Penis size as the most common metaphor for male insecurity
The supposed connection is fairly obvious, and sometimes it's probably even accurate: Our culture obviously values penis size, a man feels insecure because he has a small penis, and therefore he "compensates" by buying flashy sports cars, loud motorcycles, or maybe big guns. On top of that he might throw in a big dose of misogyny, and/or just being a generally obnoxious asshole.
Then again, half the male population is going to be under average size (well, to be technical, below the median size). And with our cultural emphasis on penis size, even average probably doesn't feel like quite enough for many men.
And a lot of these guys aren't going to be jerks. They won't wave weapons around, they'll drive fuel efficient cars, and they'll even manage to be polite and friendly most of the time.
I've got to think that many of these nice guys, however, still feel pangs of insecurity and shame when they constantly hear "tiny dick" or "micropenis" voiced with a snicker, or growled out with a sneer, brimming with loathing and contempt.
Is it enough to say, "Oh, well, if you're a good guy with a small penis, we don't mean you!"?
I'm not a big one on excessive policing of language -- that does sometimes go too far -- but might it not be a good idea to distance ourselves from this common trope?
= new reply since forum marked as read
"Just enough to rock the monkey in the boat."
I remember when getting a physical for the draft, in a room full of hundreds of naked men all lined up for "short arm" inspection, the anxiety of "not measuring up." Of course with anxiety, it is a self fulfilling fear and I probably looked like a frightened turtle. Other than that, and some similar instance while in the service, I never really thought about it, and in fact, I have never bothered to find out what "average" is. I have always lived a low key life and not been flashy, so maybe I never had anything to worry about. 
I do know I have been around some folks that do think that it is a very serious issue.
William Manchester has an amusing anecdote about the size of genitalia in the book Goodbye Darkness (if I remember correctly) To paraphrase what I remember, he starts the story off with, "For better or worse, I happen to be someone either blessed or cursed with oversize genitalia..." and he goes on to tell a story about standing at a urinal next to a peeking tom soldier. I have no idea if Manchester was a more confident person because of his anatomy.
Going a little off topic, but another amusing draft physical story, is this: In the late 60s, gays were not welcome in the service, and it was required that draftees (or volunteers I guess) be asked directly if they were homosexuals. I recall the poor man that had to ask me, found the question so objectionable, that he just couldn't get it out, and he beat all over the bush about it. Since I had a little attitude about having to be there anyway, I let him squirm in the wind, before finally assuring him that I liked girls, to his obvious relief.
I had a friend who was convinced porn showed the typical man. He was quietly disappointed with his first boyfriend.
But I recalled reading an account of how a Victorian husband was gobsmacked to see his new bride had pubic hair (unlike the statues and paintings) on their wedding night so its not a strictly modern thing.
Sometimes, they purposely pair a man with a partner who has a smaller hand size. So when the hand is near the penis, the penis looks larger.
Also, if you check out the weird camera angles they sometimes use, they can make an average penis look huge.
It's all part of the porn illusion. By illusion, I mean...nobody really has sex like they do in porn. And when men especially try to have "porn sex" in real life, it isn't especially satisfying for their partner.
Not that I watch porn or anything, I just read the articles.
My reaction was clearly a response to the post. I didn't say anything negative about you. What makes you believe that you have the right to say things like that about me?
...little
If you think you should be taken differently, then spell out what you mean. If you openly invite mind-reading acts, you get what you get.
The shortcut to insert it is spelled :hi: ... it's got "HI" right in there!
I recommended taking it at face value... it was a mistake for anyone to look for some nefarious or "smug" hidden meaning.
I don't care if the word that goes with this smiley is "hi", it's commonly used in a smug manner. That you use it yet again, while clearly not happy with how I responded to your post, belies any intention of using as a friendly, cheerful, welcoming wave.
Since we pretty much all habitually wear clothes, most people have no idea about such a thing with regard to most men.
I was in high school from 1959 to 1963, I was part of a generation that had daily showers in open shower areas in gym class. The girls had the same arrangement for PE class showers, and they were mandatory.
I don't actually remember any comparing of genital size in my four years of open showers. Nor did I detect any particular comparisons being made in my four years in the USAF, most of which were spent in barracks with communal showers.
What I do remember is that it provided an education about the wide range of anatomical differences in all areas, and a dulling of concern about such variations, at least on the part of most of the people I knew.
I also had girlfriends, who also observed differences among the girls in their communal showers, but it never seemed to be a topic of conversation, nor of shaming kinds of comparisons.
I just don't remember any of that really mattering all that much. Maybe that was a result of daily exposure to differences in bodies while doing that communal showering.
But the worlds a big and varied place. 
I just meant for me personally, I've not invested my energy on waging this particular point. Not so much bigger fish, I guess, as plenty of other small fish, and I've only got so much time and energy to devote to posting, lol.
But I appreciate that you did, and gave me an easy enough way to add my thoughts. 
It's just never been important to me.
