Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Feminism and Chivalry: Hypocrisy



Parenting is one of the most important jobs that one can have. That's where it all begins. Sure, genetics play a role in what a child grows up to become; however, for the most part, it's up to parents to raise their children the right way and instill in them proper beliefs and customs that benefit society as well as themselves.


Generally speaking, what is the average young boy taught growing up in regards to women? To respect women. To hold open doors for women. To be polite around women. To take care of women. To watch his language around women. To pull out chairs for women. When there is something heavy to be lifted, the boy learns quickly that he should volunteer to carry it for the girl. Not long after this, the average young boy discovers chivalry at its most horrific stage: dating. Whether its a romantic comedy or a television show, the young boy will find out that it is a social standard that on a date, he must (standard date)

a) Chauffeur the girl around in his car, on his dime.
b) Pay for the movie tickets and any snacks that she desires
c) Pay for dinner
d) A kiss is expected at the end. This requires courage, as he is risking rejection as well a a blow to his self-esteem.


We know what young boys are taught growing up. Basically, its to appease and serve women. It continues through adulthood; men don't care for large homes and fancy cars. Not in the abstract they don't. They work slavishly to get these material possessions because society has taught them that its the best way to get an attractive female; if a male could live in a comfortable apartment with a decent car his whole life and not have it work against him when it comes to getting a mate, he would do it. So serving women never stops.

With that being said, I have an important question to ask: are young girls instructed by their parents and society to respect and revere men as much as boys are told to respect them? Of course not, and everyone knows it. Young girls are pampered and told they are princesses. This is a fundamental difference in the way men and women are raised. If feminism is truly about equality, then why exactly have feminists turned a blind eye to the issue of chivalry and the way boys are taught to worship girls?

Chivalry in and of itself is sexist. Yet I see nothing but hypocrisy from feminists and most women for that matter. The feminist movement has turned out to be yet another special interest group that claims to be for equality but in reality desires more and more advantages, entitlements, and attention.

If you are a true egalitarian, you would not identify with any ideology at all. That is the fact that feminists hide. Inequality is a double edged sword. Not being equal has disadvantages as well as advantages. For instance, a disadvantage for women in the early 1900's was that they were restricted to the kitchen and raising children. However, an advantage was not having to work or take on any stressful responsibility. Another advantage was having the luxury of choosing a mate. Women were (and still are) in the position to judge males and choose who they saw fit. Chivalry was also an advantage.

Now, after feminism has pervaded society, we see that these disadvantages are gone. However, the advantages that inequality brought women remain; they conveniently held on to the luxurious social custom of having a man put his self-esteem on the line to approach a woman who he doesn't know, and go through all of the steps that I outlined above on a date. Chivalry was left out of the "equality" movement.

This seems to me to be pure hypocrisy and nothing more than a power grab for the gender that is a 53% majority in the USA. Feminism has turned the average woman today into a party-seeker. A feminist will fight for the right of women to get drunk and pass out in front of groups of red-blooded males. This is subtle encouragement. Today's American woman is as irrational as yesterday's American women; the difference is that today's has been given the green light to act on her illogical, irrational, and emotional choices.

Rand Paul: Libertarian Messiah or Fraud?




Rand Paul, the "Tea Party" candidate has won the republican nomination for U.S Senate in Kentucky. Like his father, Ron Paul, he is a libertarian that used the republican ticket to help him get elected-this country is still in the dark when it comes to voting for anyone other than a republican or democrat. When I heard of this news, I personally was excited. Finally a senator that I can get behind. I mean, he's a libertarian so I should back him 100%, right? Well not after I saw this video of him getting grilled by Rachel Maddow:




Now don't get me wrong: his stance on private ownership is a true libertarian one. And I would support his view even though no one in this country wants to go back to the 1950's where we had signs outside businesses that banished certain groups from entering. The problem with Rand Paul is that he selectively chose this issue to have an extreme view on. After reading an article by David Saltonstall (link to the article below, I discovered where Paul stands on the issue of medical marijuana: he support's its legalization. Upon first glance this may seem to be a good thing. However, the true libertarian stance is against the nanny state. All drugs should be legalized. It isn't in the government's place to tell its citizens what they may or may not put into their own body. The problem with Rand Paul is that he is extreme when it comes to allowing businesses to discriminate, but not extreme where it counts perhaps even more: on the war on drugs.

Anyone who understands the war on drugs and how it is a complete failure knows that it is an issue of utmost importance. This isn't about letting stoners and hippies have their day; its about ending statism, violence, and helping to grow our economy. Paul, unlike his father, doesn't seem to understand this. He should be at the forefront of the argument speaking out against the phony war on drugs. Instead, he takes a weak, watered down stance on the issue and promotes the legalization of medical marijuana. That is simply not enough.

