Pudutr0n

I want to share this because I have an honest question from a place of wanting to be a better person. I realize this isn't about me, but in order for me to be in service of people other than myself, it is necessary for me to understand some things. I'm respectfully requesting help with that, to you or those willing to educate.

The second part of the meme hits really close to home to me because it's something lots of men are taught at a young age in a traumatic manner. In my case I can't count the amount of times I was told to "be a man" or asked if I was "gonna cry like a girl" which could happen literally anywhere by anyone, especially caretakers.

I went to an all boys school. I vividly remember the father of one of my classmates coming to talk to the class when my classmate missed school one day. He begged. Literally, begged to the class to stop teasing and bullying his son because he was going to kill himself any day. This was the 8th grade and was not a one time thing. He was a sensitive kid and got teased for it. He got called the f word a lot in a place and time where coming out of the closet as sexually diverse was considered "valid" grounds for physical violence/abuse by most men. Verbal abuse at the very least.

I was a weird and sensitive kid myself and got teased and bullied as well, but never that much. Was really timid, awkward and shy, but I usually got away with not being beaten up all the time or being straight out emotionally tortured all day like some were, by letting other kids cheat off me. This got me "protection" from some bullies that sat next to me. When I think about how I felt back when I was a kid, all I can remember is fear and wanting to be invisible. Constant fear. I had a whole lot of anger too, but usually lashed out on myself alone. Too scared of everything and everyone to get angry at anyone but myself. My family setting wasn't a picnic either, but that's a different story.

Basically, any time anyone gave me any kind of attention, including my parents, I perceived it as a dangerous threatening situation that made me feel uneasy.

I realize most people have been wronged by one or more men in much worse ways. I'm sorry and those of us who have harmed or still harm have no excuse. I shared my story so you understood what became my responsibility and duty to unlearn and remedy to not continue the endless samsara of victimization. I genuinely have been putting in the work I've found useful to help me stop causing people harm. Have taken this very seriously for more than decade now.

Here's my question, in honest good faith.

Do you understand that a book that is intended to be used as a blueprint for positive masculinity that begins by requiring men to "understand patriarchy" can feel, to some men, like when catholic missionaries went to "uncivilized cultures" and made sure everyone "understood the gospel" and was very clear about having original sin and being impure and them needing to be saved?

This is not a rhetoric device I want to use against you or anyone. I am requesting empathy and suggestions on how to deal with this. Like, do you understand that it feels like some people are telling us men that we are devoid of value or have no legitimacy as humans unless we adhere to a specific belief system or "treatment"? Do you have any advice or suggestions for us or idk can you offer insight?

I realize many broken people such as myself and my classmates can become full grown monsters and society should do something that avoids monsters being bred and to treat, lock or remove people that have become monsters.

I just want to know if you understand this, and if you do, my request is you please share your thoughts.