Tea at Trianon: In Defense of Men

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

In Defense of Men

From Philosophy of Motherhood:

The last few years have been rough for men. The #Metoo movement, Kavanaugh hearings, Women’s marches, and the ubiquity of the term “Toxic Masculinity” have been bad publicity for our brothers. While some of the criticism of male behavior has been justified and perhaps even necessary, it’s not hard to see tares growing among the wheat of righteous indignation. For instance, “man-hating” has now become more mainstream and normalized. As one sitting U.S. senator said in anger about recent sexual controversies, “Who is perpetuating all of these kinds of actions? It’s the men in this country. And I just want to say to the men in this country: just SHUT UP and STEP UP, do the right thing for a change.”

For a change. Maybe a little harsh?

Looking at my life, I am surrounded by good men who work hard, love their families, and do so with very little recognition. Most men I know try to live good moral lives, but they are imperfect. The truth is we are all capable of evil and goodness, and that capability has little to do with our sex. The world is not as black-and-white as protesters or activists like to imagine. Too often, we women fail to see the weaknesses of our own sex or the strengths of the opposite. But headlines and initiatives send boys this clear message: “There is something seriously wrong with men.”

“The line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties (or genders) either—but right through every human heart.” ~Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Of course, there are men falling short, and many women have good reasons for their prejudice. There are abusive husbands, power-hungry male leaders, and shiftless young men. We should not give these men a pass for their failures. Many women, traumatized by tyrannical or mean-spirited fathers, lack the foundation a good father could have provided, so they see no reason to trust men. (Read more.)

Feminism has weakened women. From Denis Prager at Real Clear Politics:

In addition to providing the nation with another example of the Left's meanness, hypersensitivity and war on humor (unless directed at white males), this episode also reveals something important about feminism. In the true Orwellian spirit of the Left, the overriding claim of feminists that feminism empowers women is the opposite of the truth. Over the past half-century, modern feminism has not strengthened women, but weakened them.

It is worthy to note that, except for Del Real, who called for civility and compassion toward Weigel, every Washington Post actor named in this story -- Felicia Sonmez, Matea Gold, Kris Coratti, Breanna Muir -- is a woman. That's why they were horrified by the joke. Few men -- despite the fact that feminist activism has also rendered a great many American men weak -- would find a similar joke about men offensive. Most men would find it funny.
For the record, every man I know is married to a strong woman. The notion that men are not attracted to (or are threatened or intimidated by) strong women is a feminist myth. While undoubtedly some men seek weak women, most men find weakness in women (as in men) unappealing.

In feminist Newspeak (Orwell's term for the totalitarian redefining of language), when applied to women, "strong" means "easily offended," and "perceiving oneself as a victim." Tragically, many women, especially young women, have come to accept those definitions of "strong." No wonder the depression rates among young American women are the highest ever measured. (Read more.)