Either you are for freedom or for the state, take your pick Rand. So far you have damaged the Tea Party movement beyond repair. The big knock, if you recall, on the Tea Party Movement was that it was filled with racist, middle-aged, crazed blue collar people who are fed up with so much government. You are only validating the liberals when you take unpopular stances on a civil rights bill that is in the past and will never be changed. What was the point of speaking out against it? I don't understand this extremist point of view in light of the fact that you aren't willing to take extreme libertarian views on other issues.

Philosophy can be a great basis for political positions. However, one must discover that there is a difference between theory and reality. In theory, what Rand Paul wants should hold up. But in reality, all business owners and corporations are not filled with responsible, good natured people. There is incompetence in both government as well as private business. I understand that private ownership is better to bet on than government, but one must not defend private ownership at the expense of the civil liberties of American citizens. Let's suppose a private business were to bar all Jews from entering their Cafe. Does this not infringe upon Jewish American's freedom of movement? What about the American citizens?

These and many other issues are ones that Rand Paul must think clearly about. The arguments that he brings forth are at the college level- they have no place in the United States Senate. He needs to clean his act up and start coming up with constructive, practical ideas rather than loony ones that no one but him will vote in favor of.



Sunday, February 14, 2010

Barry Goldwater: The Aboriginal Conservative Libertarian




The description that I give myself politically is as spot on as I could put it: I am a conservative libertarian, along the lines of a Ron Paul. The Texas senator is a staunch constitutionlist and understands the importance of freedom. Liberty is my main concern whenever approaching the political realm.


Who was an even greater pioneer for personal rights, freedoms, and liberty? Why none other than Barry Goldwater. Outside of his misguided notions about minorities, Goldwater's vision was on the correct tract for both his time and ours. This Arizona Senator was a true patriot and is certainly a great influential figure in history for any true libertarian. He was known as "Mr. Conservative"

Not only was his policies and ideas in the right place, but he also commanded a stellar resume. Prior to his political career, he was a Major General in the U.S Air Force Reserve. Military experience is paramount to determining the intestinal and mental foritude of a presidential candidate in my opinion. What Goldwater accomplished was no easy feat; combining true conservatism with the libertarian movement.

Here are a few classic and influential quotes by Goldwater that truly represent freedom:

"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue"


A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away"


"I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in "A," "B," "C" and "D." Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?"

-Barry Goldwater


Thursday, February 4, 2010

Women Aren't Funny

Sitting in my college course today, I got to thinking about comedians again. After a string of thoughts, I somehow got to the point where I was desperately trying to name a decent female comedian. I couldn't do it. Sarah Silvercunt is NOT funny. She stands there behind a mic and says things in a monotone voice that are meant to be so shocking that they are hilarious (but they aren't). Silvercunt stands there and says "look at me I'm a Jew" and expects to get laughs...her looks are the one and only thing that keeps her popular.

The same can be said for Margaret Cho, whose greates accomplishment was her "eat me out" song. Kathy Griffen is even worse; I'm sure she gets booed out of every bar she ever goes to perform standup. Here's Cho's only decent bit :



But its not just female profession comedians; its women in general. Women simply aren't funny. They just aren't. They just rely on men for entertainment such as comedy, amongst basically everything else (protection, security, finances, etc.)

Think clearly for a moment: back in high school, do you recall any female class-clowns? I CAN'T. I just recently realized that every single class clown or witty/funny personality in school was a guy 100% of the time (including me), with girls giggling in the background.

The outspoken atheist Christopher Hitchens happens to agree with my theory in the video below:

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Top 10 Stand Up Comedians All Time

I actually prefer stand-up routines to most comedy shows on television...the routines are much easier to follow. I discovered stand up a while back on Youtube. I would minimize it and continue my MMO hypnosis( you can guess which one I played)

After searching you tube for the best of the best and after much deliberation in my head, here are my top ten comedians of all time:

10. Lewis Black

The angriest comedian of them all-this guy is hilarious with almost anything that comes out of his mouth. I particularly enjoy his rant on there being too many Starbucks out there.




9. Dave Chappelle

Much of his stand up has to do with racial/gender issues. He may be yet another black comedian playing on race for half his show, but he is still one of the best at his craft.




8. Jerry Seinfeld

I personally don't believe you have to be edgy in order to be extremely funny, and for the best vanilla jokes you'll ever hear in your life, check out some of his shows. His dry sense of humor is along the line of Larry David. (I suppose this is a Jewish style humor)




7. Chris Rock

Yes, I like him better than Richard Pryor. His standup has always made me laugh harder than anyone else who has that type of humor that is so common in this day and age. He doesn't push the limit very much, but his ethnic jokes coupled with his distaste for married life gets a laugh out of me every time.



