Our first community sensemaking call will be announced on Monday, so keep an eye on your inbox if you’re a paid subscriber. On Saturday 27 April, I’m co-facilitating a one day men’s retreat in London, more info here. The old stories warn us about enticing places. Hansel and Gretel walk hand in hand to the candy-covered cabin deep in the woods. A wanderer is lured by beautiful music to a fairy knoll. He loses himself in a strange world where weeks of his life pass as hours. There comes a pivotal moment when our protagonists realise they are hopelessly trapped by what first appeared beautiful, and have to draw on cunning and courage to escape.
Great article. I would add that social media encourages us to see each other, and ourselves, as a ‘what’ rather than a ‘who’. Description takes precedence over acquaintance, and that is partly due to a medium that facilitates connection ‘in the ether’ rather than ‘in the flesh’. I believe culture wars focus on gender for much the same reason that any fascist movement attempts to regulate gender norms and gender roles. But you are pointing to something much more fundamental: the need for each of us to balance stability and flexibility, wisdom and compassion, within ourselves. Only then can we be the change.
Thank you, Ali, for having the courage to present another clear synthesis of how the objective and subjective worlds intersect and influence each other. I am convinced that nurturing our individual sovereignty is crucial now more than ever, along with our connection to what is 'real,' experienced through our five senses and felt in our bodies. By doing so, we create the possibility for the mature masculine spirit to make way for and ultimately, protect the mature feminine spirit, which can and will hold Life for us all...at the very least, this is my hope and one that I carry for you too.
Hard to accept that male or masculinity is lacking in today’s culture especially given the reaction to the death of wife-beater OJ Simpson. Few expressed sympathy for the one beaten. Nicole as a person was lost in the show trial that exonerated her obvious killer. What agencies protected her from the stalking that continued for two years after the divorce? Courts, police, government are male-created enterprises, revealing prejudices that denied women the vote up until a hundred years ago.
You have explained one thing here that has always been a conundrum for me. Someone, expanding on the enneagram 2 “carer” once mentioned that these were the book-burners, the lieutenants of the inquisition the conform or burn people. I could never work out how this went together with the carer perspective, often the most feminised aspect of the enneagram sectors. But your explanation of the small, tight, safe community-fiercely enforced- really starts to make sense in relation to the comments on feminine aspect. It also took me to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, where it is the young women who spread the contagion, in which the whole community becomes disastrously embroiled. Love that you have given me a whole new perspective to cogitate! Thankyou Ali for taking the time to pull all of this together.
Another great piece, though I think that JK is getting less credit than she deserves, since her position clearly included the point that Kai highlights - they both agree on openness around gender norms and roles; JK has made it clear repeatedly that she is not talking about limiting or restricting gender roles, and she is not responding to people showing up outside of an expected gender role. She is addressing people who are confused about sex, which is why she emphasizes sex/gametes. Its unfortunate that Kai did not really acknowledge JK's point, so it seems they are talking past each other...
Wonderful article, Ali. Thank you! I had to put myself in a fully receptive mindset before reading it when I saw “Trans Activism” in the title because those are the waters I swam in for many years as a mental health therapist working exclusively with this population. I appreciate the sensitivity and angle with which you approached this as a subtopic to your larger point. Balancing the mature masculine and mature feminine (animus/anima) within us is a vital goal. Could it be that those who identify as non-binary gender fluid may be attempting to do just that? I have met many who present a level of courage, creativity, and dedication to mature growth that I find inspirational. They can also be “loud and proud” as they navigate cultural resistance.
What if culture were to embrace these folks as an attempt to integrate polarities rather than shun them for not expressing one polar end over another? If that were the case, how might they relate to their bodies? Would there even be a need for surgical interventions that de-masculinize or de-feminize bodies? I do know that hormonal interventions go a long way towards reducing anxiety and depression and help with external presentation, especially in trans masculine people. Surgery, however, is invasive and intense, and from what I can tell largely a response to how society thinks bodies are supposed to look. I imagine a world in which children are given freedom to express gender however they want, while simultaneously encouraged to love their bodies as they are. This might not eliminate the need for surgeries (for example in the case of the trans woman who interoceptively feels like a woman and experiences deep pain when regarding her male genitalia), but it could reduce surgeries in those who are non-binary.
