What stayed with me wasn't one particular scene...
It was the narrator's determination to observe, document, and connect patterns.
Whatever readers make of the conclusions, that investigative voice certainly keeps
the pages turning.
Bold. Provocative. Compelling. I'M SUBSCRIBING!
I write at The Reflective State, where one of my ongoing series is Mountain Mysteries—atmospheric tales of mystery, folklore and the unexplained set in the mountains of India. If curiosity ever brings you my way, I'd genuinely love to know what you think.
Wow Chris, reading this ( I have two daughters) really raised the air on the back of my neck. We really need effective, legal strategies to shame and limit the damage that these guys can do. Wherever this writing and research takes you, I would suggest to take close examination of what I think are the 2 gigantic powers in the US these days for men, across the land, and that is )1 the links to Christianity (ground zero for misogyny in the Western world) and 2, the porn habits of these guys. Since the advent of the smartphone and broadband it seems clear that porn it getting more extreme and the last time I looked at it, I thought was very rapey. Non-erotic power fantasies and domination themes. I grew up with the stolen Playboy magazine, which is so tame now, and we are quantum beyond that IMO. Playboy certainly mainstreamed the male gaze, and it was very common to find them on coffee tables in my neighborhood growing up... bought and read for the stories I imagine? So Hugh Hefner can go to hell, but the intensity of the broadband/smartphone porn proliferation is truly off the map from anything that humanity has ever confronted or evolved with: in 5 minutes you can scroll through more hot submissive, overheated bodies than in all of one's ancestors combined. And seriously, Christianity needs a severe calling on the carpet and reckoning when it comes to this stuff. What to do? I look forward to actionable ideas and I will be on board.
Hmmmmm. A sorry state of reality. And to some extent i, as a female, bought into it in my youth, being flattered for the attention. This comes as a wake up.
I apologise profusely, Chris. I made assumptions about gender. Having read some of your pieces in the past, I should have known better. Again, my apologies !!!
As a father of two daughters, I, too, have over the years kept an eye on what sort of boys/men (both are now married) they fraternised with. You have no doubt raised a highly intelligent young woman who seems to understand how to navigate her way through the predator pond. The Tate brothers aside (I wish someone would really push them aside... like over a cliff), men, and I include myself in this category, do admire women from afar. I'm not talking about loitering around them or leering across a supermarket aisle staring. I find that kind of behaviour reprehensible!!! As dads, we can be (and perhaps rightly so) protective (sometimes overprotective, which is unhealthy for both father and daughter). I admire you as parents for being ever watchful. I do, however, have a question. The photograph in this post of the incredibly beautiful young woman, whom I presume is your daughter, is front and centre at the start of your piece. Dont you think it is fuel for the fire for all the leering, beer-bellied losers, stalkers, testosterone-filled middle-aged men and the like? Just asking. Oh, and do put all thoughts of an AR15 out of your head, please. Other than all of that, thank you; it was a great piece.
Loved all the commentary, Paul. The photo is a stock, not my daughter. She is even more beautiful, if I do say so myself. This is fiction... perhaps I need to be more clear on this. Hope you'll read the chapters to follow.
I can't finish this. I don't understand why your daughter doesn't know to check out anyone she is going to spend time with. I don't understand why you feel the need to document this shit. They have always been here. The means are just evolving and all of the shit that comes with it. If this was a writing exercise that's one thing. If you are seriously doing this, get the fuck off of those social media sites. If you must stay on them for some reason, just block anyone you come across who is like this. Seriously Chris, this is not ok for you. Your not proving anything we don't know and you run the risk of harming someone, maybe yourself.
Hannah — this is fiction, though close-to-home fiction, and it will be a 20-chapter book when all is said and done. I can appreciate how hard this topic is to deal with. Sadly, I have two children mired in this world, and they are greatly affected by these things, though they stay far from this manosphere stuff. It has split their friend groups into splinters, however, similarly to the MAGA - antiMAGA factions. I think you'll find the ending to be quite satisfying. Thanks for always weighing in. I truly appreciate your thoughtfully considered opinions.
Whew!!! Good. I was gonna suggest some plot points if you were going somewhere with it. Every child is deep in it. So were we. It's just changed by the systems they use. Anyway, have fun developing this. I am still waiting for the story of the many houses you lived in. Harper Lee had to start with a story of a small town family. She did ok for herself.
Oh yeah! Totally got sidetracked. Thanks for reminding me about that. My brain is constantly writing all sorts of stories... that was to have been a fun project to take on. Love Harper Lee.
What stayed with me wasn't one particular scene...
It was the narrator's determination to observe, document, and connect patterns.
