Hello comrades, it's time for a new discussion thread for The Will to Change, covering Chapters 8 (Popular Culture: Media Masculinity) and 9 (Healing Male Spirit). 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!

Putting the thread up early since I won't be able to do so tomorrow. This'll stay up a little longer than usual as well so everyone has the opportunity to share their thoughts during/after the busy holidays.

Chapter 8 briefly surveys popular media depictions of masculinity and how media either reinforces patriarchal roles in its male heroes, or forces them to reject those roles in favor of a healthier sense of self. Chapter 9 discusses healthy vs unhealthy conceptions of intimacy and how men are incapable of true intimacy until they allow themselves to be vulnerable and reject the dominator model of relationships.

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 FINAL discussion thread will be on Chapters 10 (Reclaiming Male Integrity), 11 (Loving Men), and the book as a whole, beginning around New Years Day

  • frauddogg
    ·
    3 days ago

    deleted by creator

    • MiraculousMM [he/him, any]M
      ·
      9 days ago

      The pain is a good thing. The suffering of passage is a good thing. Pain is a clarifying agent, if you allow yourself to feel it out, and to let it carve its course as gravity would channel water down a hill.

      I really needed to hear this. The discomfort and suffering of facing my most difficult emotions and worst impulses isn't something I should run from. It's not only productive and necessary, but it's genuinely GOOD for me in the long run. The idea of embracing the suffering and even welcoming it is fuckin hard for me to accept, but if I want to grow and move forward with my life that's the way out.

      Never apologize for being late, your insights are always incredibly valuable and I appreciate you being here penguin-love