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Zippy's avatar

The 1993 book by Jane Caputi titled Gossips, Gorgons & Crones The Fates of the Earth explores this topic. It is both very sobering and very witty too. it features many references to popular culture including a very interesting analysis of Freddy Kruger from the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

Pointing out that Freddy was Ronald Reagan's shadow.

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

Wow!!! I love THAT!

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

Makes me think of this https://youtu.be/Yq7FKO5DlV0?si=Mz0BorVGcESXXcht

There is a real resemblance.

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

Looking for the book! Thank you, Zippy.

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

Another one of hers that seems apropos. https://www.amazon.com/Goddesses-Monsters-Women-Popular-Culture/dp/0299196240/ref=pd_lutyp_crty_cxhsh_ao_strm_cts_d_sccl_1_2/134-7971540-6993337?pd_rd_r=119b5a6d-fb48-4e62-8daf-c8ce1c257ea4&pd_rd_wg=2Jo77&pd_rd_w=hMfQc&pd_rd_i=0299196240&psc=1

Camille Paglia is also worth a visit.

(But I wish we could stop alternating between patriarchy and matriarchy Are the sexes eternally at war, like (and underlying) the so-called Right and Left? Maybe. 🫤)

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Annie Gottlieb's avatar

From hunter-gatherer warriors on down to modern armies, men are taken away from their mothers and childhood homes and trained in a way designed to kill the "woman" in them—that is, the human (not just female) qualities of sensitivity, vulnerability, fear, and empathy which a lot of warrior cultures try to sequester in the "weaker" sex. It's true that those qualities have to be disciplined and backgrounded to go into battle or any danger (and men are built to be first in harm's way), but in traditional warrior training those qualities are mercilessly shamed and bullied, and you're a "pussy" if you show them.

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