So while poking about the manosphere today I followed a link from an obscure Men’s Rights blog over to Alex Jones’ Infowars site — specifically to the comments on a news article about a study that claims internet porn is destroying marriage.
Jones, as you may know, is essentially the king of the world’s conspiracy theorists, so naturally I expected his commenters to be pretty unhinged. What I didn’t realize is that they would also all be Men’s Rights Activists.
Well, maybe they don’t all call themselves that, but they certainly think like MRAs; several even linked to a site for Men Going Their Own Way.
Most commenters agreed that porn was a better deal than a wife; after all, as numerous wits declared, porn won’t steal half your money in a divorce.
But alongside such familiar, indeed cliché, sentiments there were also some pretty inspired mini-rants. Here’s my favorite, which received several dozen upvotes from the regulars, making it one of the most popular comments in the 373-comment thread.
But there were other comments that were nearly as, er, inspired as this one. Take this righteous comment from one of Mr. EinNietzscheStein’s biggest fans:
And who could forget this fellow’s intriguing theories about female sexuality?
“Hanoi Jane.” Hadn’t heard that in a long time. Really brings you back, doesn’t it?
Oh, and ManWank (Bina, that’s the best variation on his nym): there isn’t a Weakest Troll of the Year award. You’re gonna have to try much, much harder than this. Never seen such weaksauce trolling.
/kidsthesedays
Thankful am I that we do not live in the mythical cowboy version of the Old West and our response to threats needn’t be to try to kill each other and hope that we’re more effective at it than the other guy.
Nope, that still doesn’t cut it. “Failure to understand irony” is so basic to trolling it really doesn’t count.
0/10
ManWalk, society doesn’t mock or degrade male sexuality. The MRA movement mocks and degrades male sexuality by claiming that sexual harassment and unwanted sexual aggression are essential parts of it and by arguing that male sexuality makes men behave in an uncontrolled, irrational manner.
Can we award trolls negative points? Or would that just lead to embarrassing hyperbole?
And oh dear God, I read the comments. They’re advocating “Give a Guy a Compliment Day.” We’ve now tuned to the “But it’s not fair that men don’t get catcalls or unwanted flirtation” portion of the argument. Such egalitarianism. Much equality. Many men’s rights.
Hi Alaisvex. I’ve never head that sentiment in the MRM. In fact, I’ve heard quite the opposite. What makes you bring that up and do you have a specific reference?
Did you listen to the honeybadger link I posted?
Much like the actual honey badger, I no curr what he’s wanking about this time/
Also, “vile” and an obsession with the idea that women don’t approve of men’s sexuality enough – Steele?
Does anyone else here love Saffire? Mr. Grump’s a big fan of the blues, and he introduced me to these lovely, lovely ladies several years ago. 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7UIegj-TzE
If this is Steele, he’s really lost his touch.
As for “Give a Guy a Compliment Day” – I do that all the time. Mostly to Mr K of course, but also to Mammotheers ‘cos they’re witty and compassionate and just good blokes all round.
Oh, that wasn’t who they meant? Oh well, they’re out of luck. ::shrugs::
Also, weaksaucetrollwank, we’re on a blog that details all the horrible shit the MRM comes out with. Do your own research, you lazy brat.
ManWhine,
If you can’t think of examples, you clearly aren’t familiar with your own movement. You might want to look at your granddaddy Warren Farrell’s arguments as a starting place. Or you could look at Paul Elam’s “begging to get raped” arguments. Or you could look at any argument where an MRA tries to defend catcalling as a natural, essential part of male sexuality. Or FeMRA Diana Davison’s argument that women who sleep in the same bed as a man should expect to be woken up by sex and shouldn’t object if such a thing occurs.
https://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2013/10/03/men-only-commit-crimes-to-make-women-happy-explains-lady-mra/
https://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2014/04/30/warren-farrell-men-are-oppressed-by-womens-butts/
https://www.wehuntedthemammoth.com/2013/10/18/paul-elam-of-a-voice-for-men-in-his-own-words/
Oh, it also doesn’t make you look like you’re reading too carefully when you’re commenting on a post where men are talking about their sexual attraction to women can make them lose money and sell themselves into slavery (their word for marriage) if they act on it with living women.
Boulevard of Manly Tears
by Kirby Day
I walk a lonely road
Rejected by the women I have known
I’ll reject them back
Laughing in their face and I walk alone
I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of Manly Tears
Where my feels run deep
And I’m the only one and I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk a…
My right hand’s the only one that stays beside me
My night lamp’s the only one that turns on for me
Sometimes I wish for a non-plastic companion
‘Til then I walk alone!
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah, aaaah-ah,
Ah-ah, ah-ah, ah-ah
And hey, it has the same wordplay has ManWank’s nym! There you go, old chum, my gift to you this holiday season!
Alaisvex, do you notice the irony of talking about not mocking or degrading male sexuality, whilst all the feminists here insult me with variation of “wanker”? I ought to ask the feminists here why feminists would throw slut shaming slurs at me. But not all feminists are like these here, right? Not *true* feminism?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. No.
You, dear sir, are a funny man.
Can I participate in give a man a compliment day if I only compliment my male cat? I call him the cutest boy in the world all the time. Or is that misandry because cats?
Does the Boulevard of Manly Tears have a supermarket on it, kirbywarp? Walking past it might make him smile bravely as he Goes His Own Way.
Protip, troll: mocking you (or any given misogynist) =/= mocking male sexuality, let alone mocking men.
You’ve also missed that you’re being mocked by other men.
You’re also too stupid to grasp that feminism isn’t a monolith, and that this is a mockery blog. Come here spouting misogny, you’ll get mocked. It really isn’t complicated.
Maninism sounds like a fish rights movement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acanthurus_triostegus
When presented with evidence that contradicts his view of the MRM, ManWalk ceases to argue. What a shock.
Btw, dude, “wanker” isn’t a male-only insult. See: fandom wank.
@kittehserf:
Actually there’s a nice little strip-mall a short ways down the Boulevard. There’s a supermarket, a little office-supply shop, a tech store, a crafts store… It’s actually very convenient, if you don’t mind all the misandry.
…
Or so I’ve heard from a friend.
Kirby, very good. Sums up feminism quite nicely. Slut shaming men, shames masturbation and sex toys, mocks male pain… all in one poem. I already knew that about feminism though. Can you show me something new? Reeeeally shock me?
ManWalk, you are boring, and your “gottcha’s” don’t work Calling someone a wanker is not slut shaming. It means that you are intellectually lazy and also that you are self indulgent. You have aptly demonstrated both qualities on this thread today, without even drawing on you previous behaviour.