Critical Thinking: Is The Term 'Manspreading' An Example Of The Misandry That Exists In The World?

If a woman came across a man who is taking up two seats on a bus or a train, for instance, she could end up saying to herself that this is an example of ‘manspreading’. What this is likely to show is that she is a feminist, or she may just have been conditioned by feminism to see the world through a certain lens.
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Having said this, a man could also respond in the same if he came across this type of behaviour. Once again, he could describe himself as a feminist or he may have just been conditioned by feminism to see the world through a certain lens.

The Meaning

Through spreading his legs in this manner, it can be as though the man is abusing his power. This is then going to be seen as merely one of the many ways that a man can oppress others.

It will be something that doesn’t just have a negative on women, but on other men as well. Said another way, this is likely to be seen as yet another example of the ‘patriarchy’ in action.

The Plague of The Earth

Men are then going to be human beings that need to be kept in line, with this being the only way that the world will change for the better. Along with the having a word to describe what happens when a man takes up too much room, someone like this is likely to have a number of other terms.

If a man talk when another woman is talking, he could be said to be ‘manterrupting’. And, if he was to talk down to a woman, it could be said that he is ‘mansplaining’.

One-Sided

Taking all this into account, someone like this is likely to believe that men are the only ones who do these things. Unlike men, women won’t behave in these ways, with this coming down to the fact that they are far more evolved than men.

Due to this, it will be perfectly acceptable for a woman, or a man, to use these terms whenever a man behaves in one of these ways. Thus, if someone was to say that these terms are an example of misandry, there would be no evidence to support this view.

Back To Reality     
                                                   
The trouble with all these terms is that they relate to behaviour that both men and women engage in. But, while this is something that any rational human being will see, it is rarely acknowledged in the public eye.

In a lot of cases, criticising a woman will result in a man being labelled as a sexist, but, if a woman was to criticise a man, it is unlikely that she would also be seen as being sexist. If men did indeed have all the power, would something like this happen?

It’s Acceptable

Ergo, while just about everything is being done in society to root out misogyny, very little is being done to root out misardry. Misogyny is seen as something that is unacceptable, but the same can’t be said for misandry.

If misandry was seen as being just as bad, would men be routinely shamed for behaviours that don’t only relate to them? It could be said that while it is socially unacceptable to treat woman badly, it is socially acceptable to treat men badly.

New Descriptions

Let’s say that a number of terms were only applied to women, with these also relating to behaviours that both men and women display. These would most likely soon end up being seen as yet another example of misogyny and end up being outlawed before long.

The mainstream media, the same source that supports all the male terms, would probably jump right on this. It would most likely be seen as another example of how powerful the ‘patriarchy’ is, amongst other things.

Projection

It has been said that people often accuse others of that which they are, and this is likely to be what is taking place here. Thanks to the fact that it is socially acceptable to hate men, a woman can accuse a man of a being a misogynist while not having to worry about being accused of being a misandrist.

She might not even be aware of the hate that she feels for men, and, due how acceptable it is to verbally abuse men, there is not much chance that she will be encouraged to look into what is taking place within her. Her behaviour can be seen as being perfectly justified.

Another Form of Abuse

What this brings into focus is that while men can use their physical strength to abuse others, women can use language to do the same thing. However, if abuse is seen as something that only takes place when physical force is used, this type of abuse will be overlooked.

In other words, a woman might not be able to cause harm by using force but she can cause harm through the use of manipulation. Naturally, this is a far more subtle way of causing harm, yet it is just as effective.

Conclusion

While it might be hard for some people to accept this, it doesn’t change the fact that there are both men and women in the world who are abusive; one gender is not all good and another gender is not all bad. The whole ‘all men are bad and all women are good’ is undoubtedly a view that is being promoted to divide men and women and to keep people distracted.

The best thing that someone can do if they are carrying a lot of hate is to reach out for external support, so that they can heal the trauma that is within them. This is a process that can take place with the assistance of a therapist or a healer. 

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk​