Interview with Robert Jensen (3 of 4)

[cattheadvocate]

I think this man has got to be every woman's dream man. He loves humanity, and he is humane and strong. He's one of the most courageous men I have ever heard of.

[pazomblez]

for people who are struggling to understand this stuff...it might help to first learn about post-structuralist and social constructivist theory, which is what Jensen is working from here, to understand how valid his claims are. a post-structuralist and constructivist approach is what informs Jensen's claims here.

[eljagg01]

Anyone who irritates obsessive porn users into making childish insults is definitely a hero.

[ashestoyoursoul]

I don't think half of the people commenting here actually watched the video.

[AlekNovy]

He pretty much admits he's a man-hater from the very start of the video.

He has no problem with taking a bad behaviour done by a man, and generalizing it over ALL MEN... but on the other hand, he says anything good men done... its wrong to generalize it across men.

Find me a place where he says a bad action can't be generalized as being a male-trait and you'll prove to me he's not a man hater.

[maths23]

This men is ignorant being violent will get you sent to prison. Masculinity has never been about violence because violence is bad and society has always shunned bad people.

[nta214]

This guy hates masculinity. Probably hates himself for being a man. He wants men to be like women, I take from it. Why doesn't he have any objections with women or femininity? Claims to hate gender stereotypes, but he never says anything about women. Doesn't believe that women share any of the blame. This guy truly has problems, and unless you openly hate men for who they are too, you can see it.

[gleefulsabotage]

jensen loves masculinity and speaks directly to that issue starting around 1:45.. did you watch the video?

i think people that hate men are those who lobby, as you do, toward the position that misogyny is part of natural 'maleness'.. it is an unfortunate and unimaginative argument.

there in ZERO in the whole of anthropology to support this claim. there are only the delusions of fellow porn addicts engaged in intellectual circle-jerking that produces this kind of flawed thinking.

[nta214]

gleefulsabotage - Just because I say it's obvious he hates himself for being a man, you think I promote the idea that misogyny is natural? I don't think the hatred toward anything is natural. A man watching porn does not mean he hates women... I say let men and women behave however they choose to behave, regardless of whether their actions are percieved as masculine, feminine or somewhere inbetween - there will never be a day when people stop perceiving as one or the other, you're irrational.

[nta214]

Also, why are we trying to define what masculine or feminine means as far bahavor? Why should we tell people how they should behave? We shouldn't. We don't really do that now. This guys whole beef is over pornography. Parents don't teach their children to watch it, nor do they ever imply that it's a masculine thing to do. Such a thought likely never crosses the mind of the viewer. This is simply how Jensen thinks society perceives masculinity. Scared, irrational, idealistic - American.

[floydianworld]

You are right, he does hate masculinity. He's a feminist, of course he does!

But pathetic wimps like him do exist.. What I find a bit perplexing is that he thinks he's the one to define what is "masculine" by writing a book about it.

How can he really speak about what something is or should be when he hates it, when all he wants to do is destroy it?

[Meoli55]

The point I think he is making is that there shouldn't be any definition of masculinity or femininity or sexuality by any corporation or government. It should be a private definition of each individual.

[pazomblez]

@floydianworld

lol...did you even listen to what Jensen said? he expressly said that he was *not* trying to define what masculinity is...nor is he attempting to 'destroy' it (as if it were possible to destroy a social construct....) he wants for us to come to a new understanding of what it means to be a man that is more fully human and humane. that is a worthwhile goal.

like really, did you actually watch this before commenting? =/

[phicantu]

Doesn't say anything about women huh? Did you watch and pay attention to the whole video? Check out 4:05

[nta214]

Wow, I was so wrong before. Seriously, I take it all back. This guy is so right about everything... I've seriously changed my entire outlook on life.

He's absolutely right about pornography, see his film The Price of Pleasure, highly recommended. Feminism is pro-human. Misogyny is so wrong, and so rampant in our society. End the degradation and abuse, if you truly love women, you should look into Feminism, the last hope for humanity.

[QuayIssues]

tch.  some men will say anything to get a fumble.

[Meoli55]

Judging by your own standards?

[dromycatcher]

I'm glad this man has stepped forward in telling the truth about this inhumane insanity becoming normality

[evelsteev]

I find this man so full of shit, that I'm going to buy stock in Ex-Laxx and get rich.

[ameliasera]

This is a fantastic 4-part video series, I'd love to read his book. Very intelligent, great critique, really sound reasoning, very understandable also.

[injunkayl]

awful masculinity is a gift and a responsibility

What a GODless wolrd we are living in

[sgsilver]

I've read Robert Jensen's book and found it to be a deeply profound work. This interview with Robert Jensen gives an excellent preview of the themes discussed in the book. (The production values of the video itself are of poor quality, but it is definitely worth watching regardless.)