#447: The Abstract Rage To Protect

Come discuss Amanda Machado’s article on masculinity on June 30

Welcome to June, Loyal Readers. Thank you for being here.

I’m very happy to announce that June’s article of the month will be “The Abstract Rage To Protect,” by Amanda E. Machado. It’s about masculinity, the need for men to protect women, the violence that follows, and what we can do about it.

It’s a deep, thought-provoking article, and I urge you to read it.

We’ll come together as a reading community to discuss Ms. Machado’s article on Zoom on June 30, 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT. You are warmly invited.

Today’s issue is dedicated to sharing with you a little more information about the article and to encouraging you to join us in discussion. Let’s get to it.

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1️⃣ Article of the Month: The Abstract Rage To Protect

“There is a difference between a man’s sense of protection and a man’s sense of violence,” a male friend once reassured me. But I never could tell the difference.

When Amanda E. Machado tells men that she was once sexually assaulted at a festival, with her ex-boyfriend nearby but lost in the crowd, they instantly become ashamed of him. “How could he let this happen?” they ask. “He was supposed to protect you.”

In this enlightening essay, Ms. Machado explores notions of masculinity, weaving personal experiences with the work of Phil Christman, a lecturer at the University of Michigan. Mr. Christman writes, “When I try to nail down what masculinity is — what imperative gives rise to all this pain seeking and stoicism, this showboating asceticism and loud silence — I come back to this: Masculinity is an abstract rage to protect.”

The biggest problem with this “abstract rage to protect,” Ms. Machado argues, is that there is a fine line between a desire to protect and a desire to inflict violence. “The aggression men learn to protect the women they love, becomes exactly how they hurt the women they love.”

By Amanda E. Machado • The Adroit Journal • 15 mins • Gift Link

🙋🏽🙋‍♂️🙋🏽‍♀️ Come Join Our Discussion on June 30

I urge you to join us on June 30 as we discuss our article of the month.

If you’re interested, this is how things will go:

• This week: We’ll read the article.

• Next week: We’ll annotate this version of the article and share first impressions.

• The following week: We’ll listen to our interview of Ms. Machado.

• On Sunday, June 30, 2:00 - 3:30 pm PT: We’ll discuss the article on Zoom.

If this will be your first time participating in Article Club, I’m 100% sure you’ll find that you’ll feel welcome. We’re a kind, thoughtful reading community.

What do you think? Interested? All you need to do is sign up below. Or reach out with all of your questions.

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