Is There Anything Good About Being a Man?

[FalloutJack]

Child birth, we don't have to deal with child birth.

Seconded. I do NOT envy women their position for having to deal with that kind of pain. For that alone, I'm all for men and women to be viewed as equals. However, as the guy, I don't have to feel that pain, a pain that is much worse than being kicked in the balls. Being a man means that there are just some things we don't have to suffer through, things we wouldn't know how to handle if we DID start having those things.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

SNIP

Please read the edit. The advantage of being middle class is obvious, white? I dont get. Being white didnt give me any of this stuff. Please dont insult me by saying im sheltered. I was commenting on the MALE and WHITE part of the scentence, OF COURSE I LIVE AN AWESOME life for being middle class and western. Thats so obvious. No one would disagree with you. I commented on the fact that i gain no privilage JUST for being white or JUST for being male so far. Not middle class, i edited my post before you replied to clarify this.

If you read my post you might have seen "being male" as the object, obviously being middle class is a benefit. I was commenting on that part of the scentence.

Maybe you started writing before the edit, heres what it said:

"I get western and middle class, that makes sense due to money and standard of living. But male? I have yet to witness any privilage. In fact ive paid for so many goddam dates already its hard to see the privilage at all so far."

The other guy who quoted me before you managed to get it. I dont like being wrongly attacked over the misunderstanding of a point >.>

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound condescending, I actually meant to use "we" instead of "you" in my post, I too have no idea what it means to actually have to struggle to survive, and I thought you were contesting the idea of us having any priviledges as a whole due to our entire background, so I kinda went off the deep end there.
Being white certainly had much more pronounced advantages back in history, now we are getting closer to not discriminating against other races and ethnicities, although the statistics generally show that, for example, on average black people will have poorer income and less education than white people in America, there are still many non-white people in well paid, important jobs. Any discrimination that does happen nowadays will probably be a lot more passive.

 

[Aerosteam]

We don't get pregnant.
Bathroom visits are extremely shorter.
Physically stronger (although I have seen women who can probably kick my ass in a instant)

Also, no 'Get back to the kitchen' jokes or something similar.
Thinking about that, what happens when the majority of people who play video games online are female? What insults are going to be used against males?

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

The other guy who quoted me before you managed to get it. I dont like being wrongly attacked over the misunderstanding of a point >.>

If you mean me, I'm a lady. Lol.
I think we should add `Being able to assume everyone on the internet is also a dude`. Kidding

Now i feel silly Im sorry for the mistake, ill make a note you are a lady from now on.

The list does ring true mostly. A few apply to men too but not many. I doubt ill be seeing many of these to be honest. This are the issues of an older generation, by the time im in work i imagine these will be mostly gone.

 

[Phasmal]

The other guy who quoted me before you managed to get it. I dont like being wrongly attacked over the misunderstanding of a point >.>

If you mean me, I'm a lady. Lol.
I think we should add `Being able to assume everyone on the internet is also a dude`. Kidding

Now i feel silly Im sorry for the mistake, ill make a note you are a lady from now on.

The list does ring true mostly. A few apply to men too but not many. I doubt ill be seeing many of these to be honest. This are the issues of an older generation, by the time im in work i imagine these will be mostly gone.

No problem, everyone assumes male unless stated otherwise.
Yeah, some of it is not so bad in our generation, but its better to be aware of it so you can avoid acting like a typical `sexism doesnt exsist any more because I say so` kind of dude.

 

[waj9876]

A long long time ago? Best thing. Period. Nowadays? Not in the fucking slightest.

We never win any kind of fight with a girl. There are a bunch of females that are completely sexist against males. While claiming to be feminists, even though that's something completely different. And while women can have entire businesses and services for just their gender. We can't have anything just for males without it being called sexist...Though we still do have penises...

Hermaphrodites have got it good yo. They can enjoy a sad story with an awesome plot without being called a fag. Can pee standing up. And can enjoy the life of having a penis. Why can't the world be just full of hermaphrodites? Would make everything much simpler.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

The other guy who quoted me before you managed to get it. I dont like being wrongly attacked over the misunderstanding of a point >.>

If you mean me, I'm a lady. Lol.
I think we should add `Being able to assume everyone on the internet is also a dude`. Kidding

Now i feel silly Im sorry for the mistake, ill make a note you are a lady from now on.

The list does ring true mostly. A few apply to men too but not many. I doubt ill be seeing many of these to be honest. This are the issues of an older generation, by the time im in work i imagine these will be mostly gone.

No problem, everyone assumes male unless stated otherwise.
Yeah, some of it is not so bad in our generation, but its better to be aware of it so you can avoid acting like a typical `sexism doesnt exsist any more because I say so` kind of dude.

I know sexism exists still, and to an extent it always will. However maybe its just us but my entire school is pretty open and liberal about everything, and i cant even envisage any of them discriminating in such ways. Despite its flaws the people in my year are pretty damn good people. I hope in future when this generation of people takes over and the generation gap shows we can put the old and outdated notions of sexism behind us and move on. Ill never deny sexism as a thing, but it tends to be older generations who think like that, in terms of REAL sexism where women dont get employed despite being better at roles. The steriotypes are dying and most women i know are pretty kick ass and assertive, i wouldnt dream of offending them, i doubt any of them would let this stuff happen to them.

 

[deathninja]

No periods, less shaving, and being able to pee standing up.

The latter is the most useful.

 

[Phasmal]

I know sexism exists still, and to an extent it always will. However maybe its just us but my entire school is pretty open and liberal about everything, and i cant even envisage any of them discriminating in such ways. Despite its flaws the people in my year are pretty damn good people. I hope in future when this generation of people takes over and the generation gap shows we can put the old and outdated notions of sexism behind us and move on. Ill never deny sexism as a thing, but it tends to be older generations who think like that, in terms of REAL sexism where women dont get employed despite being better at roles. The steriotypes are dying and most women i know are pretty kick ass and assertive, i wouldnt dream of offending them, i doubt any of them would let this stuff happen to them.

You were doing so well til the last sentance. Lol.

I have to point out that women dont `Let` this stuff happen to them, it just happens. You run into a sexist dick who for some reason will always see you as lesser becausewelltitties.
Depending on who you ask I'm either a rather assertive lady or a feministy *****, but when you're faced with dickholes who will not acknowledge you are good at anything once they find out you are a lady (on the internet. Its pretty obvious I'm a lady IRL).
Still I'm going to guess that was just bad wording which if was indeed the case then no worries.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

If you're white, Western, middle class or higher, and male; you've basically won the Cosmic Lottery.

To be sure, life can still get you down, and you might still lose the societal ratrace. But, damn, you've got a headstart on most others, boy!

Spinozaad got in with what I wanted to say, and quite concisely. Being male, unfortunately, still carries privilege in modern society.

I have yet to experience any of these ever. Im tired as fuck of people just saying this and not telling me exactly where in my life i get these benefits? Sure im 18 and i might not have had time to enjoy he awesome privalage of being male that apparently exists but ive never once been given anything for being a dude. I didnt get ANY headstart. I dont understand why people say this. I didnt get anything, did you? Who did? Where is ALL this privalage i apprently should be getting. Because im not getting it. I get western and middle class, that makes sense due to money and standard of living. But male? I have yet to witness any privilage. In fact ive paid for so many goddam dates already its hard to see the privilage at all so far.

OT:

We are built stronger and faster and on average have greater spacial awareness. Thats pretty much it.

Its there, you just don't to see it due to the fact that you haven't been exposed to the other side of it.

Here, watch this video and see how many questions you answer yes to.

As for where it is?, its all around us mate, statisitics show we're the least likely race to be the victim of a crime, we're the most financially secure, we hold the majority of the highest paying jobs etc etc etc. Take a social studies class or something in college and you'll see how much better off you are then most people just because of color of your skin and the wealth of your parents.

