Why the outrage over this viral video by Gilette?
Some men are promising to sever decades-long relationships with the razor company because it got “political” in this video promoting better male role modeling. If you haven’t seen it, please watch it now and we’ll meet again below.
Yes, the conga-line of men at BBQs is meant to be stereotypical. The core message as I see it is, little boys are watching men for guidelines on how to behave, so men, let’s behave the best we can. Problem? I have seen every single one of the behavioral examples from this video in real life. Every. Single. One. In the #metoo movement, aren’t the men directly involved to blame? That’s all this video is saying. “If you see one of those men who harasses and bullies, step in.”
People take things so personally. If the video doesn’t touch on the exact personality of the viewer, he gets upset. Or he feels insulted by a mention of the possibility that some men, perhaps, maybe, just on a hunch, might not be good role models. It doesn’t mean EVERY man – just some.
I conducted a Google search with the phrase, “the best a woman can be”. Here are the headlines that came up:
“Best Sex Tips for Women 2019 – How to Please Your Man” ~Woman’s Day
“What Men Want in Women” ~Ranker
“13 Things a Woman Can do to be More Attractive to Men” ~Thought Catalog
It’s 2019, but some (not all or most!) men still consider women relative to them, how we enhance their reflection, an accessory. Men in ivory towers of big companies where woman are just as qualified but greatly outnumbered, show their discomfort with having a woman in the boardroom. Men who are fathers and behaving this way in front of their sons. This is changing, but it hasn’t changed.
So when a company that caters to men has the stones to say, come on guys, let’s demand the best from each other and help the next generation be even better than we are, I celebrate. I’d be just as happy if Gillette Venus Women’s Razors put out a similar video aimed at us. Everyone needs a little positive reinforcement now and then. And a close, five-blade shave.
I listened to the video and could recognize the patterns of behaviour depicted in the background and have witnessed likely each one of them and at one time I was likely guilty of some. Where I differ when it comes to the Metoo movement, is where the blame should go and I point it at the cause “society” and not the symptom “men” for society created an acceptable environment which fostered these attitudes and behaviours and it’s time to learn from the past and not repeat it nor continue. The video is fine with me, a little late.
I actually got choked up when the ad was done. Then I read the snit storm that was brewing among the “how dare they tell me how to live?” crowd. Man, if you’re not doing anything wrong, you shouldn’t be offended. We need more men like Obama and fewer like tRump and that’s exactly what this ad points to. If you’re masculine – that’s awesome. It’s the TOXIC in “toxic masculinity” that is what’s disgusting. Unfortunately, a side effect of toxicity must be more rage and fewer logical thoughts. (I loved the goober who took a pic of his razor in his toilet. As someone said, FORD should run an ad of Colin Kaepernick shaving with Gillette, driving their truck and then everyone could just set their garages on fire.)
Boy, if those miscreant MAGAts from a Covington Catholic high school in Kentucky on the weekend – the ones intimidating Nathan Phillips, a Native American veteran, and yelling “Build that Wall” aren’t a sign that Gillette’s message NEEDS to be heard, then I don’t know what is.
Sometimes things that should not need to be explained have to be explained and I find that sad. So. thank you, Gillette. I will continue to buy your products. Even if you raise the price.