Masculinity Crisis (3/9) "Tough Guise"

[uberschnack]

I don't know why they uploader made this video private... I rarely take the time to address problems that I see in movies, and this seems to one which is making an intellectual point worth responding to.

My problem is with the central contention of the film, that 'The Media'' is responsible for perpetuating violence in our society. This contention ignores the way violence pervades human society and is in fact a central condition to our life.

[RussX5Z]

Ughhh..now they're going to have to film a new documentary about how men are turning into pussies and not taking responsibility to being a real man.

[mrtrollmaster1]

Ugh...this is a dumb ass video. Masculinity isn't about being psychotic or extremely violent. Then again masculinity can mean different things to different males. I guess it depends how they're raised and the environment they grow up in. It all depends on how males look at it. I grew up in a violent neighborhood. I watched rambo etc. I'm not extremely violent or psychotic. So I'm not a victim of "the tough guise" thing. I understand now what this video is trying to point out now...

[knoxxyersoxxov]

"First of all, quit grinning like an idiot...."

HAHAHEEHAHAHEEHAA.....fucking HILARIOUS!

[Entityofme1]

1:44 through 2:00......Gee we aren't just a wee bit to the left are we? Honestly this video's relevance is not to be disregarded by any means. I agree there definately is a large scale inadequacy complex among men that needs a huge overhaul culturally speaking. However, this guy definately needs to overstand that problems within urban minority men are not solely a result of being socially, economically victimized by those with more success.

[SKYSDALIMITMUSIK]

haha let one of those fronters bring dat shit my way..imma sho em how real life can get and how fast it can get that way..imma black male n i dont front about nuthin n real life.... yall passin judgment ? yall prolly dont kno shit bout the hood..it take diff rules where im from 2 make a man

SDL 4EVER

[buckeyefan05]

I'm glad that showed Wu Tang Forever Pictures. That shit takes me back

[noobler9]

so the guy's arguing that men who act manly because they have to aren't really men?

well, arguably this is true, however it CERTAINLY does not address men who just are manly, because they are, who have gravitas

what this guy calls masculinity is retardation, that's all, I have to admit I had trouble finding out what was wrong with the video until I realise he wasn't talking about masculinity so much as kids who don't know what masculinity is, and choose the only seen option other than feminism

[TomatoDoom]

@noobler9 You were right on the ball when you said that men follow that super- masculinity because they see no other option.

Have you seen the whole documentary? It argues that the media perpetuates a particular notion of masculinity- that men have to be violent, frightening, and tough in order to be a man, and society reinforces it by calling any man or boy who doesn't fit that narrow definition a wimp (and worse). Masculinity is constructed, not innate.

[noobler9]

@TomatoDoom I don't mind being able to do violence, being able to be threatening, or being tough at all, that IS masculinity, I'm talking about those who pursue it but end up being overly violent, psychotic, and ignorant of their health it's a question of amount, masculinity IS a norm amongst males, but the video is mixing up terms =S manly men don't need to be psychotic, but they can't be wimps either, they require gravitas to a degree as well as gentility, but also strong will and power

[shivayavoda]

"But our type never killed buffalo, we were fishermen.." haha, thats great!

[ValoSGonzalez]

Know thyself. Access to public libraries and compulsory education have been rumored to point people in the right direction. But that's only if they want to succeed and stop consuming the proverbial baby food that' coming out of the TV's which consists of ready made excuses to give up complain. A real man overcomes adversity not with a swagger and bravado, and not just with his physical strength but with his mind. He must choose a path for himself, and learn from mistakes. He must grow up!

[RukiKatiakicz]

@ValoSGonzalez Sorry but I'd choose autodidactism OVER compulsory education... I think that's better for knowing thyself. College is also way better than compulsory education from what I've heard... other than that, I agree. though I don't think we need to grow up... just, grow and be enriched. also, I'm a woman, but I think men have been hazardly influenced by media just like women have. This + Killing Us Softly are both great. Let's get rid of the macho and weak female culture.

[jimmybrite]

YAY ,Smoke signals, I love that movie!

[beefhat1]

wu-tang has a lot of status in the community!

[askura90]

a very complex issue, check out tupacs never be peace lyrics at the end, which kind of argues that stance

[hectorh29]

Not at all, i totally agree with what you are saying. I just think that after cutting out all the negative things about masculinity within this realm their is plenty of room for individuality to be explored.

[MiserableMouse]

It really shows the documentary is old (11 years = old). What about the rise of the metrosexual? The definition of masculinity is not as clear-cut as it used to be.

[hectorh29]

Miserable mouse.The rise of metrosexuals just means that he decorations as to what is a so called man is evolving.But this doesnt mean that its not being done to reaffirm the so called macho ideal. Watch the popular MTV show The Jersey Show. Their famous slogan is GTL. Gym, tan and laundry.The G and T and the way they keep up their appearances is extremely metrosexual but they way they talk about women and what it means to be a man is aligned with everything he is saying.Just watch one episode

[MiserableMouse]

So you're saying there's just one type of desirable masculinity? Well, I disagree with that. Not counting the discriminated minorities, there are several types of men men can aspire to, depending on their social background, etc.

[collegeguy2007]

@hectorh29 Lol... The Jersey Shore fuckin blows big time.

[uberschnack]

Minorities are being portrayed as tough as a response to years of whites portraying them as physically inferior in their culture.

Poor urban black males still value physicality. The 'revenge of the nerds' phenomenon has yet to destroy the ideal of the physical male in the black community.

[sugarbrownrabbit]

@uberschnack but that's not good. Black males need to realize that science and math are very important. Instead of them killing each other.

[Katsabrat]

Great job on these videos!

[Xenda]

"Dances with Salmon", LOL!

All jokes aside this is a good video. Thanks for uploading!

[slaughterersrock]

@Xenda The beginning was too funny. But it does make an important point. And actually, the one character seems keenly aware of the stereotypes at hand.

[kscuteflute]

why are the video segments so short...?

[123HommieN]

View 1,300....first comment. Come on people!

[reallest]

maybe there speechless

[Smiilez03]

i know right? there needs to be more comments! i love reading discussions here lol

[Babs22h]

i thought there would bemore comments about when he said it wasnt minorities fault for being economically disenfranchised.... i thought i would see at least one ignorant comment like" hey they they should just get jobs or something but no didnt seee anything at all like that...." i guess the ignorant and uniformed arent watching this documentary???? lol

[mynameisjulietECKS]

@Babs22h hence them being ignorant and uninformed =)

[Babs22h]

@mynameisjulietECKS

haha precisely!!!

excellent point :-)