Misogyny Theater takes another look at the charming philosopher-king-asshole Stefan Molyneux, who seems to be carving out quite a spot for himself in the world of the lady-haters.
In this episode, some audio excerpts from Stefan Molyneux’s frighteningly well-received talk ostensibly on circumcision at A Voice for Men’s June 2014 conference, as presented in his video “Shocking Misogynist Attacks Feminism, Defends Rape Culture.” Despite the ironic title, this is pretty much an accurate description of his talk, even a bit of an understatement.
The title of my video is a shortened version of something he says in his talk (and in my video). The full quote: “If you don’t have a husband, if you chose the wrong guy, to keep the child is abusive, almost always.”
That’s right: according to Stefan M., being a single mother is, in itself, abusive.
The audio excerpts are drawn from an hour-long talk, so naturally I did some editing. In the interests of transparency, I marked each edit with a little snipping sound.
If you just can’t get enough of this guy, see my previous Molyneux video for more exciting women-blaming.
Scissors sounds and weird background noises courtesy of FreeSFX.
Also, one of these days I’d really like to see someone go through the history of the use of the term “red pill” in misogynist/right wing Internet circles. I suspect, but cannot prove, that Molyneux’s adoption of the “red pill” metaphor to describe his own “philosophy” starting in 2006-2007 was influential on the many varieties of misogynistic libertarian types who now describe themselves as popping red pills like they’re candy.
Meanwhile all feminists are ugly, short-haired, masculine looking she-men who are so unattractive they had to turn to feminism to wile away their extra time,
for the record, I have long hair.
Also, Elam is a hardcore libertarian in that thread. He can’t stop saying “SHUT UP IT’S MY PROPERTY SO I DON’T HAVE TO TELL YOU ANYTHING!!! RASPBERRY!!!”
Yes, Ladyunicorn, you are correct. The name of Freud has been misused for decades after his death, when he could no longer do anything about it. He did in fact save countless women from the common fate, during his lifetime, of being tossed into the loony bin by their families. He was certainly subject to the limitations of his own time, traditional ways of thinking that were hard to break out of, general zeitgeist of the era. It was after WW11, during the campaign to put women back in the home where they ‘belonged’, that his ideas and words were abused, in order to make female rebellion against patriarchal attitudes into a kind of pathology that needed to be cured.
It’s better, he’s demanding contact info, and proof of payment for the privilege of not learning anything new:
The offer to speak with you privately as a customer was not to offer you information that was not already public, but to assist you further in understanding the information already provided,
Alice Miller is one of the authors who is genuinely helpful for those who have suffered an abusive upbringing, and wish to make sense of it and bring healing into their lives. Molyneux has appropriated her insights and twisted them to use for his own hateful purposes.
It’s interesting looking at the comments: Elam is strongly implying he gets a fair bit of money form AVfM: At a guess that’s why he’s opposed to transparency.
Absolutely correct. Many people give regular monthly donations to AVFM. Dozens of other contribute heavily at the AVFM fundraisers. The donations range from $1.00 to several thousand dollars.
@kamilla1960
Exactly. He had his faults (like repudiating his research that found the majority of hysteria patients had been raped), but expecting all his ideas to transcend time is unreasonable. It’s a bit like blaming Darwin for Social Darwinism. Or for contemporary Evolutionary Psychology. There’s only so much you can do to quell the tide of bigots when you’re dead.
Wow… I can’t tell if Elam is taking lessons from JB, or Tom Martin, but he was stupidly rude to Adam Serwer of MSNBC
http://i1.wp.com/www.avoiceformen.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/07/sewer4.jpg
“Whores”? But wait, I thought that Elam never uses slurs!!!
Tulgey Logger: Oh damn… I didn’t connect his name to that whole DeFOOing business. I remember that being covered here in the past. Very nasty abuse strategy of isolating his listeners from their families.
He also made what I can only assume is an intentional typo, calling the reporter, “Mr. Sewer”.
Since Serwer grew up in the states, I’m sure that’s not a new insult; which makes it pointlessly childish. Either Elam didn’t think it would be old hat, or his anger made him not care.
He really doesn’t like being questioned/challenged.
Huh.
So calling people “wh*res” really is their PR strategy.
My fiancé, upon listening to this:
V: Now this is satire, right?
Me: Nope. Nope, that one is for real.
V: I just assumed, because it sounded so rediculous.
Yes it does.
I have just found this blog and am thoroughly enjoying it.
Posted comment too soon! Also to add – I have parented my 2 SONS on my own. Not only am I proud of my beautiful children, I also revel in the knowledge that I am probably the kind of woman that Molyneux hates the most! I must be doing something right.
