General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsElephant Lessons: Real Men Leading Boys to Manhood (wrt Rape problem)
http://germaneconsulting.com/elephant-lessons-real-men-leading-boys-to-manhood/This is in reference to the rape and murder of rhinos that was going on a few years ago. It was done by delinquent young male elephants. The solution? The re-introduction of older males into the tribe to serve as role-models.
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Elephant Violence
Violence and bizarre aggressive behaviors among young male elephants has increased dramatically over the course of a few decades.
A team of researchers, trauma experts and neuropsychologists among them, studied the causes and found a way to resolve the elephant violence. Their findings can help us understand why we need mature men leading boys to manhood and to guide for those coming into renewed manhood following the overthrow of repressive regimes. The lessons require connecting three dots.
1. The social development systems of male elephants.
2. The abuse of women in oppressive regimes.
Pictured below is Mona Eltahawy, journalist, in Egypt, following her arrest, physical and sexual abuse by Egyptian soldiers.
3. Boy Gangs A poor substitute for real men leading boys to manhood
In Elephant Breakdown, Gay Bradshaw and her fellow researchers declared that elephant populations were suffering from chronic species-wide post traumatic stress syndrome resulting from decades of poaching and culling elephant herds. Other effects included disruptions to elephant culture and societal relations, among them the traditions by which young elephants had been raised in the wild, and by which established elephant herds were governed. Bradshaw and her fellow researchers believe this led to a collapse of elephant culture and was at the root the increased violence by, among and between elephants.
Disrupted Development
Normal development of the male elephants brain and culturally normative behavior relies on a second phase of socialization (beyond and after mother-nurturing) in which adult males play a critical role.
Repeat: In which adult males play a critical role.
(read much more at link above.)
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)because they are too often not getting it at home. and schools are a total mess these days.
from what my teacher friends tell me the atmosphere in schools today is just anarchy. lots of violence towards each other as well as the teachers.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Men can play a larger role in the proper education of boys. They can, they should. It is largely their duty to do so.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)Not every daddy sticks around but if you can just find one man who will make that connection with the male child they will reap the benefits of having a male role model.
HeiressofBickworth
(2,682 posts)the recent rape case. Obviously not teaching the boys to treat girls/women with respect. So what IS he teaching them?
ismnotwasm
(41,998 posts)That's just messed up.
I just did a quick read, it seems after the young elephant Is driven away fron the female herd, he'll join a group (if he can and sadly if one is even available) with a strict hierarchy, apparently to keep the younger bulls in line.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant
An interesting comparison indeed. The wiki article is no doubt oversimplified-- it is just wiki, and I bet the story is more complex.
BainsBane
(53,055 posts)I can see fights, but rape? From everything I've learned about elephants on nature shows, being female is a much better situation that being a male elephant.
The maintain family structures, travel in herds, and mourn the dead, whereas males are mainly solitary after adolescence.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)Is the Steudenville much different? Those kids, in my opinion, are on the borderline of what it means to be a human... they are psychopathic, sociopathic, twisted little monsters.
What do they need? The anthropologist in me says that what they need is a group of elder males, an initiation ritual that they must pass before being allowed to "enter" that group and the threat of ostracization from that group.
BainsBane
(53,055 posts)They are different in a host of ways, one being that male and female elephants don't live in communities together. I understand that trauma from poachers can be causing elephants to behave in strange ways. It is not at all normal, however, for one species to have sexual relations with another. I wonder if this isn't more about access to water. Both elephants and rhinos need water to survive, and I know elephants spend their lives traveling from one water source to another.
I prefer to discuss Steubenville in a separate context.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)but not psychopathic. Lucky me- I have lived with both, and it's no small difference.
(Can't choose your family)