The Tavern

I probably shouldn't do this, but I feel again that I have to explain myself, even knowing it cannot penetrate the skulls of the incitants against me, here.

This seems to have started when I wrote that aforementioned "screed" (though there is inarguably nothing "whiny" about it; whiny would more accurately characterize the characterization). The thing is, when I wrote that "screed," I thought I was being funny. I was laughing when I wrote it, and I thought that many others might also be amused. Obviously, I was wrong, and this hasn't been the first time that something I though was amusing others found to be "weird" (believe it or not). So I "manned up" and made my due apologies, because it is never my intention to truly offend anyone.

Now, in this thread, I was also laughing when I observed the obvious double standard in play regarding pussies. I thought is was amusingly ironic that there would be two separate standards, but I'm also not so naive as to believe the standards have only to do with the words themselves. It is partly, if not mostly, the one doing the speaking that determines how the words are received, usually, and that someone thought to be "weird" will be less likely to find appreciation than anyone considered "hip" or "cool." This also is a common double-standard at work across the spectrum of humanity, and one thing that I in my weirdness have never really understood, ever since I was very little, when my weirdness became apparent (which, by the way, was a long, long time ago). Human beings never outgrow that cliquishness, probably because it's some kind of hardwired primate neurology.

So what happens is that those who hate continue to do so, holding grudges, and attack when they see their opening. Maybe they really want to come right out and say, "Go away," but they're just too timid.

One thing I know for sure is that any discussion of misogyny has no place in this thread, because the OP's use of the female organ and my use of the male organ to state pretty much the same thing (admittedly to vastly different degrees of effectiveness) - "don't be so damn timid" - are not in and of themselves hateful toward women. To characterize either example as misogyny is to not understand the meaning of the word. Nobody is hating on females by simply lobbing around common genital organ words or expressions that are in relatively equal use by all sexes and age groups.

Full disclosure: I personally love women, and I have always felt myself to be about 50% female and 50% male. I get along with women far better than men, truth be told, and my platonic women friends outnumber my male friends. I would say that tossing around the word, misogyny, as a label is itself offensive, because it cheapens a meaningful word, diluting it into meaninglessness.

So, fine, I'm weird, I don't make friends easily. If you really have that hard of a time being civil toward someone different than yourself, then maybe you might want to look into that to see what's really behind it. And if you do seriously want me to go away, I will be happy to do so. If you want me to be someone else, though, then you might as well just say go, and it really doesn't matter at that point whether you are civil or an asshole about it.

For the record, I applaud the OP for a funny and engaging post. Sorry my lack of wittiness (but not wit) seems to have ruined things. I even tried to let it pass with more "humorous" commentary, but, no, it wasn't to be, because I'm not really humorous to many (but don't confuse that with "to none"), but also because those axes must be ground.

You should also know that the mods turned down my suggestion to only allow posts from me under strict supervision. (True story, almost.)

Maybe we should repost that poll?