 

[BiscuitTrouser]

I know sexism exists still, and to an extent it always will. However maybe its just us but my entire school is pretty open and liberal about everything, and i cant even envisage any of them discriminating in such ways. Despite its flaws the people in my year are pretty damn good people. I hope in future when this generation of people takes over and the generation gap shows we can put the old and outdated notions of sexism behind us and move on. Ill never deny sexism as a thing, but it tends to be older generations who think like that, in terms of REAL sexism where women dont get employed despite being better at roles. The steriotypes are dying and most women i know are pretty kick ass and assertive, i wouldnt dream of offending them, i doubt any of them would let this stuff happen to them.

You were doing so well til the last sentance. Lol.

I have to point out that women dont `Let` this stuff happen to them, it just happens. You run into a sexist dick who for some reason will always see you as lesser becausewelltitties.
Depending on who you ask I'm either a rather assertive lady or a feministy *****, but when you're faced with dickholes who will not acknowledge you are good at anything once they find out you are a lady (on the internet. Its pretty obvious I'm a lady IRL).
Still I'm going to guess that was just bad wording which if was indeed the case then no worries.

Part of me wasnt sure of the wording there. I imagine that if my certain friend thought this was happening to her, shed make a BIG deal out of it. I think shed fight tooth and nail every step of the way if she thought her sex was a part of any decision toward her. If anyone tried to harass her id pity them. Its not so much that shed "let it happen" because you cant stop it just by thinking, more thatd shed call them out and give that sexist the negative attention for being an asshole they deserve.

Its more that i cant imagine this person ever being descriminated against. Less that other women "let it happen to them" more that this person has such a strong personality and a VERY high regard for equality that were this to happen shed say something without a doubt. Our generation is full of, like you by the sounds of it, strong women who know they have rights and deserve equal chances in life and anyone who says otherwise should be called out on it. They are always wrong. The past generations taught women this wasnt the case. This generation has not. And it shows. I think that this will contribute to the sociatal change i predicted earlier. Thats all the comment was trying to say. Sorry i worded it poorly.

 

[robot slipper]

- simple peeing procedure
- better at opening jars, tins, etc.
- mechanics/plumbers/electricians don't talk down/condescendingly to you*
- more likely to get a promotion
- possibly paid more for doing the same job as a woman
- people don't judge you on your clothes and/or looks as much
- if you have an accident/incident while driving, people say it's bad luck/the other person's fault/etc or at worse that it was you being careless, whereas a driving accident/incident when you are a woman is blamed on you being a woman

*I particularly hate this, given that part of my job involves me being able to maintain and repair expensive and complicated pieces of scientific machinery using my hands and tools and precision expertise. I understand a lot of technical stuff, yet whenever we had any type of workman round, I would get spoken to slowly and using simple words like I'm an idiot, and my (now ex) bofriend was spoken to with respect and all the technical talk was always directed at him. He works in admin.

 

[PleasantKenobi]

But we aren't equal, and never will be, and there is nothing sexist about that, it's just a fact. Men and women are very, very different.

Different =/= unequal. Both words are too different to be used interchangeably.

The list does ring true mostly. A few apply to men too but not many. I doubt ill be seeing many of these to be honest. This are the issues of an older generation, by the time im in work i imagine these will be mostly gone.

I honestly wish I had your optimism. As already mentioned with regards to race, prejudice and priviledge are not as prevalent now, or explicit. But they still continue to exist in a much more passive way that isn't always obvious to the people living within the society that functions for the most part, upon a basis of implicit patriarchy.

The best example is media, and narrative. The media constantly puts more pressure on women to behave in a particular way than men, with the beauty regimes and need to self-groom far more heavily being constantly pushed. Of course, I will not deny that this has over time began to happen to men in a similar way, but not to the same extent. Then take novels, films, television and anything else; predominantly male protagonists with much more varied characterisation when compared to female characters.

Comic books serve as a prime example of women not getting the right treatment in the fictional space, AND serves as an even better example of how women don't get employed. Did you know that of the recent 52 rebooted DC titles, none of them had a female creative team. 0 out of 52 simply isn't good enough.

