Trump's coronavirus mask standoff reveals the dangerous ripples of fragile masculinity

[Arkansas Granny]

In 2010, a car insurance company conducted a study that concluded the average man will drive an unnecessary 276 miles a year before he asks for directions. How many American lives will President Donald Trump negatively affect before he has the courage to ask for directions?

The president was already the poster child for an outdated, dangerous and defunct form of masculinity before the coronavirus hit. But now that we are in the midst of a global pandemic, he has become a pathetic parody.

While female heads of state in New Zealand and Germany have led with a mix of compassion and informed strength, Trump has taken the opposite approach.

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But nothing reveals the dangers of Trump’s ego more clearly than his refusal to wear a mask. Even when he delivered his own agency’s guidelines of wearing cloth masks in public, Trump said he himself wouldn’t be complying with them. Now, predictably, the virus has reached the White House. As of this week, all staff must now wear face masks. Everyone except the alleged man in charge.

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/amp/ncna1205441?__twitter_impression=true

[malthaussen]

1. Ya know, I always figgered if it was "fragile" it wasn't "masculinity."

Me, I've always been happy to ask directions. But I don't eat quiche.

-- Mal

[Chemisse]

3. Funny term, fragile masculinity.

I really think it applies to certain types of men, those who are insecure, who tend to bully women to maintain their sense of being a man.

Most men I know aren't like that at all.

[malthaussen]

4. I've concluded it is a shorthand term...

... for "fragile definition of masculinity." Although one should beware of the "No true Scotsman" fallacy if one starts talking about definitions.

-- Mal

[Chemisse]

2. I am female and I do wind up going out of my way because I hate to ask for directions.

I get a lot of satisfaction from figuring things out for myself and dislike relying upon other people. Plus I am pretty introverted, so rather uncomfortable approaching others for conversation.

So that stereotype about men not wanting to ask for directions annoys me. Now my husband will ask somebody for directions even when we can figure it out quite easily!

[malthaussen]

5. Curiously, I'm introverted but have no problem.

I don't see that asking directions exposes a vulnerability, which I think is the reason most guys don't ask directions. And directions seem a rather trivial thing to me, so "relying on other people" is not a problem. Mind you, when I've had jobs driving in the past, I got satisfaction from whipping out the old map book and figuring things out for myself. Haven't driven for years, though (really bad eyesight), so I dunno how GPS has changed things.

-- Mal

[Chemisse]

6. I resisted GPS for a while, since I felt it would take away all the fun and challenge.

But once I saw that the GPS systems have maps, with your little car icon marking your location as you travel along, I was sold.

So I love mine. I've picked out a low-key British male voice and turn it down low, so I don't feel like somebody is telling me what to do all the time (one of my initial objections to getting one - LOL!)

[bobGandolf]

7. Ahhh, the old "know where.." vs. "Find where" debate

the debate rages on.