The Dangerous Book for Boys

[BoGGiT]

It's just a neat book! Don't judge it by its cover (or title).

I don't. I judge it by the fact that it assumes that "men" and "boys" need more danger and adventure in their lives, impliciting that girls should just stay home and play with dolls. In my humble opinion that is, to put it mildly, the kind of excrements you get from male cows.

 

[Jdvn1]

Touché

Still though, judging from what that amazon page said, I find that book and what it represents to be pretty darn offensive to me as a humanist believing in gender equality. I sure hope I'm not the only one on these forums to think so.

I didn't read what they said, but remember that people who post online are only a vocal minority.

Most people in a given country aren't like what you see in the media.

 

[BoGGiT]

I didn't read what they said, but remember that people who post online are only a vocal minority.

huh? I'm talking about the book, not the opinions of this or that online poster.

Most people in a given country aren't like what you see in the media.

True, of course, but I fail to see what relevance that statement has to anything I've said in this thread?

 

[Jdvn1]

I don't. I judge it by the fact that it assumes that "men" and "boys" need more danger and adventure in their lives, impliciting that girls should just stay home and play with dolls. In my humble opinion that is, to put it mildly, the kind of excrements you get from male cows.

From flipping through the book, there's nothing about danger, though maybe some adventure, in the book.

Regardless, the title doesn't say anything for girls. It does play on a stereotype, but it's also a book that plays on much older stereotypes--as in, a lot of information in the book is the sort of stuff that was common with boys in the 1700-1800s, when stereotypes were not only prominent but enforced. Even the picture quality inside the book is reminiscent of something out of a Mark Twain novel.

IMO, this is not a modern book that says, "This is what boys and only boys should be." This is a book that says, "This is what boys used to be." I'm not even sure I'd call it a modern book, because of its style.

I'm against stereotyping as the next person (and I have very good reason to be), but I think you're either being oversensitive or like to pick this sort of fight.

 

[Jdvn1]

huh? I'm talking about the book, not the opinions of this or that online poster.

You said the web page. I must have been confused, since at least half of the text on the web page is reviews. Are you referring to the product description or the interview?

True, of course, but I fail to see what relevance that statement has to anything I've said in this thread?

This:

Whenever you brits and yanks feel like leaving the 19th century behind (together with all backwards ideas about men being from mars and women from venus)

... Or do "brits and yanks" not refer the British and Americans? Again, this is partially a reference to the reviews I thought you were talking about (since they're written by "brits and yanks").

 

[BoGGiT]

From flipping through the book, there's nothing about danger, though maybe some adventure, in the book.

Regardless, the title doesn't say anything for girls. It does play on a stereotype, but it's also a book that plays on much older stereotypes--as in, a lot of information in the book is the sort of stuff that was common with boys in the 1700-1800s, when stereotypes were not only prominent but enforced. Even the picture quality inside the book is reminiscent of something out of a Mark Twain novel.

IMO, this is not a modern book that says, "This is what boys and only boys should be." This is a book that says, "This is what boys used to be." I'm not even sure I'd call it a modern book, because of its style.

I'm against stereotyping as the next person (and I have very good reason to be), but I think you're either being oversensitive or like to pick this sort of fight.

It all comes down to the issue of the, as I see it, essentialy sexist practice of raising boys different from girls (boys should learn to play with toy guns, go on adventures in the forest, learn wilderness survival et cetera, girls should learn how to cook, play with dolls and so on), a practice I find to be backwards and opposed to the most basic values of equality in society.

Sure, this particular book might not explicitely promote inequality, or state that "this is for boys ONLY, girls should just stay at home, period!" However, subtle insinuation or implicit assumptions made in the way this book seems to do (judging from the synopsis, movie clip, interview with the author and yes, to a smaller degree, the reviewers, on the amazon page) can, as I see it, be equally harmful in promoting this kind of attitude and mentality.

 

[Jdvn1]

It all comes down to the issue of the, as I see it, essentialy sexist practice of raising boys different from girls (boys should learn to play with toy guns, go on adventures in the forest, learn wilderness survival et cetera, girls should learn how to cook, play with dolls and so on), a practice I find to be backwards and opposed to the most basic values of equality in society.

I agree, and that's why it belongs in the 1800s.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

It all comes down to the issue of the, as I see it, essentialy sexist practice of raising boys different from girls (boys should learn to play with toy guns, go on adventures in the forest, learn wilderness survival et cetera, girls should learn how to cook, play with dolls and so on), a practice I find to be backwards and opposed to the most basic values of equality in society.

I have no kids of my own, but I do have lots of cousins.

I have yet to see one of the little girls use a bannanna as a toy gun. Or eat their toast into the shape of a gun and use it to play with. Etc.

But almost every one of my little boy cousins did something like that growing up.

On the flip side, I have seen the little girls do things like have the toy gun sitting at a tea party alongside stuffed animals.

Women do play FPS computer games, and well. But they are vastly outnumbered by the guys. You see more gender equality in side-view scrollers and games that evolved from them- the Marios the Sonics, etc.

For the record, I know just as many women campers and hunters as men.

I'm not saying that we should raise children to fit a stereotype, but rather, that there is both anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence that there are certain behaviors more prevalent in males than in females (and vice versa). The entertainment value of some, not all, of these passtimes is hardwired into our sexually dimorphic primitive primate brains.

Its equally counterproductive to ignore those natural differences that exist as to reinforce those that don't.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Ah, I'll stop with the pessimism, let me just say this... Whenever you brits and yanks feel like leaving the 19th century behind (together with all backwards ideas about men being from mars and women from venus), I'll be standing by the entrence to 2007 serving cookies. Feel free to join the rest of us anytime you want

YAY! COOKIES!

 

[Teflon Billy]

I have no kids of my own, but I do have lots of cousins.

I have yet to see one of the little girls use a bannanna as a toy gun. Or eat their toast into the shape of a gun and use it to play with. Etc.

But almost every one of my little boy cousins did something like that growing up.

On the flip side, I have seen the little girls do things like have the toy gun sitting at a tea party alongside stuffed animals.

Women do play FPS computer games, and well. But they are vastly outnumbered by the guys. You see more gender equality in side-view scrollers and games that evolved from them- the Marios the Sonics, etc.

For the record, I know just as many women campers and hunters as men.

I'm not saying that we should raise children to fit a stereotype, but rather, that there is both anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence that there are certain behaviors more prevalent in males than in females (and vice versa). The entertainment value of some, not all, of these passtimes is hardwired into our sexually dimorphic primitive primate brains.

Its equally counterproductive to ignore those natural differences that exist as to reinforce those that don't.

Aaaaand...Danny saves me the trouble of posting

Well said.