A Passing Note of Greater Than Passing Importance
A note to any stray feminists who might be wandering in the vicinity.
I am Fidelbogen. I am not the thing known as a an "MRA". You see, the universe is full to the brim with present or potential self-appellatives, and sometimes these get threadbare like an old coat. Sure, you can always patch that coat, but maybe this is too much work. And even if you do patch it, there comes a time when you must patch it again. . . and again. So at last there comes a time when you decide to chuck it, yes?
So, I have chucked "MRA". Other people still call me by that title -- out of habit, out of ignorance, out of linguistic utility, or whatnot. And I don't get fussed about it. No, I just shrug my shoulders since I know what they mean. However, when I am conversing with somebody who seems to be a feminist, and that person glibly utters the phrase "you MRAs", followed by a glib catalogue of ideas or traits which they glibly suppose that an "MRA" would possess, it irritates the tar out of me.
And since I don't enjoy having the "tar" irritated out of me, I will take occasion to correct the person by nonchalantly stating that "I'm not an MRA." Or if I am feeling mischievous, I will say " MRA? What's that? Never heard of it." Whether I have or haven't heard of it is beside the point; the point is, that the person will take my point.
"MRA" is a construct, a fiction, a mental spook, a cartoon character existing only in that person's imagination. So when they address me as a so-called "MRA", they are not actually addressing ME. And maybe I'm hopelessly behind the times, but I still insist that people address me as ME. Because if they don't, then I feel like I am wasting my time with them altogether.
For too many people -- feminists and fence-sitters alike -- "MRA" is a greasy intellectual cop-out which greases the rails so they can slide away fast from what you are really saying. And I do not wish to give them that opportunity. Not if I can help it.
So that, among many other reasons, is why I do not self-appellate as an "MRA".
All right, stray feminist, now it is your turn to reciprocate.
Since I have agreed to not call myself an "MRA". . .
. . . how about you agree to not call yourself a "feminist"?
Eh? ;-)
I am Fidelbogen. I am not the thing known as a an "MRA". You see, the universe is full to the brim with present or potential self-appellatives, and sometimes these get threadbare like an old coat. Sure, you can always patch that coat, but maybe this is too much work. And even if you do patch it, there comes a time when you must patch it again. . . and again. So at last there comes a time when you decide to chuck it, yes?
So, I have chucked "MRA". Other people still call me by that title -- out of habit, out of ignorance, out of linguistic utility, or whatnot. And I don't get fussed about it. No, I just shrug my shoulders since I know what they mean. However, when I am conversing with somebody who seems to be a feminist, and that person glibly utters the phrase "you MRAs", followed by a glib catalogue of ideas or traits which they glibly suppose that an "MRA" would possess, it irritates the tar out of me.
And since I don't enjoy having the "tar" irritated out of me, I will take occasion to correct the person by nonchalantly stating that "I'm not an MRA." Or if I am feeling mischievous, I will say " MRA? What's that? Never heard of it." Whether I have or haven't heard of it is beside the point; the point is, that the person will take my point.
"MRA" is a construct, a fiction, a mental spook, a cartoon character existing only in that person's imagination. So when they address me as a so-called "MRA", they are not actually addressing ME. And maybe I'm hopelessly behind the times, but I still insist that people address me as ME. Because if they don't, then I feel like I am wasting my time with them altogether.
For too many people -- feminists and fence-sitters alike -- "MRA" is a greasy intellectual cop-out which greases the rails so they can slide away fast from what you are really saying. And I do not wish to give them that opportunity. Not if I can help it.
So that, among many other reasons, is why I do not self-appellate as an "MRA".
All right, stray feminist, now it is your turn to reciprocate.
Since I have agreed to not call myself an "MRA". . .
. . . how about you agree to not call yourself a "feminist"?
Eh? ;-)
posted by Fidelbogen at 4:32 PM
2 Comments:
lol
Your piece reminds me of a comment from R.D.Laing entitled 'Attributions and injunctions':
"The attributes one ascribes to a person define him and put him in a particular position. By assigning him to a particular position, attributions ‘put him in his place’ and thus have in effect the force of injunctions. Attributions made by Peter about Paul may be conjunctive or disjunctive with attributions made by Paul about Paul." [Laing, R.D. (1961) The Self and Others. London: Tavistock Publications, (Chapter X ‘Attributes and Injunctions’, p.132)]
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