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The Irish Times' bizarre "How To Be a Man" section

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Comments

  • #32
    Turtyturd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    I don't always flick through newspapers but when I do it's with my eyes permanently lodged to the heavens.


  • #33
    pumpkin4life
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,435 ✭✭✭pumpkin4life


    OhHiMark wrote: »
    Who, of course, are the only people who matter.

    Fintan?!?!

    Is that you?!?!


  • #34
    Austria!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,437 ✭✭✭Austria!


    ChikiChiki wrote: »
    What's the craic with the Gay agenda these days? It's normalised and accepted with equal rights but some of the voices from the community can be OTT in my opinion. We get it your gay ffs, no need to shout it from the rooftops. It's like people are trying to stoke up some kind of revolution.

    Yes, if you pay attention to what gay people are like now it reminds me a lot of the lead up to the French revolution. All the signs are there. I'm already stockpiling guns.
    Lt Dan wrote: »

    And no, it is not okay for men to cry uncontrollably. Crying is one thing, but uncontrollably? No. Never has and it never will. Be a man, not a dag

    It's annoying to me when men or women do it, but they're not hurting anyone so I just have to get over it.


  • #35
    Zillah
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,369 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    pumpkin4life wrote: »
    I'm reading the contributers here. A trans man. A gay man. That fùcking benny Fintan o Toole. A councellor.

    I'm trying to figure out how these people are even remotely representative of white, hetrosexual, working to middle class Irish men?

    Maybe the point is that it's time we stopped thinking of being a man in such restrictive terms? You don't get to decide that gay men, for example, are somehow less entitled to being called men, or to represent men.

    I've no interest in any column with a title like that, and most of the content seems to be dire, but your territorial need to defend your prescriptive idea of manhood isn't a good thing.


  • #36
    The_Captain
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭The_Captain


    pumpkin4life wrote: »
    I'm reading the contributers here. A trans man. A gay man. That fùcking benny Fintan o Toole. A councellor.

    I'm trying to figure out how these people are even remotely representative of white, hetrosexual, working to middle class Irish men?

    They aren't of course. It's the usual bleeding heart aren't straight white men just the worst carry on to appeal to feminists and no one else


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  • #37
    Everlong1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,373 ✭✭✭Everlong1


    pumpkin4life wrote: »
    That fùcking benny Fintan o Toole

    Brilliant, that put a smile on my face. I haven't heard anyone use the expression "benny" since I was a kid in the '70's. If you had mental health issues back then you were a "johnner" as in, a candidate for the St John of Gods mental health services.


  • #38
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Zillah wrote: »
    Maybe the point is that it's time we stopped thinking of being a man in such restrictive terms? You don't get to decide that gay men, for example, are somehow less entitled to being called men, or to represent men.

    I've no interest in any column with a title like that, and most of the content seems to be dire, but your territorial need to defend your prescriptive idea of manhood isn't a good thing.
    It looked like there might actually be an interesting debate in this, but then the OP bemoaned the "bitchification" of men and then got joined in by the other alphabaters.

    Both funny and sad that the OP and the other cheerleaders don't see the whole point of articles discussing men's depression, men's health and domestic violence come about precisely because they possess this closed-minded view of what being "a man" is, and anyone who tries to change that is apparently "bitchifying" men.

    On another day no doubt they'd be moaning that the feminazi media only ever talk about the struggles that women face and never acknowledge men's issues.


  • #39
    steddyeddy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,565 ✭✭✭✭steddyeddy


    I'm happy with who I am thanks.


  • #40
    Richard Hillman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,033 ✭✭✭✭Richard Hillman


    Lt Dan wrote: »
    Gone are the days when one could just turn to FHM , Nuts, Zoo, Rizzle

    And no, it is not okay for men to cry uncontrollably. Crying is one thing, but uncontrollably? No. Never has and it never will. Be a man, not a dag

    Since when did Breslin, whose career has failed, come remotely close to being a voice for the men of Ireland? What on earth has he achieved? Dating Rozz? Meh she is caked in make up and has a weird looking alien head (what has she done on the international scene?)

    RTE chose him. He had a meltdown on the Voice and he suddenly realised that he had depression/anxiety. Then all of a sudden had a book out with loads of different stories of his meltdowns as a child and adult (even though he only realised he had this when he went on the voice).