6. Zack Galifianakis

The most unique talent out there today in comedy. I don't ever recall seeing someone play a piano as part of their act in stand-up...but this guy does it to perfection. His DVD, "Live At The Purple Onion" is hysterical and definitely worth the buy. It has all his best jokes along with bonuses that are well worth the money. And out of everyone that has had to deal with pesky hecklers, this guy did it the best. Search You tube for "Zack Galifianakis berates audience member" and you will see what I mean.




5. Mitch Hedberg

Listening to his comed albums always shocks me at how someone who is high on stage can be so funny. Out of everyone on this list, Mitch has the simplest jokes. And they work like a charm. You would never think of the stuff this guy says in his routines...you just have to listen. "Strategic Grill Location" is my favorite of all his albums, but honestly you can't go wrong with any of them. Its sad that he died so young, but I guess thats what happens when drugs consume your life.

R.I.P





4. Larry David

Another funny Jew. His show on HBO, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is probably the best on television at the moment. However, I feel that his standup routine is even funnier. This video below says it all. Hitler didn't like magicians, you learn something everyday.





3. Doug Stanhope

A perfect fusion of #1 and #2. Quite possibly the best living comedian to date. This may just be my taste, but i prefer the dark, twisted humor of this guy. By far the edgiest of any comedian out there, nothing is off limits for Doug. I'm talking murder, rape, even child pornography.

I actually just uploaded part 1 of his new album, "From Across The Street". Check out my youtube homepage at http://www.youtube.com/user/bj07bran7

Below is one of my favorite routines of his. If you don't laugh at this bit then you have no soul







2. Bill Hicks



He's as dark as they come, especially for his time. Very funny and very insightful.


Another dead druggie. R.I.P.




1. George Carlin

There isn't much to say here...this guy is a legend and a wizard with language.


Sunday, November 22, 2009

Review: Akira (1988)



Classic movies do not come about too often. Classic movies are the ones that belong in your DVD collection. Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is certainly one of them. Now, the year is currently 2009. This astounding masterpiece was made in 1988. This is perhaps one of the most advanced movies for its time. This gem has it all; action, thrills, a great story, great music, and a deep meaning throughout.

This is set many years after Tokyo had been destroyed by an unknown force that consequently began WWIII. Tokyo has been rebuilt and is now refuge to cults, bike gangs, etc. Shotaro is the leader of the bike gang that is prevalent throughout the movie.


Without giving too much away, it is a classic story about an older friend and a younger friend who begin to have issues with each other as they get older. The younger friend, Tetsuo, is sick and tired of his older friend, Shotaro, saving him when he is in trouble. He wants to be able to take care of himself without any help at all. Later on, he develops powers and is somehow connected with Akira, a powerful being that has been locked away by scientists many years ago. The music is fantastic and as I mentioned before, the visuals are spectacular for 1988 and still hold up pretty well in 2009.

The manga version of Akira had much more information that could be shown in the movie. The movie was forced to jam everything together early in order to support the plot. This was my main issue with it, but overall its still a very enjoyable movie. This contains some nudity. It’s a definite watch in my opinion, one of few classic anime movies to ever come out. 10/10

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Review: Spirited Away (2001)




One of my many interests is anime. I've watched them since the days of Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z. However now days I prefer a more serious form of anime, along the lines of Elfen Lied. Serious, cerebral, and contreversial anime draws me in like a misquito to a bug light.

Recently, I watched a few anime movies. (Don't ask where I got them) Here's what I thought on the first:

Spirited Away
Directed by Hayao Miyazak

This movie is about a little girl who goes on a journey of self-discovery. It begins with her in the backseat of her parent's car. They are apparently moving to a new community. Her father is driving, and goes up to a mysterious tunnel. The little girl, Chihiro, is apprehensive as to what dangers might be in this tunnel. In a strange sequence of events, they all discover an old abandoned theme park. The two parents find a stand that has hot food and begin to eat viscously. Once again, Chihiro is apprehensive and does not eat with her parents.

From there, the story goes into an 'Alice in Wonderland' type journey. I won't give away anymore of the plot, but what I will say is that this was an excellent film, especially for the light-hearted humor and subliminal messages throughout.

The biggest problem with this anime is the same with Alice in Wonderland; it's hard to follow at certain points. It can be very frustrating to not be able understand what is going on, especially when you invest time to watch the movie. One other issue that I had was the music. The tunes in Spirited Away are sub-par at best. Perhaps I'm just use to masterpieces from anime's like Cowboy Bebop, but I digress.

This movie's strength is obviously the creative imagination of Hayao Miyazak. Some of the scenes were absolutely breathtaking in their beauty and originality. I only wish he could have figured out a way to meld this creativity into a more concise, understandable plot. Nonetheless, the movie is very interesting and easy on the eyes as far as picture goes.

Overall, this movie is about a 9/10. Those with open, imaginative minds will want to see this for sure. For children, I recommend 100%. If you are neither of those, give it a try anyway. You may be surprised.

*Up next, the review of the anime thriller "Akira".