The Energon Pub

[WreckerJack]

...Deceptive Sallow moth, huh? I sense foreshadowing.

WreckerJack has a dark side...

Sometimes I jaywalk. I am a bad boy

In Jr.High I stole candy by sampling it out of the bin on occasion.

[Burn]

Sometimes I jaywalk. I am a bad boy

[WreckerJack]

Almost as badass as this bird.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

Must be photoshopped because that's too perfect. But that's a cool picture.

[WreckerJack]

Probably. Birds love to troll by flying away as soon as your finger comes to rest on the shutter button.

[Nemesis Maximo]

Good God...I remember when this thread used to be manly. Now it's for the birds.

[Burn]

Good God...I remember when this thread used to be manly. Now it's for the birds.

I hope you're ashamed of yourself for that pun.

[WreckerJack]

Manly enough now?

[DedicatedGhostArt]

No.

[It Is Him]

I used to live in Florida. Too hot, too many mosquitoes. I think I prefer the pacific northwest - too cold for bugs most of the year!

I mean we do have bees and the occasional mosquito but not swarms. When I lived in Florida there were too many skeeters. I like bugs so long as they aren't the biting/stinging kind.

Fun fact: I''m actually 25% mosquito

[Rodimus Prime]

I used to live in Florida. Too hot, too many mosquitoes. I think I prefer the pacific northwest - too cold for bugs most of the year!

I mean we do have bees and the occasional mosquito but not swarms. When I lived in Florida there were too many skeeters. I like bugs so long as they aren't the biting/stinging kind.

Fun fact: I''m actually 25% mosquito

Only 25%? I thought it would be more than that...

[DedicatedGhostArt]

I used to live in Florida. Too hot, too many mosquitoes. I think I prefer the pacific northwest - too cold for bugs most of the year!

I mean we do have bees and the occasional mosquito but not swarms. When I lived in Florida there were too many skeeters. I like bugs so long as they aren't the biting/stinging kind.

Fun fact: I''m actually 25% mosquito

Only 25%? I thought it would be more than that...

He's a sucker!

[Burn]

So Gilette did this.


A lot of people have declared they're no longer going to use their products because they feel they've painted ALL men as being the problem.

I've used Gilette stuff since high school, I have no intention of throwing their stuff away, but I don't know how to feel about this video. Part of me feels that it wasn't necessary, that the whole movement to end "toxic masculinity" is pointless, because some people (not just men) are genetically pre-dispositioned to be violent assholes. Another part of me feels it's not the responsibility of companies like Gilette to push for change, but rather for parents to just teach their kids to be respectful and not arseholes.

Thoughts?

[Cobotron]

they feel they've painted ALL men as being the problem.

"Only the Sith deal in absolutes." -Obi Wan Kenobi, an honorable man

Not sure how to feel about it either. Still processing what I saw.

I'd be inclined to argue that "toxic masculinity" is a product of nurture over nature.

I appreciate the attempt, but not sure we need Gillette to fight this fight.

Whether men have all the power, are stripped of it, or can finally share it, they'll still have to shave.

[Zeek99g]

I really don't know what to think. I never really cared about Gillette and have wanted to get away from using their products since they sent me a package trying to get me "hooked" on using their product. I will say to those that are going to stop using Gillette that Gillette basically owns the razor market for men. Good Luck.

I also don't think it is Gillette's place to change Toxic Masculinity. That responsibility falls onto parents and parents alone.

I don't think they are painting all men as the problem, but the culture that men exist in is the problem. I also don't think the #MeToo Movement and things like the Gillette Ad are helping Toxic Masculinity. I think it will only make it worse.

[Rodimus Prime]

When I first saw a headline regarding this, I kinda brushed it off. Then I come here and see this thread back from the dead. So I decide to click on it, expecting to be insulted as a man. And you know what? I wasn't. At all. And I think the MeToo movement is sexist double standard garbage. But when I saw this ad, all I saw was a video trying to inspire males not to be inconsiderate towards females and other males, especially when they're younger. Yeah, it was a bit heavy handed, but it showed situations that for the most part men create by their actions. Should there be a video regarding women acting this way? Sure. Because it does happen. But, as I said, there's a double standard when it comes to harassment based on sex.

Tl;dr: I have no problem with the message of the ad, but I do feel it doesn't paint a complete picture. I mean, don't women use Gillette? Or do they prefer Schick?

[Burn]

But when I saw this ad, all I saw was a video trying to inspire males not to be inconsiderate towards females and other males, especially when they're younger. Yeah, it was a bit heavy handed, but it showed situations that for the most part men create by their actions.

This actually helps put it into perspective for me. I think their intent wasn't to tar and feather all men, but rather to create a discussion, to highlight that society is changing.

Unfortunately, it's come across the wrong way. Just found this quote from Jeffrey Reddick (in response to that idiot Piers Morgan) who created the Final Destination movies.

Gillette isn’t saying men and masculinity are bad. Toxic masculinity is when we teach boys that real men don’t cry. Real men don’t show fear. Real men don’t lose. Real men take what they want. Real men solve problems with their fists. It is toxic and it damages men and women.

And that is the message that should be getting across.

I abhor the term "toxic masculinity", call it what it is, it's arsehole behaviour that can be attributed to both genders.

