Cultural Gadfly

It was predicted. It was feared. All the conditions are perfect, and now … it’s here. No, I’m not talking about the impending blizzard and its feet of snow with which our nation’s capitol will be punished. Nor am I talking about the latest bit of esoteric east-European catastrophic political hub-bub that only Jacobus and my gay Ukrainian hairdressing neighbor know about (those two people are distinct in case you were wondering). No, what I’m referring to is the great state of Oklahoma and the respect it deserves.

As its already been said by me and some other gadflies, Jason Peter’s article is just the kind of thing that, like a fresh, brisk wind out of the northern wild, can sweep away our selfish tendencies and wake us up to the reality of our all too, too human condition. But just like winds out of the north, it carries with it the faint wisp of moose shit … or whatever the hell people up north step in when they can’t find a cow patty. To Mr. Peter, should he happen across this post, I have thoroughly enjoyed your endeavors to arrive at the universal by paying homage to the local. But you start slinging around statements that more than imply that me and my kin ain’t nothing more than a bunch of wussified good old boys who can’t stand a three dog night, and you’ll have a fight on your hands faster than that little old dribble of snot’ll freeze on your moustache as you walk on home through your arctic tundra.

And as for Fabius and El Cid … Continue reading »

Categories: Culture \\ Tags: Arctic Tundra, Cow Patty, Encomium, Good Old Boys, Home, Jason Peters, Oklahoma

If you’re like me and have signed up for the daily Art of Manliness emails (and if you haven’t, then, in the words of Horatius, you’re stupid), you just received a very helpful and informative bit of information. The boys over at AoM have decided to start a new series entitled Essential Man Knowledge in which fundamental gaps in a gentleman’s learning can be filled in, leaving him with a firm footing no matter what manly topic of conversation happens to roll around.

The first installment of this series is on early 20th century battles every man should know. Finally, I may not be able to match the historical nerdiness of the likes of Fabius, El Cid, and NP (by the way, I refuse to write out that long ass name Nicephoras), but I can at least know which battle in World War I Hitler made his debut in, and I can speak with some relevancy to the U.S. endeavors in the Pacific theatre (which I now know is not a strip club in Oakland). Now the only thing that the likes of Fabius and El Cid can mock me for is my homeland, for which an encomium is definitely underway.

So, if you feel yourself lacking some historical essentials and don’t feel like being berated by a bunch of guys who spend most of their weekends playing Axis and Allies, then check out the article. You’ll find the information you’re looking for and can finally stop confusing your girlfriend with the inadvertent references to key naval encounters … or at least make her start calling you Admiral Nimitz.

Categories: Military \\ Tags: Art of Manliness, History, inadvertent references to key naval encounters, Military History

Quick context and then I’ll let the rest of this speak for itself. As I was perusing that arena for intellectually stimulating free distribution of ideas (of course I’m talking about facebook here), I came across a thread from a friend’s profile upon which two “enlightened” women were talking about how insensitive and barbaric the sorry excuses for men that are crawling the surface of this planet are, especially in regards to women who have suffered the atrocity of rape. After pointing out that I didn’t realize sweeping generalizations of the opposite sex were still considered enlightened (I was then told I just didn’t get the joke), I pointed out that maybe the problem of men’s insensitivity could be due to something a little closer to home. I’ll let the rest of my post speak for itself.

I was just thinking that a lot of today’s language concerning gender is not about creating equality but rather destroying distinction among the sexes. The example that comes most readily to mind is the idea that two moms or two dads are really no different than a traditional mom, dad family.

Now I think one of the large problems with this endeavor to destroy distinction is that it will not create a new ideal hermaphroditic gender role. Instead, men are most likely to preserve their understanding of a masculine role, and then, in the interest of “equality,” simply apply that same role to women. This is why I think the virtues of gentlemanly behavior have suffered since the age of feminism (the folks over at ArtofManliness.com say this better than I could should you be interested to hear more in this strain).

Now to the issue at hand. Men, as a rule, have very little compassion for other men who have been victimized. This idea hearkens all the way back to Aristotle, who, when explaining the necessity of rhetoric, says that it is dishonorable for a man to be unable to defend himself either physically or verbally. An example much more to the point might be the general epithet applied to victims of prison rape, “bitch” (not an especially compassionate name for a rape victim, but understandable from a masculine standpoint).

