First of all I am not a chauvinist according to the dictionary or rather wikipedia meaning. In fact MCP is a moniker bestowed upon me by a sister whom I have never met face to face. The fact of this sister being an ardent feminist and female chauvinist should be the enough explanation.
The classic definitions notwithstanding, I do consider myself a chauvinist in the modern sense. I am a person who believes in firm equality, no preferences either way. I definitely do not believe that there should be reservations or special considerations shown to women. This extreme sense of equality bestowed upon me the aura of being a chauvinist.
In today's world, especially in the cyber world equality is rather unfashionable. The classic "Damsel in Distress" brings the "white knights" pouring in for assistance. In blogosphere and twitter world, everywhere the chivalrous White Knights rule the day. But is that really needed? Is that conducive to equality?
When a man is in trouble we tell him to "bear up and move on". There is an expectation on a man to be stoic in the troubles, a man is not supposed to seek pity, even if he seeks he is ignored. However if it is a woman in comparable situation you have a horde waiting in the wings, with coats thrown over the puddles and they themselves lying down to build a bridge of jelly backs for the woman to cross the troubles comfortably. Why cant the same standards be applied to both sexes?
This essentially brings me to the premise of this post.
Men are essentially doomed.
Bound to a spartan emotional existence, the code of stoicism ever present upon their lives, we men are essentially doomed. The White Knight Chivalry which creates more and more chauvinism means that equality between men and women are as distant as it ever was.
The most unfair of this code is the rule prohibiting tears. Men are not supposed to cry, only women cry. Hell, then why did evolution give us tear ducts in the eyes! It is as part of the stoic code by which men are supposed to bear all hardships imposed upon them, and never to falter.
In the traditional chauvinistic code men are the pillars of the family, the strength of their visage expected to give stability during all crises. When the womenfolk and children have the right to cry, the man has to remain steady, his eyes dry and his shoulders broad for all to lean upon. But what about the man himself? A man is not just an automaton. In the entire oceans of literature on feminine sensitivities not much considerations have been given to the equally poignant male sensitivities. Why? The code of chivalry and chauvinism which seeks to portray men as super figures, which essentially dooms them.
We Male Chauvinistic Pigs, thus deprived of a release to our own emotional torrents are more torn from inside, the slow poison of suppression seeping out through every actions and words. The feminists and female chauvinists make great hue and cry over the brutality of men, but ever understand that the brutality is a result of the repressed emotions.
In fact in my opinion it is the males who have been wronged against. Females have more freedom in this respect than males, which generally increases their longevity.
It is unlikely how this state of affairs would ever change since the White Knights of the world would keep on trumpeting away spreading their chivalry and chauvinism for the continued inequality in the world.
In a world like this a true seeker of equality like me is branded a Male Chauvinist Pig, which leaves me no recourse other than to finish this post to polish my badges and snout proclaiming "MCP"
2 comments:
hmmmmmm GO there is a very thin, blur line between chivalry and chauvinsm, secondly how those lines are defined by various people differ. Now having said that Feminists are not enitrely anti men (not all) secondly feminism is not only for women its about equity in opportunites for both the sexes(note am not sayin genders coz gender is socially constructed)
there is nothing wrong in showing a bit of chilvry to the opposite, the problem arises when it is rather done more out of a way of sterotyped notions and more to just rightly show the woman her place...that well is a big issuse there..being polite and courteous never rubs the wrong way its only when the motive behind it is that of super inflated male (chauvinistic!!) ego then yeah big problem there...secondly in todays day and age a lt of femisnts also believe in the reverse chivlry where its not just the man being courteous and polite to women , but now women doing the same to offering to pay bills, open doors,....even helping the poor guy carry bags! there is no shame in wearing that bagde for either of the sexes.
Politeness is good, but it should not be gender specific. Imagine the hypocrisy of a man who gives up his seat for a pretty woman but would not even care a hoot for an old man holding on to the rails! Chivalry is more demeaning than classic chauvinism, IMO.
Reverse chivalry? It would be bliss if it did happen, :D No more would a guy's interest quotient be determined by the sheer thickness of his wallet, :P
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