Post #4173157

We live in a world where some of the values that we reward feel "suspiciously chosen" - in particular, around a masculine ideal. I had an uncle who would teach me how to give firm handshakes and practice on him, so that men would take me seriously. My dad tried to get me into golfing. Women's suits in the 80's were famous for the shoulder pads. But these are obviously all pretty surface-level, when we're also told to be assertive and confident and loud. I'm not saying that any or all of these are *bad*, and arguably a healthy society includes plenty of assertive, confident and/or loud people. But you watch a movie with a male protagonist, it's likely going to have a lesson like getting over fear or doubt, asserting your will, seizing your destiny, etc. - not bad things in all contexts, but this is where you get the "confidence of a mediocre white man" trope IRL. That's just some dead-dove causality right there. I'm starting to see political neutrality in the same suite of values. 1/2