    Now that the Voice has been cut by RTE, so have the Breslin stories and any reference to him on RTE media. It wasnt just Breslin that exploited his issues, RTE did it to promote The Voice.


  • #41
    Pac1Man
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,407 ✭✭✭Pac1Man


    Fuking Bressie.

    The 'oul mental health poster child.


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  • #42
    conorhal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,096 ✭✭✭conorhal


    Richard Hillman wrote: »
    I have been flicking through it this morning with my eyes permanently lodged to the heavens

    http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/how-to-be-a-man

    As if calling it "How to be a man" is bad enough, the headings include
    • How much should you work out? is it worth looking at the Squat?
    • Seven of the most popular beauty products for men
    • Bressie: Crying uncontrollably is liberating...and admitting you are vulnerable
    • Irish men on Masculinity, feminism and violence



    It seems like a section for Men made by women. Or it confirms that the bitchification of males has been complete.

    This newsreader says, yes to both.

    But it's missing the most important bullet point...
    • Hand the lifestyle section full of all this kind of BS to the missus, fold up the sports section, tuck it under your arm and head for the jax.


  • #43
    K-9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 43,305 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Seems very cringe worthy and some attempt for a male version of "female" sections in the Indo, Mail etc. Best avoided.

    Still, whoever uses words like bitchification is also best avoided!

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



  • #44
    OhHiMark
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,115 ✭✭✭OhHiMark


    conorhal wrote: »
    But it's missing the most important bullet point...
    • Hand the lifestyle section full of all this kind of BS to the missus, fold up the sports section, tuck it under your arm and head for the jax.



  • #45
    GLaDOS
    Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 23,257 Mod ✭✭✭✭GLaDOS


    Newspaper desperately attempts to be relevant

    Cake, and grief counseling, will be available at the conclusion of the test



  • #46
    valoren
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,706 ✭✭✭valoren


    There's a new ad out for L'Oreal with Cheryl Tweedy.
    Something about getting the right foundation, skin tone?

    There's the usual guff from an assortment of ladies about how it's perfect, makes skin flawless etc etc.
    Then there's the man at the very end expressing a similar sentiment.

    Make-up ad's featuring men.
    A sign of things to come.


  • #47
    Bob24
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,886 ✭✭✭✭Bob24


    dav3 wrote: »
    Perhaps you should pen a strongly worded letter and send it into the Times telling them how outraged you are, instead of crying about it on an internet forum. What kind of man does that?...

    I just stopped buying their paper and only read their website for basic information about what is happening in Ireland. Much more efficient to make sure they get they eventually get it in my opinion. The Guardian who has been on the same editorial line for a longer time is starting to feel the pain.


  • #48
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    OhHiMark wrote: »
    He has people talking about mental illness openly. Do you need to be a Nobel laureate to start a discussion?

    If there are concerns about the veracity of his claims, it is fair to raise them.

    There might be a perfectly good explanation as to why he categorically stated in 2013 that he did not have depression, and subsequently claimed he did.


  • #49
    tigger123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,815 ✭✭✭tigger123


    seamus wrote: »
    It looked like there might actually be an interesting debate in this, but then the OP bemoaned the "bitchification" of men and then got joined in by the other alphabaters.

    Both funny and sad that the OP and the other cheerleaders don't see the whole point of articles discussing men's depression, men's health and domestic violence come about precisely because they possess this closed-minded view of what being "a man" is, and anyone who tries to change that is apparently "bitchifying" men.

    On another day no doubt they'd be moaning that the feminazi media only ever talk about the struggles that women face and never acknowledge men's issues.

    Very true.

    Lads, if you don't feel it falls into your definition of being a man, you're more than entitled to not read it.

    The more these things are talked about, the better. The traditional male roles in society aren't all that relevant anymore, and it's left a gap in terms of role models and aspirations for a lot of young men.


  • #50
    fly_agaric
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,764 ✭✭✭fly_agaric


    tigger123 wrote: »
    Lads, if you don't feel it falls into your definition of being a man, you're more than entitled to not read it.

    True enough I suppose.
    It was exactly what you'd imagine from such a set of features/articles in the Irish Times. What else would you expect from a pig but a grunt?


