Jessica Bennett, a contributing writer at Time.com thinks that the story of how society defines a man is an explanation of nut case Elliot Rodger going on a rampage at UC Santa Barbara last weekend.
She provides snippets from authors who say that sex and the number of sexual partners men have defines “manhood” in today’s society. If they can’t get sex, they are manly through violence, one author contends.
It might be an argument if anything she contends as being something different today was, in fact, any different than it was 25, or even 50 years ago.
Young men in high school lied about having sex then, just as they do now. There were those actually having sex and there were those that didn’t.
Some had sex before they graduated high school. Most before they left college, but there were some, like Elliot Rodger who didn’t have sex by the time they were 22. They didn’t go on killing sprees.
Reading Bennett’s article, it’s somehow the fault of a “new world order” of free and easy sex that Rodger wasn’t allowed access to, which drove him to stab, shoot, and run over people.
I get tired of reading such tripe.
How about this viewpoint:
Elliot Rodger was a rich kid that had gotten everything he wanted as a child, whether he deserved it or not. He bragged on his BMW car, his $300 sunglasses, his clothes, and even his belief that he was some type of gift to women. Of his personal possessions, he earned none of it.
When he didn’t get the adoration and sex from beautiful blond women (as he discussed in videos) he took his vengeance. He had been denied nothing before and if he couldn’t get what he wanted, he wanted nobody else to have it.
As to his looks, women aren’t as “visual” as men. Where a man simply needs little more than “eye candy” to become interested in a woman sexually, a woman usually needs something more before entering into a sexual relationship.
Elliot Rodger was an unstable misogynist with mental health issues that everyone around him was aware of. If they didn’t know it first hand, as did his family, they sensed it when listening to him speak. Simply watching one of his own Youtube videos made you think, “Crazy little punk.”
So, spare us the finger pointing at society. Stop blaming our culture and attitudes about sex, manliness, and relationships.
If our society is to be blamed for anything it is that there is no law that requires a background check for past mental health issues, psychological drug prescriptions, or social media comments (or videos) before being allowed to own a firearm.
And don’t think I’m against the right to bear arms. I own my share, but I’m willing to have the same background check done on myself, as that which I propose for others.
Nobody need fear my weapons, but I certainly fear the knowledge that there are more Elliot Rodger types with weapons and known mental disorders.
Watch the Elliot Rodger video below and you’ll be able to figure out why he never got laid.
WARNING: This video may be disturbing to some, due to content and language.
Disclaimer: On January 4, 2016, the owner of WestEastonPA.com began serving on the West Easton Council following an election. Postings and all content found on this website are the opinions of Matthew A. Dees and may not necessarily represent the opinion of the governing body for The Borough of West Easton.
