Yik Yak icon
Join communities on Yik Yak Download
My friends and I have a caveat whenever we talk about men as an entity. We call it “Men TM”. Not every actual man, but the generalized concept of men as our specific society has defined it. Are you as an individual man okay with this?
upvote 4 downvote

user profile icon
Anonymous 11w

Does it matter?

upvote 4 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous 11w

When has generalizing a group of people that all have vastly different values and beliefs ever been a good thing?

upvote 4 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous 11w

I mean like what are you saying? Kill all men or like men can suck sometimes

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous 11w

The concept that society has “defined” men is a delusion. Your idea of a “man” is different than your friends, and definitely different than what an older person thinks a “man” is. The very idea that “”society”” has defined a “generalized concept of men” is a delusional mindset.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous 11w

I fuck with it actually. Good way to talk about the majority without “but some men” coming up in opposition

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> freestyle 11w

Well that’s what I’m wondering. I was just curious because we’re all women yet we’re aware that men can be sensitive when they hear us reference “men” sometimes. I wondered if it was upsetting because most don’t understand the context in which we mean “men”. I want to know if the context matters.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #2 11w

Lol! The latter. Or “men be like”… etc. We also have a “Women TM”.

upvote 8 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> OP 11w

lol that’s not a problem

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #4 11w

I don’t really want to get into this, but society has 100% defined what men “should be”outside of the scientific definition. I mean where do you think gender roles come from? Otherwise the distinction wouldn’t matter. Personal definitions of men can differ from what society thinks. Personal definition is exactly what I’m not talking about. I’m saying that there is a very distinct generalization about men that exists and we collectively call it “Men TM” to specifically talk about that.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #3 11w

It’s a way to reference the generalization to set it apart from actual men that exist in the real world. The generalization existed before we were able to specify that’s what we’re talking about. Not acknowledging it seems worse somehow?

upvote 3 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> OP 11w

I get what you mean by “Men™” as shorthand for common stereotypes, but society isn’t a single unified voice. Different communities, cultures, and generations all have conflicting or shifting ideas about what men “should be.” There’s no single, fixed definition that society universally agrees on. Society is not a monolith. gender roles exist, but they’re diverse, often contradictory, and constantly evolving. That’s why saying “society has defined men” oversimplifies a much messier reality.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #4 11w

That’s why I specified “our specific society”. We’re white, mid western, American women. There is a very specific stereotype we’re talking about.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #5 11w

If you think it’s possible to talk about men as a majority, can you define a single characteristic that actually applies to all or most men across different cultures, ages, and backgrounds?

upvote 3 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> OP 11w

I get you’re talking about white Midwestern women, but the Midwest is huge, with tons of subcultures; urban, rural, religious, artsy, punk, etc. Even among Midwestern white women, ideas of what a “man” should be vary a lot. There’s no single stereotype everyone shares.

upvote 0 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #4 11w

We’re not trying to reference all men though. Just the ones that fit the stereotype we’re talking about. That’s the point. Otherwise we’d just say “men”. Which isn’t what we mean.

upvote 3 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #4 11w

I forgot to specify that I mean the majority that the user is familiar with. I can define the majority of men *i’ve* interacted with irl as misogynistic white men in support of capitalism but that’s Missouri for you. what do you think? Can you generalize any group then?

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> OP 11w

You said “society has 100% defined what men should be,” but now it seems like you’re only referring to a specific stereotype rather than a broad societal definition. That shift shows the original claim about society defining men as a whole doesn’t hold up.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #5 11w

So you think the majority of men (at least in Missouri) are misogynistic, capitalistic, and white? Even if that’s true in your experience, that still doesn’t define men as a whole, especially beyond your region or social circle. How do you account for the diversity of men who don’t fit that description?

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #5 11w

As far as what I think about generalizing a group or a single defining characteristic of men? No, I can’t really find one. No, not really. Men are too diverse, some are homeless, some are rich; some do drugs, some don’t; some vote red, some blue, some not at all; some drive gas cars, some electric, some bike; some are nerds, some hate technology, others read books, some can’t read at all. Some love music, some are gay, some aren’t.

upvote 1 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #4 11w

You’re onto something here. This is why we cannot generalize ANY group of people regardless of sample size or geopolitical factors. Everyone must be addressed as individuals and observed population-level behaviors cannot be trusted and should be thrown out because they cannot account for every single person.

upvote 3 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> OP 11w

“Blacks TM commit way too many crimes” doesn’t sound great does it? to me it’s just virtue signaling and trying to make yourself feel better about generalizing a group of people when you know generalizing is wrong.

upvote 3 downvote
default user profile icon
Anonymous replying to -> #3 11w

Racism is fun

upvote 1 downvote