  • #51
    Samaris
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,544 ✭✭✭Samaris


    Deleted User wrote: »
    If there are concerns about the veracity of his claims, it is fair to raise them.

    There might be a perfectly good explanation as to why he categorically stated in 2013 that he did not have depression, and subsequently claimed he did.

    Don't know this guy from Adam, but in 2013, I'd have categorically stated I didn't have depression either, putting it down squarely to a long-term illness. 2015? Yeah, had to come to terms with it and start fighting the underlying issues rather than hoping physical health would improve.


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  • #52
    Turtyturd
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,404 ✭✭✭✭Turtyturd


    Wouldn't be a fan of Bressie or the way he used mental health as a promotional tool but to pull him up over denying having depression is a bit silly. I'd say almost everyone who has it has denied it at some stage.


  • #53
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    OhHiMark wrote: »
    He has people talking about mental illness openly. Do you need to be a Nobel laureate to start a discussion?

    He had previously stated that he did not have mental illness

    A noble laureate seems to be given to just about anyone now a days. Obama got one and he was just two minutes in his job as PUSA.


  • #54
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    valoren wrote: »
    There's a new ad out for L'Oreal with Cheryl Tweedy.
    Something about getting the right foundation, skin tone?

    There's the usual guff from an assortment of ladies about how it's perfect, makes skin flawless etc etc.
    Then there's the man at the very end expressing a similar sentiment.

    Make-up ad's featuring men.
    A sign of things to come.

    Even better was getting baby faced Neymar (hey, fine footballer) as the face of Gillette. :D


  • #55
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Samaris wrote: »
    Don't know this guy from Adam, but in 2013, I'd have categorically stated I didn't have depression either, putting it down squarely to a long-term illness. 2015? Yeah, had to come to terms with it and start fighting the underlying issues rather than hoping physical health would improve.

    He subsequently said he had had it as a youngster, afair he said he broke his own arm and he called his depression "Jeffery".

    So it was unusual to simply deny it. He hardly forgot breaking his own arm. Again, there may a good explanation as to his denial...but he should be asked about it.


  • #56
    Lt Dan
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,295 ✭✭✭Lt Dan


    tigger123 wrote: »
    Very true.

    Lads, if you don't feel it falls into your definition of being a man, you're more than entitled to not read it.

    The more these things are talked about, the better. The traditional male roles in society aren't all that relevant anymore, and it's left a gap in terms of role models and aspirations for a lot of young men.

    Are young men that much in self doubt and self awareness that they need role models and aspirations? What ever happened to being yourself and figuring things out for yourself, even if you make mistakes - which , actually help you in the long run ?


  • #57
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 22,384 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Turtyturd wrote: »
    Wouldn't be a fan of Bressie or the way he used mental health as a promotional tool but to pull him up over denying having depression is a bit silly. I'd say almost everyone who has it has denied it at some stage.

    Why not question the veracity of someone's claims?

    If he did not have it, surely it undermines all of his output and theories on it?


  • #58
    OhHiMark
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,115 ✭✭✭OhHiMark


    Lt Dan wrote: »
    He had previously stated that he did not have mental illness

    A noble laureate seems to be given to just about anyone now a days. Obama got one and he was just two minutes in his job as PUSA.

    If you're talking about the article linked earlier he didn't say that he didn't have mental illness. He said he had anxiety, but not depression. Maybe he changed his mind. Are people not allowed to do that? I'm not sure where the hostility towards him about that is coming from, I'm really not.


  • #59
    Ush1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,484 ✭✭✭✭Ush1


    How to be a man.....hmmm. It used to be chromosomes I think but now there's no real definition as far as I can see.


  • #60
    tigger123
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,815 ✭✭✭tigger123


    Lt Dan wrote: »
    Are young men that much in self doubt and self awareness that they need role models and aspirations? What ever happened to being yourself and figuring things out for yourself, even if you make mistakes - which , actually help you in the long run ?

    It's that kind of approach that can lead to so many issues in young men with substance abuse, alcoholism, depression, anxiety, suicide. Or it could be character building either.

    Not everyone is intellectually or emotionally equipped to wade through life on their own.


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  • #61
    diomed
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,744 ✭✭✭diomed


    I read the Racing Post. :)


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