Posted by Larry Hoover on May 28, 2005, at 18:56:35
In reply to Re: Stereotypes » Larry Hoover, posted by AdaGrace on May 27, 2005, at 7:51:23
> I realize that my post is very stereotypical.
> I do not mean to say that ALL men are like this.Ya, and I knew you weren't talking about me. You don't know anything about me.
> However, having said that, I find it typical of the men I have known or now know. Perhaps it is location. Perhaps it is only my situation. I don't know. I just know my own experiences and those of my friends and aquaintances. I find it disturbing and wanted to vent.
I hope I didn't disturb that. I'm not offended by that at all. Your experience is your experience. It is very hard, though, to discuss me in the context of a stereotype, no matter how I try to do it.....I end up being very careful about language and meaning. And it ends up sounding defensive or protective.
> I realize that there are men out there, like you, who aren't like my descriptions.
Thanks. I like to think that's true.
> I just didn't meet you in my formative years, therefore I have gained a somewhat negative outlook on the male species I guess. It's sad really. I feel as if I have so much to offer intelectually, physically, emotionally, etc., but challenged for trying to do that. Anyway.
That makes me sad.
> I know stereotypes are bad to express. I need a new way to vent maybe.
>
> AdaGraceI'm struggling with making what I want to say clear and concise. I find it hard, as an individual, one who happens to have a penis, to join into a discussion which involves male stereotypes. Stereotypes exist for good reason. They have a basis in fact. The difficulty is in making the discussion personal and individual, without addressing the stereotypical stuff too heavily. The upside of stereotypes is they save a lot of words. They're symbolic. The downside is that they are symbolic. Highly symbolic words carry a lot of emotional baggage.
I agree that the stereotypical male you were speaking of is not one who promotes a high-quality emotionally interactive supportive and non-judgmental relationship.
It does make me wonder, though, and as you seemed to wonder too.....just how much location and situation affect the observations you and your friends have made.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:500245
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/relate/20050505/msgs/504372.html