So someone on YouTube decided to put together what was intended as a heartwarming and inspirational video — assembled mostly from Russian dash-cam videos — showing an assortment of ordinary fellows taking a few moments from their day to help out their fellow human beings, and even a few animals. We get to see little old ladies walked across the street, cars pushed or pulled from snowbanks, and so on.
But when Paul Elam of A Voice for Men — the alleged Men’s “Human Rights” site that posts an open call to firebomb courthouses and police stations in its “activism” section — watched the video, all he saw was what wasn’t there — that is, helpful women.
For you see, as far as anyone can tell with all that heavy winter clothing, this five minute video features only helpful men, and I think one helpful boy, and no helpful people of the lady persuasion. Mr. Elam underscored this point by headlining his post “Where are the women?” and ending the post with the very same question.
I’m not exactly sure why Mr. Elam thinks this is a particularly important question to ask (twice). I don’t know the precise gender breakdown for helping little old ladies across the road either in Russia or the US, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t 100% male. I’m almost positive that there are some women in the world who actually help their fellow human beings (and animals) from time to time. I’m pretty sure I know a few myself.
Indeed, if you look at the actual statistics for volunteering from the Bureau of Labor Statistics — generally considered a better source of data than compilations of Russian dash-cam footage — you will discover not only that substantial numbers of both men and women volunteer but also that, in the US at least, women consistently volunteer at rates higher than that of men. Take it away, BLS:
The volunteer rates for both men and women (23.2 and 29.5 percent, respectively) changed little in the year ending in September 2012. Women continued to volunteer at a higher rate than did men across all age groups, educational levels, and other major demographic characteristics.
I guess that’s where the women are. Volunteering.
If you’re interested in seeing the video that got Mr. Elam’s heart feeling so warmed, here you go:
Oh, wait, that’s not it. That’s not dudes helping. That’s dudes punching each other and acting like assholes. Here it is:
Damn it! More punching and assholism. Let’s try again.
Oops again.
In my defense, the videos I’ve posted are assembled mostly from Russian dash-cam footage, and I’m pretty sure there are no women in any of them.
Here’s the actual video, for reals.
@Shadow
I dunno. Canada Geese seem to give a lot of shits. About everything. Everywhere.
Sorry, I keep talking.
My main opportunities to help people in public is at the grocery store. There are often elderly people struggling with their carts in the parking lot or to reach something on a shelf and I *always* ask if I can help.
And I’ve asked for help in similar circumstances — a few times when there’s just one item left on the shelf and it’s way in back. I’ve asked a tall person for help.
And because we live in a society, it’s not a thing, you MRA creepsters. People help each other because it feels nice.
*dies* Canadian geese are stuck up, yep, but they certainly do give shit, all over the place.
Cloudiah — good luck on the weather? Have fun if it ever lets up!
And happy birthday!!
@Nepenthe & Argenti
It’s a common misconception, but I’m afraid you’re wrong. They really don’t give a shit, they just like to give us a lot of shit. Along with being entitled princesses, they’re also straight up trolls!
Uh, sure PaulE. After all, Youtube is the true beacon of humanity.
Happy Birthday Cloudiah!
That may be the first time I’ve seen actual real-life little old ladies actually being helped across streets.
I kept hoping that one of the little old ladies would do a Monty Python and start assaulting the helpful person with her handbag ….
Happy birthday, cloudiah!
Happy birthday, Cloudiah!
This will teach you to help little old ladies! MISANDRY!
And happy birthday to Cloudiah, of course!
Happy Birthday, Cloudiah!!!
Happy birthday, cloudiah! I would hike even if the rain kept up…as long as the path wasn’t too slippery! (I’m a rain-loving mutant.)
Happy Birthday, cloudiah!
May all your feminist conspiracies be well executed and all your plans to something something that probably something misandry work out wonderfully well!
That, and have another good year 🙂
Paulie, are you trying to make the case that men are more virtuous and helpful than women? Then prove it. Go help someone out, and don’t expect anything in return. While you’re at it, encourage your fellow MRAs to do the same. Go on, show us nefarious women the error of our ways by your shining example!
@ cloudiah,
don’t forget to watch soap operas while you eat bon bons, preferably soap operas with women riding a cock carousel of Leonardo DiCaprio clones.
Psah, you know men only do something nice if their boners will be pleased.
/sarcasm
Happy Birthday Cloudiah!
I was going to post a nice song but I could not find anything. Instead I ordered a sammich.
Sorry. 🙁
Happy Birthday, Cloudiah!
Happy Birthday! Cake for everyone!
Woo, happy birthday Cloudiah! 😀 And thanks for the note on dash-cams. It still sounds really weird to me, but okay, sure, whatever works for them, I guess.
RE: katz
Yeah, me too! I thought that little old ladies across the street thing was like sick kids being given chicken soup, just one of those things people do in movies.
One time when I was a little kid, my sister and I were standing side-by-side by a lake watching a bunch of Canadian geese with their little goslings. We were chatting and then fell silent for a bit, then I said something and she didn’t respond, so I turned to look at her AND THERE WAS A CANADIAN GOOSE THAT WAS AS TALL I WAS STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO ME!! And then it made that freaky hissing sound they make and started towards me. I screamed and ran away. My sister, the little traitor, had run off when she saw the goose approaching and didn’t say anything. She was safely up the hill a ways.
I’m still kinda scared by geese. I’ve been bitten by them and it doesn’t even hurt that badly and I know it’s totally irrational but that scared me so much I just can’t get over it. I get made fun of all the time because I’ve had encounters with rattlesnakes, mountain lions and bears and am just kinda like, “meh,*” but HOLY SHIT GOOSE RUN!!! It’s really a bit ridiculous but what can I do? It’s a phobia.
*Okay so I’m not really like “meh” when I’ve run into bears or mountain lions, but I don’t get scared and handle the situation appropriately which is why I haven’t been eaten yet I guess. The adrenaline does start flowing though. Rattlesnakes legitimately don’t scare me, probably because I’ve seen approximately eleventy-billion of them in my life.
Happy birthday, cloudiah!
Elam is way off the mark. Women like the author of this blog post are extremely helpful.