope?
A small number of men who most of the world has never heard of.
“A small number of men who most of the world has never heard of.”
Because they are the Chosen Few, and the world must adapt to their perfection.
Now pardon me while I go hork out the window.
It’s usually when you tell people like Abnoy that they’re not important that they start issuing threats. I wonder if that’s next.
Yes, even though they are so perfect that … they complain all women ignore them? <..<
Hey, if Ab-sense wants to get himself on perma-mod or banned …
With his type it’s usually more “and if the unhappy young men don’t get their bots there will be dire consequences for women – dire, I tell you!”. They’re too cowardly for direct threats.
Yep, totally dire … if your kink is being drooled over by creepy basement dwellers.
Somehow I think that lets most of us off the hook.
::hums to self thinking about day with lovely chap spent eating bread and honey in front of fire::
oh christ, and of course he’s a transhumanist. of the privilege-blind, self-consciously nihilist variety, even.
ABNOY. ABNOY YOU ARE MAKING ANIME NERDS LOOK BAD. ABNOY. STAHP.
“‘(welcome to why I love the Doctor, because “no weapons! Scan me!”)’
That’s like mistaking Gandalf’s staff for a walking stick.”
Lol, well yes, but it has plenty of non-weapon uses (as does that “walking stick”)
“‘Um…did you miss where the painting is ~150 years old, long before TV and movies existed?’
150 years ago, the ABNOYs of the world would have gotten all their information from penny dreadfuls.”
Yeah he clearly missed my point there. You, on the other hand, nailed it, thank you!
dire sloth — yes he does, and I’m sorry about that. Both the anime part, and the OMGS transhumanist RUN!! part.
I have always revered the all-time greatest hits because I have had a classic education :p. Nature abhors a vacumn and we are all just mere cogs in the machine; life goes on and the graveyards are full of irreplaceable men. The dream is dead and nothing matters; all that is left are the fading memories of forgotten times.
Abnoy: I am a heterosexual human male of the non-mangina variety.
I’m so happy that you seem to have attained a life-goal. Your mother must be so proud.
Liberals tend to infantilize adolescents out of overprotectiveness. They’re growing up faster than ever before in human history both in mind and body, especially in the First World, thanks to all the hormones, chemicals, radiation, and knowledge in the environment, yet they’re ironically they’re underestimated more than ever before in human history as well. SO if it looks adult it must be adult?
Yeah, you aren’t being at all skeevy, or creepy. Not a bit.
As someone upthread noticed, in the American mass-media, it’s a common trope in fiction that grieving gals usually become horny and have sex with the nearest conveniently available guy in order to comfort themselves.
So you admit it’s a fiction guys use to justify being dickwads; which is what we were talking about. Nice to see you agreeing with us.
“How hypocritical of you to complain, since this very site was created to get a rise out of men everywhere…”
“Eckles, bring me my clue x 4!”
Men everywhere? I suppose this is sort of true, as I am sure there are some men, “everywhere” who would be the sort of dickwad you seem to approve of.
But if you mean (as you so often seem to), “all men” (even using the no true scotsman rule of excluding those who disagree with you as, “manginæ” from the equation) then it’s patently false.
evolve en masse into something else
That is the way it works. Individuals don’t evolve, populations do, and it takes generations; and outside pressures. Humanity isn’t facing those sorts of pressures (and really, I don’t want it to). So the odds of H. sap “evolving” are slim.
I am amused that you think having reactionary ideas about gender relations makes you avant garde. Really,I am.
Cassandra: What I’ve seen him do, when his fundamental errors are pointed out, is stop dealing with the arguments and try to offend by insult.
Happily for those whom he targets, he doesn’t have the authority to make it sting, even if he did know what insults would work
Abnoy, do you have any thoughts of your own, or do you have to borrow them all from anime?
This site was created to entertain the blogger and his readers – that it gets a rise out of some douchebags is a bonus, yes, but not the intent. Sorry, but some things just aren’t about you.
That’s an interesting question, emilygoddess. As the great Vash the Stampede once said…
“I have always revered the all-time greatest hits”
Hits according to what criteira? Abnoy’s boner?
“because I have had a classic education :p.”
Funny, most people who’ve had a classical education or are educated in the classics know how to use the word.
And the rest of the post is just a hash of cliches. Abnoy’s mastered triteness if nothing else.
RE: Abnoy
Nah, dude, sorry. You lost me with the Liefeldian 90s. Like, the pillows, I have no problem believing, no problem with that, but… LIEFELDIAN 90S, man. That’s gotta be an act. I mean, I’m fucking GAY, and I can give you much better cheesecake than goddamn 90s Image. Richard Moore, Adam Hughes, hell, Jeff Smith, even. Polly Guo!
It’s just as well I’m sure that this is all an act, because… DAMN, man. DAMN. I’m a fucking ALTER, living in a goddamned attic, and I feel like I’m so much happier than you.
I really do hope all this is an act and you actually have a very nice life somewhere full of enjoyable hobbies and people who love you, because otherwise… *shakes head*
“Liberals tend to infantilize adolescents out of overprotectiveness. They’re growing up faster than ever before in human history both in mind and body, especially in the First World, thanks to all the hormones, chemicals, radiation, and knowledge in the environment, yet they’re ironically they’re underestimated more than ever before in human history as well.”
Oh. You’re talking about pedophilia?
*shudder* I was a teenager raped by an older guy. And yes, dammit, I’m male.
I wasn’t infantilized, Abnoy. I got to go the cops all on my onesy, give them the report, knowing all the while nothing would be done about it. My folks let it happen under their noses, even suspecting what was going on, but letting me deal with it. Because you know, I was sixteen. Totally an adult, right? Certainly didn’t need any support during that time.
You don’t know jack shit, Abnoy.