Man and Masculinity - Social Science (notes)

I finished talking about Abnormal Psychology and now I am going to switch to our next topic of social science. Apparently I have four booklets of notes. I have two of those readily available. I may have thrown out notes prior to deciding to writing a blog. However, as I go through my paperwork if I find anything I think may be of interest to you, I shall record it for you before throwing it out. We now have an pandamic of COVID-19. Please listen to the medical staff, especially those specializing in infectious disease. Also listen to the politicians to help you to decide who to vote for in following elections. Always believe the experts who specialize. Keep safe. I studied how this would happen years ago when I took a course in biology. I went to Costco yesterday and was disappointed that they were selling six rolls of toilet paper for $10.00. I have never noticed six rolls being sold prior to this epidemic. I am disappointed but fully understand how companies exploit. So now I am going to focus on men. As I mentioned prior to day, I found this course the easiest in my undergrad. I actually liked the professor and I did find the course humorous. I got in trouble a few times for laughing at what was being taught. For example the “Rule of Thumb” You have heard of it? Well that derives from England when the law indicated that men could not beat their wives with the circumference of a branch more than that of the man’s thumb. The professor marched up to me in the centre of the room, looked down at me and asked if I thought that was funny. Have you had those moments when if you say anything you know you will burst out laughing and get into more trouble? Here we have a situation that it is ok to beat up a woman as long as what you are using is not bigger than the man’s thumb doing the beating. I was laughing because it sounded so absurd to me - so ridiculous. I am chuckling now that I am typing this. It is never ok. So when my professor was looming down over me, I was trying not to burst out laughing because I found it funny and more so that he was over me and so angry. Have you had those bursts when you are trying not to laugh but you just can’t help it? Your mouth is shut but there are short bursts of breath escaping. I am not in elementary school, I am in my first year of university and am a grown woman so I am finding that funny too. Me thinks I am really going to enjoy this course. So, the study of men is social science (in this situation). So, I shall ask you some questions we were asked. Where did you get your ideas about what it means to be a man? What is the central theme of Beyond Patriarchy? This was one of the books we read. I have since given it away. I simply had too many books to keep and so what I do unless I need it, is give them away to people who have an interest in the topic or donate it or place it out on my front yard for someone to pick up. Why not? We were also to examine a short history of humanity. What was the Mode of Production? It seems mundane now, gathering, hunting — women perhaps couldn’t hunt as much because they had to care for the children. - Horticulture - Industrial (factory production). Family - Matriarchal (mother) - Tribal group of people - work together to gather food and share because can’t store - Conseguine family. Male/Female - division of labour - access to socially valued resources. What is Social Science? Social Science’s attempt to use the scientific method to look at humans in society. What do Scientists do? Hypothesize, experiment, observe >change> collect data - conclusion. Examine consistency and patterns. What problems are there when - humans for science? 1. We are unique. 2. Energy is required to observe. The more precise we get, the higher the energy, the more the thing gets excited. For example: Presence when observing causes energy, therefore, when a woman (or man)is typing, she is not relaxed if someone watches her. Animals in controlled situations are different than in the wild. 3. Bias - eg. sound barrier; the world is flat (by the way the world is not flat). 4. Mathematics - difficult to quantify. 5. Durable - Skeleton not skin colour. Must be durable to survive. The central theme then is that masculinity is not innate but socialized. Much of the literature by men on men - female relationships tend to be at one extreme or another; many look at how men are scarred and deformed by our roles but do not examine men’s privileges and power over women. Many such books and articles play or ignore the social structures of the power of men. Some books we read on this course looked at the psychology and not dealing with the power and positions of power. Social Science is a Masculine Theory. What was mentioned was a television series “Origins of Man” which dealt with Masculinity based on what it is not. To be continued with Power - every male that sexually abused has been abused. (based on this course) Next week it is back to theology.