The portrayal of women in pornography, or gangsta rap and black metal culture? Or how about women in the music industry in general? Female fronted-pop punk band? Dismissed as Paramore rip-off where male frotned bands would be given alot better a chance at things, generally speaking. The examples of women getting the 'bad end of the stick' in representation and job prospects are near limitless. Things are better than they used to be, but still need to come an awfull long way.

 

[Talshere]

As opposed to being a women?

Theoretically, no, we are all supposed to be equal.

This is a great point. When the person asked me if there was anything good, I said that aren't we all equal? We should all be equal, technically. But society hasn't quite made it there yet.

And to Skin, peeing standing up is a great upside. The world is our urinal.

We don't have nearly as much social pressure as women do to appear attractive, on average we're physically stronger and less likely to break down under emotional pressure. There are exceptions to these of course. Us men are also much less likely to be victims of rape or sexual abuse, so there's that too.

Conversely however there IS a fairly strong social president for being macho. As male Im supposed to enjoy football, drinking, the gym as well as increased social pressure for to to just know how to DIY.

Personally, while due to my farther leaving home when I was 11/12 I am fairly handy with a saw, I am teetotal, I dislike football and I find the gym to be one of the most utterly pointless places in the world.

I also couldn't really give a shit about mechanical engineering, yet most men are expected to be able to know their way round a car. I had to ask a passer by the other day where the screen wash was on my Renault Fidji, turned our it was actually in a separate little compartments under a mesh panel. But I felt embarrassed for needing to ask, which is just dumb. I suppose on the flip side we almost never get talked down to my mechanics, though it does mean keeping quite about the fact I dont understand wtf he is talking about. Additional, these days if a woman gets into something that is seen as a male roll its generally seen as a good thing though they may feel or even need to prove themselves to some the probability of rejection or ridicule is pretty bloody slim these days.

Conversely, there is still a fair stigma as a man in a female roll (Eg. hairdresser, nurse).

Tbh while in some place there are still advantages to being a man. For example its not safe for a woman without a male escort to be in many countries in the world, in most developed countries these days we are pretty much equal now on a professional excepting a few ancient prunes who will surely die soon, yet socially women are probably more equal now than men.

I am of course ignoring biological benefits since they arguably also come with corresponding biological disadvantages for both sexes.

And while it is true women are far more likely to be raped, men are more likely to be stabbed. So you know. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[SovietSecrets]

Being a white male is quite fantastic.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Being a white male, I'm not subject to (as much) irrational hatred in my own country.
In terms of pure sexuality; I dunno. Every gender at least once, stops and wonders what they'd have to put up with if they were the other.

I dunno. In terms of biology, periods and pregnancy sound like amazing pains in the...arse vagina.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

Well, we don't need tampons and bras to be able to function.

I reckon that's why men were in charge for most of history, when women started off with such disadvantages like not being able to run without crippling back pain and being rendered a lot less fit for hunting or working once a month.

Plus there's the fact that I don't have to always be worried about the danger of rape whenever I go out or I'm in a house with someone I don't know. I'd hate to live my whole life knowing I'm too weak to defend myself.

 

[Talshere]

snip

I disagree with the video on all points tbh. As a Brit, I feel that all of those things are generally open to all people.

Some of them are just dumb. For example if we take the "When talking about our civilization I can see my race made it what it is" or however she worded it, well depending on the term "civilisation" this is either pointless or a staggering yes to all cultures more or less. Now if we are talking about the inception of Britain as a state, it only stands to reason that no race other than white Christian and possibly some Hispanic people were involved. Because, you know, oceans are big and hard to cross. It was 1707. People rarely travelled more than 1 or 2 villages never mind whole continents. Conversely, all the great empire of the past baring only Rome were African, Middle Eastern or Asian in origin. Empires like Persia, China, the Japanese, Egypt Greece, Byzantine, Mongolia, India were all so advanced it would be hundreds and with some things even 1000+ years before the knowledge they possessed be held again. In fact, very very VERY few of the old Empires were "white" in geographical origin.

To be frank, as a Brit, I think the list is bull.