Male chauvinists all around creating daily problems out of nothing
Everyday when I go out, and it may be at the subway/underground, the bus or a café, McDonalds and what have you. Every were there is a stupid male carachter, a chauvinist, of all kind of nationalities creating problems out of absolutly nothing. The other day it was a classic “Svensson” as we say in Sweden. A blonde Swede. Today at the table next to me at this McDonalds café section at this shopping mall, its a russian tourist going off on about apparently nothing. The woman he sits with first sat waited for him. He came and she looked glad to see him. She gave him a perfectly normal friendly face. He starts going off on in Russian language, which I dont speak but his tone and gestures was universal. He points at the table with one dried spot, waving about as it was the end of the world. He points again and almost look at her as if she was his private waitress. She goes away and comes back with a cloth and wipes it off. He sits down like he had an issue with himself. Irrritated. The world against him, at HIM a MAN. When she comes back she gives him still a normal glad face. He starts to complain. In russian which I dont speak, but the tone and gestures again is simply that stupid macho attitude.
I just ask myself why. Why the heck couldnt HE lift his bony ass and go for that cloth and wipe it off himself.
Stefan Lindblad
A male Illustrator
I got an email sent to me, commenting this blogpost. I thought it intersting. Please read my respons below the quote:
”…
But let’s revisit ”male chauvinist”. Defined as ”undue partiality or attachment to a group”. You see, I’m a male chauvinist. I’m proud of my maleness. And why not. But, I’m never boorish about it.
My point – to use the word Chauvinist to connote badness without with an adjoining offence seems like accusing someone of a thought crime. There is nothing automatically bad about being proud of being male. Please don’t support this idea by using the word this way…”
End quote.
Here is my answer to the email sender. I answered via email, and like to respond as well in public.
Here is the respons:
The term Male chauvinist is very muched used this way in Sweden, but to my own experience and knowledge not only in Sweden. My friends in England for example use it the same way. So if it is used differently in America/US, that might be. Its interesting with languages.
The American cliché of Swedish men, I cant do so much about that. But Swedish men are not afraid of doing the dishes and clean up the house, as most Swedes, both men and women move away from home very early, some from age 18 and start to take care of their homes themselves, and not having anyone else to clean for them. Regardless of social and economical status. But that said the tendencies the last 5-10 years is that many big city folks pay someone to clean their house for them. Mostly because women in Sweden make their own career. And consequently don’t see them having time to clean as well. But we still probably talk about 5-10 % of the inhabitants in the big city’s.
Thank you for your comment, but still it would´ve been fun if the discussion was held on my blog, no offense. Especially as you call yourself a male chauvinist. If you are such then you have the possibilty to grow 😉 To start to look from the other persons perspective. Its very easy for men to only see it from their own eyes and not from the person infron of them. And that goes for women as well of course. Big problems in the world however small they might at first look like, starts from no interest or no understanding of the other person or culture.
Thanks for the comment
I forgot to mention in the blog answer of my own, that I personally dont consider ”maleness” as you explains it,has anyhing to do with male chauvinism.
”Maleness” as you call it can be something good, chauvinism not so often. Your interpretation of chauvinism might differ form mine, as I see to much chauvinism being cause of much bad. Not only ”male”, but plain chauvinism.