Everything is now instantaneously inter-connected so it could be said that to one degree or another we are all being affected at a feeling level by a toxic psychic meme (mind virus)
Have you considered that one reason for the seeming confusion for many young people re their emotional-sexual identity is the now everywhere presence of synthetic hormones in our food and water. Hormones are quite powerful and even minute traces can have significant effects on the growing brains and nervous systems of youngsters.
Synthetic hormones are now everywhere.
In the form hormone mimicing plastics (food wraps and even the micro-particles in the ink on sales receipts etc. And of course the presence of growth promoting hormones in both milk/dairy products and all forms of meat ( beef/pork/chicken.) The use of which is now hugely enormous.
The age when girls have their first period has dropped considerately in recent years. Some/many girls experience this even before they are teenagers. Even as young as 8 or 9 - this has been the case for many years now, decades even.
The psycho-physical (and therefore emotional) structures of the human body-mind-complex do not complete their growth until the early twenties. There are all kinds of such structures in the genetic patterning of all human beings. All of which develop in a genetically pre-patterned time line.
Which is to say that young girls in particular do not have anywhere near the emotional and intellectual capacity to deal with the (premature) profound changes that their bodies are going through.
What do you think of the hypothesis that social media and the internet is just the latest downstream effect of capitalism? And what capitalism does is make us not need the people and nature around us, but substitutes a need on an abstract economic production and distribution system? So it weakens families, villages, tribes, bands, small communities, small companies, and the only thing different about social media is that it weakens integrated individuals (who are themselves composed of personalities)?
These nested levels of life not only reduce internal competition and incentivize cooperation among their parts. They also have a protected environment for their parts: the higher level is that environment, and only the highest functional level has to deal with a hostile, very competitive environment. But also truth is about modeling the environment well, and higher functional levels are more predictable than the outside environment of the highest functional level.
Bravo. You write with verve and style and you arrive at your conclusions with impeccable logic.
Unfortunately, we are on the verge of hearing a whole lot more Baloney from academia as students are about to graduate. That means commenscement speeches, those pompous, ponderouis recitations of a grey and lifeless liberalism that is inimical to life.
Please examine my analysis of some of the flaws in cognition that prompt academics to arrive at monstrously stupid conclusions
Great article. I would add that social media encourages us to see each other, and ourselves, as a ‘what’ rather than a ‘who’. Description takes precedence over acquaintance, and that is partly due to a medium that facilitates connection ‘in the ether’ rather than ‘in the flesh’. I believe culture wars focus on gender for much the same reason that any fascist movement attempts to regulate gender norms and gender roles. But you are pointing to something much more fundamental: the need for each of us to balance stability and flexibility, wisdom and compassion, within ourselves. Only then can we be the change.
"Ultimately, it is a question of balancing internal essences, not of sexuality......" As always.
Thank you, Ali, for having the courage to present another clear synthesis of how the objective and subjective worlds intersect and influence each other. I am convinced that nurturing our individual sovereignty is crucial now more than ever, along with our connection to what is 'real,' experienced through our five senses and felt in our bodies. By doing so, we create the possibility for the mature masculine spirit to make way for and ultimately, protect the mature feminine spirit, which can and will hold Life for us all...at the very least, this is my hope and one that I carry for you too.
Hard to accept that male or masculinity is lacking in today’s culture especially given the reaction to the death of wife-beater OJ Simpson. Few expressed sympathy for the one beaten. Nicole as a person was lost in the show trial that exonerated her obvious killer. What agencies protected her from the stalking that continued for two years after the divorce? Courts, police, government are male-created enterprises, revealing prejudices that denied women the vote up until a hundred years ago.
You have explained one thing here that has always been a conundrum for me. Someone, expanding on the enneagram 2 “carer” once mentioned that these were the book-burners, the lieutenants of the inquisition the conform or burn people. I could never work out how this went together with the carer perspective, often the most feminised aspect of the enneagram sectors. But your explanation of the small, tight, safe community-fiercely enforced- really starts to make sense in relation to the comments on feminine aspect. It also took me to Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, where it is the young women who spread the contagion, in which the whole community becomes disastrously embroiled. Love that you have given me a whole new perspective to cogitate! Thankyou Ali for taking the time to pull all of this together.
Another great piece, though I think that JK is getting less credit than she deserves, since her position clearly included the point that Kai highlights - they both agree on openness around gender norms and roles; JK has made it clear repeatedly that she is not talking about limiting or restricting gender roles, and she is not responding to people showing up outside of an expected gender role. She is addressing people who are confused about sex, which is why she emphasizes sex/gametes. Its unfortunate that Kai did not really acknowledge JK's point, so it seems they are talking past each other...
