"While more and more men are getting lost in their video games and fantasy worlds, avoiding college, half of them still sleeping in their parent's basement in their jammies, womyn have been moving past you, working hard in the real world, displacing your kind, and we're slowly taking over. Everything. Everywhere."
This is very true in the real world.
My questions would be:
-Do you think a male under-class will create societal problems? (only one in three women will be able to find a male similarly educated. And an angry under-class of young men will develop, and they all have a vote)
-What will happen to the few men that are determined and highly ambitious? Will they become a rare commodity somewhat desired by companies?
-What practical advice would you give to young men who are willing to adapt and are ambitious and would like to share the future alongside women, neither above nor below them?
It's too late for me but perhaps Rachel may have some tips for younger men to adapt to a changing world. Many thanks!
Ed
Thanks for such a thoughtful response, you truly are a magnificent woman!
Thats a good point about women not finding good partners. It comes from a lack of well-educated men (all studies show women want a partner at least as educated as themselves). And these few men now have so many options. This ends with lots of successful but single women in their 40s.
I don't think you hate men at all, why would you bother responding to male fans of yours if you did? :)
Please don't let them get you down. It shows you have accurately hit on their most deepest fears, female supremacy! ;)
You are correct about power corrupting. Have you read The Power by Naomi Alderman? In her book women take control and men are stripped of the vote, raped and made into second-class citizens. It's a fascinating read.
Haha it's too late for me to be a business success. I was forced out by a female boss and replaced by a woman, with good reason, female businesswomen are more in demand. I'm happy though to now be in a job (stripping) that celebrates female (financial) power. I wonder if in the future men will be objectified more. I'm seeing hints of it in advertising. There was a case recently of an advert that was purely a man stripping naked and women watching and laughing through a one way mirror. Interestingly, the advertising authority approved it - but you can't imagine they'd let the reverse of that be approved.
It would be encouraging though for younger men to hear once in a while that a move to a more female-led world doesn't mean their achievements and ambitions won't be valued and encouraged too, alongside women.
As for your brilliant story: no point in turning back now! I'm super excited to see this assertive and dominant Julia. I was so happy when she locked his cock up. I hope he never gets to use it again. I'd love to see the changes the womyn are making in the office too, Julia in a management role making male employees squirm, mentoring young female graduates for management roles over the men etc. Will we ever see this? :)
I've been totally tied up in evil corporate work as of late, just seeing this today.
You're actually raising some extremly salient questions. I do think there's a real potential for issues in society. What forms those issues will take is yet to be seen. These are, of course, complex questions involving technology and culture and even politics. I do think technology is going to play a huge role. It might be valuable to study what some of the futurists say but I suspect even then it's difficult to predict what's going to actually manifest 10 or 20 years from now.
I am concerned that many women are going to feel cheated, that men dropped the ball on them and decided to opt-out, leaving them without good partners. That's already been happening. Is that going to become the norm? It has a huge potential to disrupt relationships and children and families. Also, honestly, if we end up with large groups of young men who feel disenfranchised that can result in a lot of problems. It is not a good thing and it could lead to all kinds of issues.
Answering your question, it's a bit hard politically to believe, right now, that men will someday be seen as a "rare commodity" and be given special consideration in hiring but if things shift enough that might be possible one day. It seems odd to even consider the idea and I know a lot of women would balk at the very notion. As a science-fiction writer though, I like considering future possibilities.
For what it's worth, I actually find it amusing when I get reviews from men claiming that I "hate men". I don't hate men at all. Quiet the contrary. Let me be clear - "Reversals" has some fairly dysfunctional people in it. I am NOT advocating that men behave like Eric(a). Nor am I advocating that women behave like Julia or Samantha.
Of course, there's a clear femdom edge in the novel. To those men that want to be under my stilleto I'm pleased to put you there. But I'm exploring a number of different themes and ideas too. I put the seeds out and the characters are taking the novel in some... "interesting" places, even if they are a bit dark. I have no problem with writing women as villians. The idea that a woman shouldn't be portrayed as a villian is nonsense. As we assume more real power in the world the temptation to behave badly, even immorally is going to increase. A big part of "Reversals" is a cautionary tale. I'm hoping as women assume more power in the world that we make better decisions and make a better world. But, I fear, we have more of a human problem than anything else on this planet - "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutly".
Education is key but that may or may not mean a clasic university education. Apprenticeships can be very valuable, perhaps even more so than a four year degree from some university. It depends on the person and what they want to do. I think the important thing for anyone, female or male, is to try to find something they can invest themselves in and take pride in, and then do it well. Try to find good mentors or guides. Challenge yourself.
And for you Ed, I'd say it's never too late to contribute and make vital contributions. You have a lifetime of experience to share. That's something to be used and treasured, not discarded.
Rachel
That's a no then? lol