(CW: chapters 4 and 5 contain explicit discussions of sexual assault)

Hello comrades, it's time for our third discussion thread for The Will to Change, covering Chapters 4 (Stopping Male Violence) and 5 (Male Sexual Being). Thanks to everyone who participated the last few weeks, I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts again. And if you’re just joining the book club this week, welcome!

I'll be sharing my full thoughts later as there's quite a lot of unpack in these chapters.

In Ch.4 hooks delves into how patriarchal repression of men's emotional worlds most often manifests as violence and rage, especially against women and children, and how patriarchy conditions both young boys and young girls to perpetuate the cycle. Ch.5 explores how patriarchal attitudes extend to the bedroom and twist our popular conceptions of sexuality, sexual fulfillment, and physical and emotional satisfaction.

If you haven't read the book yet but would like to, its available free on the Internet Archive in text form, as well as an audiobook on Youtube with content warnings at the start of each chapter, courtesy of the Anarchist Audio Library, and as an audiobook on our very own TankieTube! (note: the YT version is missing the Preface but the Tankietube version has it)

As always let me know if you'd like to be added to the ping list!

Our next discussion will be on Chapters 6 (Work: What's Love Got To Do With It?) and 7 (Feminist Manhood), beginning on 12/18.

edit: the previous post didn't have the proper links to the pdf book and audiobooks, sorry for that

  • Cowbee [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    16 hours ago

    Hooks is really very good at driving the same central points home through layered, alternative angles. What this results in is lots of connections and recurring themes reinforcing each other, I expect this to be even better upon a reread.

    As per this week, the further dive into rage as violent emotional outbursts maintaining patriarchy was a good way to delve into the heart of abuse, and where it stems from. Further, The encapsulation of abuse as a method to maintain patriarchy, the two-sided nature of fathers who abuse, the glorification of rage as a superpower to use against mothers, all of it is quite sad and really drives home the fact that proper parenting really needs to be in place, along with correcting societal conditions.

    The dive into sexuality as well was illuminating, from the depictions of lust out of a desire for love and the almost "taboo" nature of discussing love helps me contextualize my own desires. I'm curious to see if Hooks dives further into incels as well. The depictions of sexual assault were deeply uncomfortable, as well.

    Hope to hear everyone else's thoughts!