Men's Irrational Fear of Women

Okay, so here is the other thing we talked about, brought up by the same friend.

He had recently seen a video that had something to do with sexism and gender relations in the US. What he told us about this video was that it presented studies that showed that men are taught two things from a very young age: that they should not fear anything, but also that they should fear women. These are obviously conflicting, and I think that was part of the point. The first is, I think, not so controversial. We all see how boys are raised (some of us are boys, and so have that first person perspective...). They are taught not to cry, etc, etc. But my other two friends (both of whom are female) and I had issues with the second premise. It seems a bit odd to say that men are, in general, afraid of women in a society where men are generally dominant despite efforts to facilitate equality. My friend said that the evidence that was given in the film had to do with the way boys are taught to relate to their mothers (i.e. "Wait til your mom gets home..."). However, it seems like fathers are the "enforcers" with their kids just as often as mothers are. My friend nonetheless contends that, at least as it was presented in the video, many men have a subconscious fear of women that also provides them with a ton of guilt because it conflicts with the first thing they are taught, to fear nothing. So, my female friends and I remain rather unconvinced, but I was wondering what you all think. Cuz, I mean, if there is an irrational fear here that I could capitalize on, I want to know about it.

Baptism and Moral Absolutism

Ok, so I have real issues to talk about this time, both of which were brought up during a dinner conversation which was unusually thoughtful.

The first has a little bit of a story. One of my friends, with whom I was eating dinner, is a strict Episcopalian. His religious views are a very big part of his life. He and his roommate often disagree over, well, just about everything, but especially about religion. So, today, his roommate posted an article on the outside of their door about how people who are baptized as infants (a common practice in the Episcopal church, as well as many others) are not really babtized, and they are going to go to hell. I haven't actually read the article, but this is how my friend (who is obviously biased) summarized it for me. Anyway, so my friend (who was, of course, baptized as an infant) was incredibly angry about this. He was plotting ways to get back at his roomie, including posting a rival treatise on the door. My other friends and I were convincing him to simply ignore it, since his roomie did it to get him riled up, and that they are actually entitled to disagree, even about something so important to both of them as religion. So anyway, I don't know what is going to happen with them, but it brought up an interesting train of thought, I think. What do you all think of infant baptism, and how do your churches deal with it? I was just wondering, since I hadn't particularly thought about it before. Also, do you think that someone with strong religious beliefs (who, for example, believes that homosexuals have sinned against God and will go to hell) can be friends with or even comfortably be around those who he believes are committing egregious and unforgivable sins?

My other thing is a completely different issue, so I think I will do it in a separate post.

Quote

I was going to call this the quote of the day, but after realizing that I do not post a quote every day, I decided that it would have to be the quote of however long it takes me to post another one, because I wouldn't want any day to go quote-less! Wow, that sentence has like 25 commas in it. Anyway, here it is:

"If you fear making people mad, then you ultimately probe for the lowest common denominator of human achievement."
-Jimmy Carter

I think anyone who knows me would pretty much understand why I like that one. I personally get the most done when I am angry, so I feel like I should take every opportunity to rile others up, so they can also be productive. Also, I like being righteously furious, so I feel the need to share the joy with others, because I am that kind of selfless person...

Now that we are done with my modesty, Amanda I am really glad you got to go to Texas, to be with your family and Mema of course. And I am already making good and cheery plans for spring break that mostly involve really loud rockin music. haha.

So now, after reading my post, everyone should feel free to go share the love and make some people mad, or write a post that will make me mad, if you are feeling especially generous. Anybody wanna talk about feminism, or abortion...?

West Wing and Tutoring

Well, as promised I am giving my report on West Wing for those of you who were so unfortunate as to miss it. In a word, it was AWESOME! There were lots of funny parts (including Annabeth flicking a rubber band across the Oval Office at CJ during a staff meeting), but they still dealt poignantly with such a serious issue as Toby's brother committing suicide. It was fast-paced enough that I had to pay very close attention in order to not miss anything, and this is a very welcome change from the slowness of some of the recent episodes. Most importantly, everyone was back together in the West Wing, if only temporarily and not in their usual roles. In other words, I can't WAIT until next Wednesday!

Also, I just got back from tutoring. (For those of you who remain uninformed, I tutor two Spanish -speaking second graders and one fifth grader at a local elementary school in English every Thursday.) It went pretty well. Yovanna (my fifth grader) and I read Clifford the big red dog today! Anyway, I now have to do homework, especially if I am going to come home on Saturday to hang with my good friend amanda...

Kenny...?

OK, this is at least the third time Kenny's name has been in the title of a post, and he isnt even a member yet! Amanda, you have got to make him log in and post. Did he even get the email? Tell him he doesn't get to be my friend any more if he doesn't do this. Haha, maybe you better come up with a better threat than that.... You will think of something, you are a smart girl.

So anyway, WEST WING TONIGHT AT 9 PM EST!
I will be posting to tell you all how it went, of course.

Oh, wow, there was this chocolate fountain at our dining hall today. Super cool. I think they should have that every day...

OK. Time for español.

Quote of the day

Okay, so I don't have much time right now, since I got out of my three hour bio lab a FULL HOUR late, and I have to go to fencing soon. But I do have time for a quick quote of the day:

"That life is worth living is the most necessary of assumptions, and, were it not assumed, the most impossible of conclusions."

George Santayana, philosopher


I love that quote! I think it's really, you know, true, and I think a lot of people spend too much time looking for something to validate their lives. Anyway, that thought wasn't totally coherent, cuz stephie was talking to me during it, but I think you get the point.

Also, I have an announcement:
West Wing tomorrow night at 9/8 central on NBC!!!
I just thought I would share my joy about that.

Okay, and where is KENNY??

k, gotta go to fencing.

No offense, Kenny, but...

Amanda, is your username SERIOUSLY Kenny's Woman?????

Did you do that on purpose to make my eyebrows first go up, then come together in the middle?? Cuz that is what they are doing.

All I'm saying is that, you know, he doesn't own you, and though we often use that phrasing in a way that doesn't necessarily indicate true ownership, it still shouldn't be the main thing about your identity that you want to project. Your identity should be about you, not someone else.

So, I know, you are going to tell me it was just a joke. But I wanted to go ahead and get my objection in. On principle.

Flag Burning

Okay, so this is what I was incensed about today (I try to get incensed about something everyday, but sometimes I fall short of my ever so lofty goals): flag burning.

It was rather accidentally brought up during dinner tonight that flag burning is, in fact illegal (or at least my friends thought it was). I was, you know, surprised. It seems kinda silly, it is just a piece of cloth, and this is democracy, right?

So I looked it up on the internet. And, from the possibly unreliable websites I found through that modern miracle Google, I gleaned several things:

- The Supreme Court says that laws against flag burning are unconstitutional.
- 47 states have anti-flag burning laws on the books.
- Many people want an amendment against flag burning, but lots of others are strongly
against it.

So, my thing is, why is flag-burning so important that states make unconstitutional laws against it? Anyway. That is my first real thought for the blog. If any of you have insight, let me know...

Now I have to go study for the Spanish test for which I have been putting off studying for hours (hangs head). Everybody, POST! That is the only way this is gonna work. Thanks guys!

Iamberryspecial....ha

nice name, dude

Posting, etc

Okay so for everyone who is confused, in order to post you have to go to www.blogger.com. Then login in the top right hand corner, then click on the blog name, then in the upper left corner there is a tab about posting. After you write a post, you must publish it for it to show up on the blog!!

First Post

Well, guys, I guess this is the first post!!

Thanks for joining the blog - I think this is gonna be a really fun way for us to keep in touch better. Yay!