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.
Policy of Madness – maybe it makes him an alfalfa!
Kootiepatra, first I was going to cheer Rick and Naomi, then I read about him being killed, then about the way their kids have grown up … that was a six-paragraph roller coaster.
Kittehserf: It’s been a roller coaster seeing them live it out.
But that’s why I have zero patience for the kind of garbage Molyneux is spewing. He has pet theories, but these are *people’s lives*. He needs to walk away from the computer for a while and develop a shred of empathy. Maybe then he will stop labeling amazing families as abusive.
Has anyone else noticed that Chartreuse Vegan Capsule doesn’t actually respond to criticism? They’re replying to things, so they’re definitely reading the threads, but any time someone objects to something they say (which has happened in multiple threads), they just ignore it. It’s pretty frustrating.
@emilygoddess – Yup, I’ve definitely noticed that. Most of the stuff to which I’ve objected has been fairly trivial, but CVC has blanked on some legitimate complaints from others (ableist language, dismissive language about prison rape, shaming about addiction). It’s not good.
Re: Aussie wildlife — I understand some Aussie crocs can climb trees, and shark researchers discovered that a nine-foot Great White that they tagged got et … because the tag washed ashore (pretty sure it was a bigger shark).
I can’t get too snarky about Aussie wildlife. Here in North America there’s plenty as will kill you stone dead. Rattlesnakes, deer, moose, bears ….
Emilygoddess,
I’ve been noticing that too. It’s a little strange and I’m starting to wonder about it.
I was going to say something about The Chartreuse Vegan Capsule, but was worried it was just me. My hackles were raised almost immediately, but then I always make snap decisions about people no matter how hard I try not to.
I wonder what bright boy would say to someone like my mother, who was widowed and left as the single mother of 4 children. If single motherhood is inherently bad for children, it ought not to matter how or why a woman becomes a single mother. Clearly, she should have placed all four of us (including my older brother and me, who had already been through the adoption process once as infants) for adoption. Yes, that would have made perfect sense.
Re Chartreuse Vegan Capsule, the posts aren’t consistently one ideology either nor do they tend to continue themes they raised earlier. Cannot be bothered going back and quoting for substantiation.
“Has anyone else noticed that Chartreuse Vegan Capsule doesn’t actually respond to criticism?”
Yeah, my “something is off” was pinging last night, but I’ve gotten about 3 hours of sleep in the last 24 hours and it was with a cat next to my head trying to get pet (she did give up and settle in, but I no logic so good currently)
I wonder if he feels the same way if the father dies? So young children lose their dad and their mom, heeding this guy’s ‘wisdom’, sends them off for adoption.
Nice.
Yeah, I’m getting the wrong vibe from The Chartreuese Vegan Capsule too. Complete lack of response to anything.
What do people think? I don’t know if this is heading into mod territory or not, but something’s amiss.
Though I tell you what, if I see another wall of text sans blockquotes after asking twice and showing how it’s done, I am gonna be SO TEMPTED to just unapprove it or make a sacrifice to the blockquote mammoth or something.
Wasn’t there another kind of iffy poster who refused to use blockquotes? The person who kept worrying about how dangerous and powerful Paul Elam is? I’m not saying they and The Chartreuse Vegan Capsule are one and the same, but it’s weird to me all the same.
Jared (I think, my apologies if this is incorrect) has been asked to use blockquotes more than once by many different commenters.
That’s who I was thinking of! Thanks, piratejennie.
::snaps fingers:: That’s right, it was jared! I didn’t read zir posts, they were eye-glazing.
@Falconer : Re: Aussie wildlife — I understand some Aussie crocs can climb trees, and shark researchers discovered that a nine-foot Great White that they tagged got et … because the tag washed ashore (pretty sure it was a bigger shark).
Well, fuck. I’m heading over there for Christmas, and now I have to worry about man-eating crocs climbing trees to get to me?
Not that I’m likely to be climbing Aussie trees…
http://www.buzzfeed.com/simoncrerar/why-arachnophobes-should-skip-australia
See, when I find a spider in the bathroom,mi prefer it to be “smash with TP and flush” sized. Not spread over the seat like I’m gonna have to wait while the spider does it’s business!
You’re most welcome, FM.
CVC has been setting off some misgivings for me, too. Especially the lack of acknowledgment about ableist language and a general disregard of the comments policy and suggestions, reminders by many people.
Jared did interact with other commenters, though, despite the wall-o-text style.
CVC seems to be commenting in a vacuum, solely focused on the OP, though zir comments are often so difficult to parse out on an initial read, due to the lack of block quotes or other demarcation, I don’t give them a second try.
You’re right, piratejennie. jared was much more interactive and actually seemed to consider what everyone else said, positive or negative. jared, if you’re lurking, I’m sorry I lumped you in with The Chartreuse Vegan Capsule; the no-blockquotes thing threw me for a moment.
CVC will jump in on an off-topic conversation if zie has anything to add, but zie usually drops right back out again if anyone disagrees with zir. As pallygirl said a page back, CVC doesn’t really seem consistent from thread to thread. The only things that stay somewhat-solid are mean comments about people’s appearances and speculation about MRA’s personal lives.
Well at least some of those spider pics were photoshopped! 😀 Spiders don’t actually grow toilet-seat-sized.
Best way I know to get a huntsman out of the house? A broom. They can be persuaded to get on the end and it’s not too hard to get ’em out the door then. Mind you this takes plenty of planning – there has to be a clear run to an open door arranged first!
Which parts of Oz are you visiting, Phoenicians?
All of Molyneux’s ideas seem typical of somebody with very little real life experience. His philosophy would have appealed to me a great deal when I was like 15. Of course, I’ve since learned it’s a lot more complicated than “statistics say it’s a good idea to do this; thus, everyone who doesn’t do it is a terrible person who is ruining our society”.
For the record, I was raised by a single mother and am about as violent as a ham sandwich.
@kittehserf: Which parts of Oz are you visiting, Phoenicians?
Spending Xmas week with the wife’s rellies in Sydney. I also have a mother who lives in Brisbane and, uh, my father lived in Melb- I’m really going to have to rethink my over-the-top nationalistic antipathy for Aussies, aren’t I?
LOL you are indeed! Though when one looks at some of our politicians that seems a pretty fair attitude.
So, you’re visiting all the spider zones … at least here in Melbourne it’s just the huntsmen you need to watch out for, not the funnelwebs, which are the really nasty ones afaik.
FWIW, I think everyone has the right to use blockquotes or not use them, as they see fit.
But I also skip over the comments of people who don’t use blockquotes.