Comments on: True Stuff: ‘Conjugal Duels’

By: Nika Harper

Nika Harper — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 01:17:13 +0000

I need books of obscene prejudice by similarly-named people on my book shelf, post haste!

By: Steven Tise

Steven Tise — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:54:40 +0000

David, if you’re interested in the way that “well, it’s obvious it should be THIS way” mindsets like Harper’s have historically been presented as rational, socially-conscious arguments, I highly recommend “The Mismeasure of Man” by Stephen J. Gould. Specifically, it deals with the way that a priori assumptions about race, gender, class, etc. informed the development of anthropological and social sciences, and the effects they continue to have, even when the beliefs themselves are no longer widely held. For example, certain mental testing methodologies were designed to yield specific results, because it was taken for granted that certain intellectual hierarchies naturally existed, which any accurate testing method “should” reflect. These methodologies remain in use today, despite ubiquitous acknowledgment that no heritable intellectual differences exist between human populations. Anyway, it presents lots of “Revolted Woman”-style passages for you to laugh at and/or be terrified by.

By: Ed Smallwood

Ed Smallwood — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:21:41 +0000

I’m in my 40′s, and have been talking to one of my co-workers who’s around my age about the new generation, and we’ve been rather impressed. The younger generation seems less judgmental, and more open to trying new things. As he told me: “What, attractive young women can now read and enjoy comics and play video games? Where have they been all my life?”
Also, they don’t seem to give a dang about gay people, either way. It’s refreshing compared to earlier generations that seem to think that there is something worth debating. “Give ‘em their rights and shut up, old man! It’s none of our business what they’re doing in the privacy of their home!” seems to be their message, and we could learn a lot by listening to them.

By: Will

Will — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 23:23:02 +0000

I think it’d be hilarious if someone did research and discovered that Charles George Harper was rejected by a girl prior to the publication of “Revolted Woman.” Most of us would just brood for a couple of days, but Mr. Harper here, he wrote a book!

By: Jawnita

Jawnita — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:08:15 +0000

it means that society has come a long way from this sort of argument being commonplace. At least, that is, with respect to sexism. Oh boy have I a website for you... (The category addressing posts from The Spearhead is especially lush.)

By: David K. Meller

David K. Meller — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:57:55 +0000

Snd lk m knd f bk. T bd th dn’t mk ‘m lk tht nmr. nl fmnst pshpsh clbrtng n “qlt” tht dsn’t xst!

PC ND FRDM!!
Dvd K. Mllr

By: Elusis

Elusis — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:03:46 +0000

This kind of thinking is not over with. Go look at the MRA blogs and Reddit comments that are held up for scrutiny at manboobs.com (and look at what the perpetrators say when they try to defend themselves in the comments). Women are stupid. Women are crass. Women are ugly. Women are particularly stupid and ugly when they won’t let us fuck them.

By: patg

patg — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:58:48 +0000

Oooh, the drawing from the book has under boob!
misogyny is not dead!

By: Devin

Devin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:18:26 +0000

When reading such arguments from the past, it never ceases to amaze me how far we have indeed come in certain attitudes (though of course we suffer from our own sins; as you say, everything is always the same, ever). The past is indeed another country; they do things differently there.

Still, I think Mr. Harper’s writings may have influenced me in one regard: I am strongly tempted to henceforth refer to my jeans as “bifurcated continuations.”

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:08:47 +0000

Good point, Ronsonic. I wonder if our fascination with steampunk will be (legitimately) viewed as a similar sort of preoccupation. While I think we are pretty forthright about the fictional nature of our musings, it is probably related to our society’s overall interest in Victorians, and what we thought they did or didn’t do.