But again, overall, another good piece.
Remarkably thoughtful and nuanced, and superbly communicated. I will be reading this a few more times, and letting it simmer. Thank you, Alexander.
The image of raindrops on leaves looks suspiciously like AI - rather ironic given the topic of your article!
Really nicely written, thank you 🙏🏻
Wonderful article, Ali. Thank you! I had to put myself in a fully receptive mindset before reading it when I saw “Trans Activism” in the title because those are the waters I swam in for many years as a mental health therapist working exclusively with this population. I appreciate the sensitivity and angle with which you approached this as a subtopic to your larger point. Balancing the mature masculine and mature feminine (animus/anima) within us is a vital goal. Could it be that those who identify as non-binary gender fluid may be attempting to do just that? I have met many who present a level of courage, creativity, and dedication to mature growth that I find inspirational. They can also be “loud and proud” as they navigate cultural resistance.
What if culture were to embrace these folks as an attempt to integrate polarities rather than shun them for not expressing one polar end over another? If that were the case, how might they relate to their bodies? Would there even be a need for surgical interventions that de-masculinize or de-feminize bodies? I do know that hormonal interventions go a long way towards reducing anxiety and depression and help with external presentation, especially in trans masculine people. Surgery, however, is invasive and intense, and from what I can tell largely a response to how society thinks bodies are supposed to look. I imagine a world in which children are given freedom to express gender however they want, while simultaneously encouraged to love their bodies as they are. This might not eliminate the need for surgeries (for example in the case of the trans woman who interoceptively feels like a woman and experiences deep pain when regarding her male genitalia), but it could reduce surgeries in those who are non-binary.
Everything is now instantaneously inter-connected so it could be said that to one degree or another we are all being affected at a feeling level by a toxic psychic meme (mind virus)
Have you considered that one reason for the seeming confusion for many young people re their emotional-sexual identity is the now everywhere presence of synthetic hormones in our food and water. Hormones are quite powerful and even minute traces can have significant effects on the growing brains and nervous systems of youngsters.
Synthetic hormones are now everywhere.
In the form hormone mimicing plastics (food wraps and even the micro-particles in the ink on sales receipts etc. And of course the presence of growth promoting hormones in both milk/dairy products and all forms of meat ( beef/pork/chicken.) The use of which is now hugely enormous.
The age when girls have their first period has dropped considerately in recent years. Some/many girls experience this even before they are teenagers. Even as young as 8 or 9 - this has been the case for many years now, decades even.
The psycho-physical (and therefore emotional) structures of the human body-mind-complex do not complete their growth until the early twenties. There are all kinds of such structures in the genetic patterning of all human beings. All of which develop in a genetically pre-patterned time line.
Which is to say that young girls in particular do not have anywhere near the emotional and intellectual capacity to deal with the (premature) profound changes that their bodies are going through.
Confusion all the way down the line!
Really insightful as always, Ali. I love your written word and the way you navigate with such nuanced clarity.
Compassionate and concise. You are skillfully articulating thoughts that lots of us, or most of us(?) have. Thanks!
What do you think of the hypothesis that social media and the internet is just the latest downstream effect of capitalism? And what capitalism does is make us not need the people and nature around us, but substitutes a need on an abstract economic production and distribution system? So it weakens families, villages, tribes, bands, small communities, small companies, and the only thing different about social media is that it weakens integrated individuals (who are themselves composed of personalities)?
These nested levels of life not only reduce internal competition and incentivize cooperation among their parts. They also have a protected environment for their parts: the higher level is that environment, and only the highest functional level has to deal with a hostile, very competitive environment. But also truth is about modeling the environment well, and higher functional levels are more predictable than the outside environment of the highest functional level.
Bravo. You write with verve and style and you arrive at your conclusions with impeccable logic.
Unfortunately, we are on the verge of hearing a whole lot more Baloney from academia as students are about to graduate. That means commenscement speeches, those pompous, ponderouis recitations of a grey and lifeless liberalism that is inimical to life.
Please examine my analysis of some of the flaws in cognition that prompt academics to arrive at monstrously stupid conclusions
https://davidgottfried.substack.com/p/graduating-seniors-disregard-most