Men should cry. Men should show fear. The society standard that men shouldn't do this, I feel, has lead many men to suicide because they feel they're not "real" men.

As Cobes said, "nature vs nurture", it's not a shaving companies job to tell men to change, it's up to parents to raise their kids with decency and respect.

[Rodimus Prime]

I'm with you on the "toxic masculinity" term. It's sounds and reads like whoever uses it means that masculinity is toxic, period. Which is simply not the case. It's the way that masculinity is applied to situations in life that makes it toxic. When it's used for intimidation, physical or emotional bullying, and even outright abuse such as assault of any kind or worse, regardless of the gender of the victim. Masculinity can be a positive thing, it all depends on one's perspective.

[Cobotron]

I agree that parents have a big role to play in effecting these changes, but it does not rest solely on their shoulders alone.

This is a societal issue. A cultural issue.

Children is a great place to start the change, but children don't just learn from and/or imitate the behaviors they witness from their parents. The behavior is all around them. Imbedded in everyday culture. Children learn from their role models. Parents, entertainers, athletes, teachers, leaders, and heroes.

All of them will have to change how they think and act if children are to be influenced in a positive way.

It's important to remember, you don't have to be a good person to be a parent, but it should be a prerequisite.

Also, I don't know if women prefer Schick over Gillette, but Schick's slogan isn't, The Best A Man Can Get.

I'm left wondering what gender the CEO of Gillette is? Or if they have any high ranking female employees at all.

Their were some positive messages in that ad, and that's good.

[Burn]

Children is a great place to start the change, but children don't just learn from and/or imitate the behaviors they witness from their parents. The behavior is all around them. Imbedded in everyday culture. Children learn from their role models. Parents, entertainers, athletes, teachers, leaders, and heroes.

True.

I know in Australia there's become a distinct lack of male teachers, more so in the primary school system (grades 1-6). My nephew coasted along, but the one year he had a male teacher he really flourished.

I have a friend who out of school became a linesman. He's now studying to be a teacher, and I honestly can't applaud him enough for making such a dramatic career change.

But yes, it's a issue for society, and I applaud Gillette for voicing their opinion, I just don't think they went about it the right way.

[Cobotron]

But yes, it's a issue for society, and I applaud Gillette for voicing their opinion, I just don't think they went about it the right way.

I'm not sure they did either. Honestly, jumping to such a hot topic for the purpose of advertising a product feels slimy. Almost as slimy as an elected leader who uses campaign funds to pay off prostitutes.

[S.o.L.]

Sponsored by Barbasol.

ptero.jpg

[Ironhidensh]

Like most social/political issues today, I tune out when 'toxic masculinity' is brought up. Basically because intelligent discussion is dead, replaced with extremist line drawing, shouting, and name calling. People blame Trump, but honestly? He is just a reflection of the society we created, an effect of problems, not the cause.

Anyway, before I can really form an opinion on this, you'd have to be able to get three people in a room to actually agree on a definition of what it is. Its too bland and wide ranging of a label, just like all labels. Men as a whole are good, but there are a lot of bad apples out there.


I see the Gillete commercial for what it is: A blatant money grab utilizing an issue of the times, I highly doubt the corporation gives two shits about anything else.

[wilcosu35]

Like most social/political issues today, I tune out when 'toxic masculinity' is brought up. Basically because intelligent discussion is dead, replaced with extremist line drawing, shouting, and name calling. People blame Trump, but honestly? He is just a reflection of the society we created, an effect of problems, not the cause.

Anyway, before I can really form an opinion on this, you'd have to be able to get three people in a room to actually agree on a definition of what it is. Its too bland and wide ranging of a label, just like all labels. Men as a whole are good, but there are a lot of bad apples out there.

I haven't got a clue what it even is. Up till a short while i ago, i'd never even heard of it.
Seems to me, a lot of these strange terms are just made-up on the spot by people who use them.

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Like most social/political issues today, I tune out when 'toxic masculinity' is brought up. Basically because intelligent discussion is dead, replaced with extremist line drawing, shouting, and name calling. People blame Trump, but honestly? He is just a reflection of the society we created, an effect of problems, not the cause.

Anyway, before I can really form an opinion on this, you'd have to be able to get three people in a room to actually agree on a definition of what it is. Its too bland and wide ranging of a label, just like all labels. Men as a whole are good, but there are a lot of bad apples out there.


I see the Gillete commercial for what it is: A blatant money grab utilizing an issue of the times, I highly doubt the corporation gives two shits about anything else.

I pretty much agree with all of what was said here. The commercial felt like more of an attention grabber instead of an ad for the betterment of humanity.

There are a lot of terms out there, and I fully agree that our society today has been made to be in tolerant of other people's opinions and thoughts. There is no middle ground, you cannot be in the center instead of on either side of any complex systems where there are the potential for many different topics summed up under 2 umbrellas. It won't work, and it's even worse when you have a very vocal group who ruin a lot of things for everyone.

Case in point, the Black Panther and Captain Marvel movies they have been decried by very loud voices that have tried their best to sabotage them, only for both to very much succeed, showing that there is a majority out there that does not bow to, and perhaps simply ignores altogether, the loud 5% on either end of any spectrum.

Just my thoughts on this and on middle grounds and our society in general.