Whatever readers make of the conclusions, that investigative voice certainly keeps
the pages turning.
Bold. Provocative. Compelling. I'M SUBSCRIBING!
I write at The Reflective State, where one of my ongoing series is Mountain Mysteries—atmospheric tales of mystery, folklore and the unexplained set in the mountains of India. If curiosity ever brings you my way, I'd genuinely love to know what you think.
Wow Chris, reading this ( I have two daughters) really raised the air on the back of my neck. We really need effective, legal strategies to shame and limit the damage that these guys can do. Wherever this writing and research takes you, I would suggest to take close examination of what I think are the 2 gigantic powers in the US these days for men, across the land, and that is )1 the links to Christianity (ground zero for misogyny in the Western world) and 2, the porn habits of these guys. Since the advent of the smartphone and broadband it seems clear that porn it getting more extreme and the last time I looked at it, I thought was very rapey. Non-erotic power fantasies and domination themes. I grew up with the stolen Playboy magazine, which is so tame now, and we are quantum beyond that IMO. Playboy certainly mainstreamed the male gaze, and it was very common to find them on coffee tables in my neighborhood growing up... bought and read for the stories I imagine? So Hugh Hefner can go to hell, but the intensity of the broadband/smartphone porn proliferation is truly off the map from anything that humanity has ever confronted or evolved with: in 5 minutes you can scroll through more hot submissive, overheated bodies than in all of one's ancestors combined. And seriously, Christianity needs a severe calling on the carpet and reckoning when it comes to this stuff. What to do? I look forward to actionable ideas and I will be on board.
Hmmmmm. A sorry state of reality. And to some extent i, as a female, bought into it in my youth, being flattered for the attention. This comes as a wake up.
I apologise profusely, Chris. I made assumptions about gender. Having read some of your pieces in the past, I should have known better. Again, my apologies !!!
As a father of two daughters, I, too, have over the years kept an eye on what sort of boys/men (both are now married) they fraternised with. You have no doubt raised a highly intelligent young woman who seems to understand how to navigate her way through the predator pond. The Tate brothers aside (I wish someone would really push them aside... like over a cliff), men, and I include myself in this category, do admire women from afar. I'm not talking about loitering around them or leering across a supermarket aisle staring. I find that kind of behaviour reprehensible!!! As dads, we can be (and perhaps rightly so) protective (sometimes overprotective, which is unhealthy for both father and daughter). I admire you as parents for being ever watchful. I do, however, have a question. The photograph in this post of the incredibly beautiful young woman, whom I presume is your daughter, is front and centre at the start of your piece. Dont you think it is fuel for the fire for all the leering, beer-bellied losers, stalkers, testosterone-filled middle-aged men and the like? Just asking. Oh, and do put all thoughts of an AR15 out of your head, please. Other than all of that, thank you; it was a great piece.
Loved all the commentary, Paul. The photo is a stock, not my daughter. She is even more beautiful, if I do say so myself. This is fiction... perhaps I need to be more clear on this. Hope you'll read the chapters to follow.
I had no idea this was fiction either. . . is there a label somewhere we missed?
In the ‘to be read’ pile. Thanks for the reply
I can't finish this. I don't understand why your daughter doesn't know to check out anyone she is going to spend time with. I don't understand why you feel the need to document this shit. They have always been here. The means are just evolving and all of the shit that comes with it. If this was a writing exercise that's one thing. If you are seriously doing this, get the fuck off of those social media sites. If you must stay on them for some reason, just block anyone you come across who is like this. Seriously Chris, this is not ok for you. Your not proving anything we don't know and you run the risk of harming someone, maybe yourself.
Hannah — this is fiction, though close-to-home fiction, and it will be a 20-chapter book when all is said and done. I can appreciate how hard this topic is to deal with. Sadly, I have two children mired in this world, and they are greatly affected by these things, though they stay far from this manosphere stuff. It has split their friend groups into splinters, however, similarly to the MAGA - antiMAGA factions. I think you'll find the ending to be quite satisfying. Thanks for always weighing in. I truly appreciate your thoughtfully considered opinions.
Whew!!! Good. I was gonna suggest some plot points if you were going somewhere with it. Every child is deep in it. So were we. It's just changed by the systems they use. Anyway, have fun developing this. I am still waiting for the story of the many houses you lived in. Harper Lee had to start with a story of a small town family. She did ok for herself.
Oh yeah! Totally got sidetracked. Thanks for reminding me about that. My brain is constantly writing all sorts of stories... that was to have been a fun project to take on. Love Harper Lee.
Yes, done fucking looking away - Bam! 🔥