Now whether or not this lack of compassion is just or not is not the issue at hand; it is merely a facet of the masculine gender role. The other key facet of the masculine world view that balances this one has unfortunately been eradicated by feminist criticism, namely women should be afforded extra care. At one point in time, men were encouraged to defend a woman BECAUSE she was not a man (Women and children first!). In other words, you don’t defend a fellow man in the same way that you would defend a lady. But if their is no distinction, and men are more inclined to view everyone in a masculine gender role, then a key element of the motivation to protect a woman, even from oneself, is lost. Does it not now seem more understandable (although still horribly unjust) for a man saturated in today’s gender language to view a rape victim as someone who should have simply done more to defend herself?

So, that’s about it. It seems to me that if feminists would just let men be men than maybe, just maybe, we could return to an age of chivalry were any affront to a lady would be considered an affront to our ability as a man to serve and protect them. (I leave you with some truly manly pictures to make my point visually.)

Categories: Culture, Culture of Life, Traditions \\ Tags: Feminism, Gender Roles, Manliness

In the spirit of Fabius’ call to remembrance of oft forgotten days of national significance, I thought I would send out a friendly reminder that today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Why is this significant to the average American Joe, you may ask. Because under the title of the Immaculate Conception, Mary was proclaimed the patroness of these United States all the way back in 1846, which just happened to be eight years before Pope Pius IX declared the infallible doctrine of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, the best part of which I include below:

And indeed it was wholly fitting that so wonderful a mother should be ever resplendent with the glory of most sublime holiness and so completely free from all taint of original sin that she would triumph utterly over the ancient serpent.

So stop by your local parish and say a Hail Mary in honor of our patroness. May she continue to shelter us under her mantle of protection from the dangers of the ancient serpent and crush his head.

I’ll leave you with a picture of where I plan on making my little wayside chapel visit today. It’s a little place known as the National Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

Categories: Culture, Culture of Life, Religion

I just got a hold of a story about two twin Italian archaeologist brothers (sounds like a bad movey starring Tom Hanks and Nicolas Cage, huh?) who have located the lost army of Persian King Cambyses II.

Now, I’m not a big history buff like Fabius or El Cid, but I do love a good legend. And according to the legend, Cambyses’ army was lost after “”A wind arose from the south, strong and deadly, bringing with it vast columns of whirling sand, which entirely covered up the troops and caused them wholly to disappear.” Or at least that’s how Herodotus put it. Seems like he may not have been that far off.

Categories: Culture, Literature

So. It’s been a long, long time coming, but I finally made it back. I would like to thank the all-powerful and ever-merciful webmaster for taking my extenuating circumstances in to consideration and not banishing me from the official cast of gadflies. For those of you who don’t know about the extenuating circumstances, suffice it to say that Mrs. Erasmus, or Lady Folly as I like to call her, and I recently celebrated the birth of our own new little gadfly (technically I guess that would make the little one a gadmaggot—but that just doesn’t seem to convey the ol’ fatherly pride sufficiently).

Although despite the fact that I have not been overtly present here on the Gadfly, you should know that I never really left you. For example, remember that inflammatory friend of Horatius who conflated Obama’s penchant for socialism with an inordinate love for goats—or as we call it back home in Oklahoma mutton bustin’—THAT WAS ME! It should also be noted that this online conversation directly precipitated the first ever Gadcast. So you see, even when I’m not with you, I am with you. All that having been said, I guess I should get on with the whole point of this post, and as it was fatherhood that took me away from you my adoring readers, I thought that the topic of fatherhood should be what brings me back today.

Like most great institutions in this world, fatherhood has recently been getting the shaft in no uncertain terms. Fathers are often thought of as over-grown teenagers who are too busy with their own lives to contribute to their family. And hey, I have to admit when I hear about the number of single moms in this country (10 million by the way), the rate of divorce (50% of all first marriages according to some sources), and the number of kids in jails without dads in their lives (somewhere around 80%), it starts to appear as if that picture of the worthless father is unfortunately much too true to life.

But just because some dads are worthless doesn’t mean that the institution is useless, although what with lesbian couples adopting kids and single, professional women deciding the most they need from a man is a “little donation” it sure seems that some people think that a dad isn’t a necessity. Us dads obviously fill a much needed place in this society whether the society acknowledges it or not. Now rather than drum on and on about how important dads are to the community on the whole, a fact that most of you–that is my adoring public–undoubtedly already know, I figured I would drum on and on about how dads are important to … well … dads. For example, someone once told me that the best way to become a prudent, concerned, involved citizen in a society is to be a parent. Suddenly things like crime rates, school board elections, heck even presidential elections become important all of a sudden. Before your kid, you were a completely autonomous individual; you didn’t need anyone and no body needed you. But now you have someone that completely relies on you … FOR EVERYTHING. So now its your job to take care of EVERYTHING. But to call it a job is to give the wrong connotations, just like referring to picking up a bouquet a flowers and bottle of wine for the missus back home on your way from work (which, by the way, is an easy way to bring about this whole issue of fatherhood reeeeeeaaal quickly) as a chore distorts the whole thing. You want to do these things because your family is your world. So you change, become a new man, and take on the world for your family. Now just what kind of society do you think we would have if everyman recognized the eminent importance of all of his actions, that his decisions had an impact, not just on himself, but those who relied upon him? It may sound corny, but in my experience virtues like leadership, responsibility, and accountability are all learned first in your child’s nursery before they are put in to practice in your office, your court room, or your battlefield. No wonder it says in the good book, “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he contends with his enemies in the gate.”