For some reason, seeing Elam melt down into “wh*res!” mode is just hilarious. I bet he thinks he’s being all badass, too.
The whole post-conference meltdown has been hilarious. So far, we have seen AVFM attack CAFE, Jessica Roy twice, and tell us they’ll be attacking two other journalists shortly. Paul has had a melt down about money across the web (watching the reddit meltdown last night was a blast) and called out our very own David in his own site’a money melt down (seriously, David is apparently like, the most important person in the world in AVFM-land).
Their brand of PR is doing all the hard work for those of us who oppose the movement.
Sparky: I don’t think it’s PR, I think the actual target audience is the readers of AVfM, it’s a sort of self-valorisation/persecution narrative. Serwer didn’t fawn on them, ergo he’s not an honest reporter (because Everyone Knows, AVfM represents Men in their Struggle Against The Gynocracy), so by being gratuitously insulting he isn’t damaging any useful contacts, nor burning any bridges, but demonstrating that Paul Elam and AVfM are “standing up to the lackey of the Ideological Gender Feminists who Run the Press” and so making a statement.
Never mind that were it as they paint it the best thing to do would be to lull them into a sense of complacence by pretending they didn’t see through the obvious ploys and either politely declined to speak on that subject; while offering to address other issues, or just say that, in light of the coverage they had received they were unwilling to work with that reporter in future.
Either of those would have have been productive responses; if the press were in fact an organ of an oppressive regime and they were in some sort of peril for their beliefs.
But it’s not, and they know it, so belligerent posturing to distract/entertain the few who think Pro-Wrestling* isn’t scripted is in order.
I also think Elam is feeling some heat as a result of just how well the conference has been said to go, and the success of the fundraiser for “security”. He’s saying they had lots of people paying for tickets as a means of “donating to the cause”. There were, by all accounts about 150 people there. Call 25 of them AVfM staffers. and assume, arguendo that they got something like 10 percent of attendance as “donations”, in addition to the people who showed up and the headcount is something like 125.
So…. 125*250 = $31,250US Add $32,000US for the fundraiser, and Elam had a gross income from the event of about 63,000. Take out 10K for the cops, figure speakers fees for Farrell, and Kay probably ate another… what 10K, and he has 43K. His room, and plane fare had to come out of that; (and the income from the fundraiser wasn’t cash in hand, he might not have it yet) and he’s still looking at about 40K, net.
And it looks like some of the Misters are asking about it.
Which already has him in a tizzy… then Serwer pokes that sensitive spot and Elam, with his manly self-control had the chance to lash out, in a petty way, and he did.
*yeah, it’s not the best analogy, because I don’t think anyone in Pro-Wrestling is 1: dependent on the participants being duped, and 2: aware that duping people is in order to keep the money flowing. But it really does feel like performance art.
“I first learned of Stefan from a video where he was basically bragging about how many people he has driven away from himself with his libertarianism”
Its not the libertarianism. I had no idea who he was and what he stood for when I first came across his vids. Nor did he at the time have a connection with the MRM (as far as I knew). His manner of speaking, how he treated his guests, the way he comported himself, his lack of research and lack of evidence based statement making, and a number of other factors were just turn offs.
Its a shame for his child that she will not know either set of grandparents because her mom and dad never healed their own mommy and daddy issues enough to just sit down for 20 minutes and let them talk to their grandchild.
That’s just nuts.
I wouldn’t doubt one second it could be because they disagree with their wacky ideas and they don’t want their daughter exposed to alternative views of the universe.
The Chartreuse Vegan Capsule
“That’s just nuts.”
On this site we don’t use ableist terms. There are people who are evil, controlling and manipulative but it has nothing to do with mental conditions.
Eww to that video I think it’s time for some brain bleach
http://youtu.be/czDcAf4p888
It occurs to me that the AVFM’s unique PR strategy of load gun, aim gun at foot, fire might be deliberate. If (your choice of higher power forbid) the MRM ever does gain mainstream acceptance, the first thing that will happen is that it’s incompetent leadership will be sidelined for people who can, say, promote a small convention without it turning into a major drama.
On the other hand, if they look like they’re shooting for mainstream acceptance while using tactics certain to keep them on the margins…
Please forgive me as I couldn’t manage to listen to the whole video, but what does this mean regarding single fathers? Should they also give up their children?
I was about eight when my father walked out; my siblings were seventeen and fifteen. Does this mean my mother chose a bloke who she somehow knew wasn’t going to stick around, and that she was abusive for … what, not pushing me to that shitbag? Not putting me into care where I really would have been abused?
I am sorry as hell, kittehserf, to hear your story.