Categories: Culture, Culture of Life, Traditions

But having received this article very soon after my recent tirade , I feel as if it’s my duty to pass it along. It seems that not only overly critical English teachers have had enough of our culture’s sense of entitlement; now sociologists are joining our ranks as well, going so far as to entitle their most recent work The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement (I really should talk to them about claiming some of the royalties off of that title). All I can say is that I feel much relieved now that my concerns have been validated with indisputable scientific evidence.

All kidding aside, I would like to draw your attention to one point in particular found in the article:

Twenge and Campbell have taken some heat for their diagnosis of America’s ills, but they are getting a better hearing today than they would have a year ago. The economic downturn already has forced many Americans to cultivate virtues that are keys to kicking the narcissism habit: humility, simplicity and connection to community. If ever we hope to transform our me-first culture into one that better serves our children, now is the time to start.

I’m not so sure that I agree with this view, but it does make sense. It seems that the main question at hand is this: will the public, when faced with personal difficulty, shed their ridiculous sense of entitlement, or will they turn to the Nanny Government for more of what they aren’t getting now?

Categories: Culture \\ Tags: Entitlement, Sociology

With the freedom of a three day weekend on the horizon, it’s easy to lose sight of the true meaning of Memorial Day. Barbecue - or in my family’s case, fried raviolis and hard salami made from scratch – can often replace the true purpose of this holiday in our minds. For a quick remedy to this problem, just read this great article over at The Art of Manliness.

As a man who never really caught the WWII fever that the rest of my friends did back in middle school, I can identify with this author’s desire to learn more about those great warriors who came before me. Please remember them and their families this Memorial Day.

Categories: Culture, Military \\ Tags: Memorial Day

A lot has been said on this site regarding our country’s recent economic plans, the differing notions of “torture,” abortion (of course what would a conservative blog be without abortion?), and the general decline of our culture in to a buzzing, whirling, blur of insanity. Many of my fellow gadflies have approached these issues head on, wrestling with them on a national – at times global – scale. I, however, must admit that the slight faculties that I have been given seldom admit to thoughts of such magnitude. Despite my lack of global thought, I nevertheless feel that at the root of each of these issues there lies the same pernicious vice, wreaking havoc on all, or at least most, who are involved. So, in the spirit of Socrates, he who examined the nation to discover truths about the individual, I will presume to approach these national issues by examining some individual experiences.

It seems that, no matter what conversation I have, whether complaining to other teachers about our students’ lack of effort, speaking with folks at church about socialized healthcare, or arguing with coworkers about abortion, one issue keeps cropping up like a weed, entitlement. No matter whom I’m talking to, people just can’t help but be repulsed by this attitude that presumes results in place of working for them. I’ll share one illustrative example to show you what I mean. Continue reading »

Categories: Culture \\ Tags: Abortion, Justice, Presumption

After reading Roland’s post, the following thoughts were brought directly to mind. Before I continue, I must admit that I have not read the article that Roland referenced in his post, so forgive me if I am rehashing things that have already been said.

 That being said I feel like I have been given a little glimpse of the dreary future ahead of a nation that would adopt Obama’s national education plan and would like to share them with you.

I teach at Tulsa Community College as a part-time instructor. In the recent past, TCC has enacted a program entitled Tulsa Achieves. This program makes enrollment free for anyone who has graduated from a Tulsa area school. Thereby allowing federal financial aid (oh yes, they still get federal aid) to go to other costs of education, e.g. books, calculators, etc. The reason for doing this seemed obvious at the time; enrollment was plummetting; the economy was harsh; and in general, people just seemed to be gettin’ dumber. So, give everyone free college (ok, ok, free community college) and that will fix the problem right? WRONG. Continue reading »

Categories: Culture, Education, Obama Craziness \\ Tags: Federal Aid, Obama, TCC