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Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 2010
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 01:13 pm: | 
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Do they?
Yesterday I was watching The Colbert Report and guesting was this Harvard Professor who wrote this book titled "Manliness"
"Real men don't read books," Stephen Colbert said. "They go from the gut."
Of course he was kidding. Was he?
I think about what most of the guys I know do to relax--gamble, drink, go to nudie bars, run women and/or llie about it, participate or watch sports.
They don't read books.
Now on this site there has been many a thread decrying this woeful situation. But think about it.
Do white men read books? We have a President who boasts about it. He doesn't read books and he has the top job in the land.
Be honest. Unless you are a book reviewer or English Professor who the hell is going to pay you for your knowlege of Hurston or Morrison or Shakespeare or Hemingway or who name you? Nobody--in fact your boss will probably fire you for throwing those names around and trying to outshine him.
Isn't there more than a grain of truth in this statement? Hasn't the classical idea of the well rounded gentleman gone by the board? Nobody even wants to talk to anybody else, much less to discuss some books.
Aren't black folks, as usual, behind the curve again on this reading thing? |
Emanuel
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Emanuel
Post Number: 172
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 03:10 pm: |
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Hey Chris,
This is probably not the best place to ask the question since it's assumed that most people come to this site because they either read books or write them. As for me, I mostly read to gain knowledge versus to be entertained. However, a really good fiction title is always welcome. The problem is that I have very little time to read because of a busy lifestyle. When it comes to entertainment, I'd rather do something active like shoot hoops, play tennis or go bowling. Or I would much rather go to the movies or rent a DVD for entertainment than to read a book. When I was in college, the last thing I wanted to see was another book. Now I try to read 2 or 3 non-fiction titles a month and maybe one fiction title. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 2018
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 03:26 pm: |
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See? He's a real man folks! The 2 or 3 he reads are probably MANLY titles. Bass Fishing. Polar Bear Hunting. Gangbanging. |
Libralind2
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 342
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 05:00 pm: |
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You will be happy to know, and I am SO PROUD that my 21 yr old grandson KEEPS a book with him and he is A "real" man. He is currently reading "The Last Kingpin" Relentless Aaron and just finished "Black Men" Haki Madhubuti. My 8 yr old grandson reads as well. 2 out of 3 aint bad. The 18 yr old will only read what he has to but since he is on way to college..YEAAAA. Im POSITVE he'll be reading LOL
LiLi |
Emanuel
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Emanuel
Post Number: 173
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, April 07, 2006 - 05:05 pm: |
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LOL! Chris, I usually read job-related books on sales and marketing or books by people like Cornel West or bell hooks. I'm currently reading "The Covenant" by Tavis Smiley and I just finished a book on networking if that gives you an indication. I read a bit of "Freshwater Road" and plan on reading "So You Call Yourself a Man" by Carl Weber next. Nah, that's some manly shit huh? |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 4516
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 08:14 am: |
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Chris,
Reading is a passive activity.
It does not require that you move much. It usually demands some degree of silence, privacy and personal intimacy.
And reading is a very vicarious and voyeuristic endeavor. To read you must essentially observe and allow someone else, namely the author, to dictate where you go and how you get there.
So, it really shouldn't surprise many that women read more than do men. Because, at the risk of appearing sexist, the act of reading is by its nature much more feminine than it is masculine in nature.
So to defy the natural masculine inclinations to avoid reading, the reason, will and preference to read must (like all other difficult/important practices/habits) be installed in males very early in life (at home, then school, Bible study, other social settings) and buttressed at those stages where males become considerably more distracted by other things (e.g., sports, cars and chicks).
Otherwise, unless men have some concrete and immediate reason/purpose for reading something, males will likely avoid reading at most any/every turn.
PS: The above - combined with there being far fewer male than female teachers - contributes to the growing disparities of academic performance between Black females and Black males, which, of course, MAINTAINS the vicious cycle of fewer and FEWER men reading. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 4517
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 08:26 am: |
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LiLi,
Why are your 2 (of 3) grandsons readers? Are they just naturally inclined to read? Or did their parents, kin and/or teachers do things to inspire their reading?
Chris and I have had an ongoing debate about the relative merits of comic books.
I'd argue if you give an 8 year-old Black boy subscriptions to his favorite comic book characters, you've probably boosted the chances he graduates college by at least 50%.
But Chris has some wierd fear of or fixation upon the phallic regions of Spiderman and Superman. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 2019
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:36 am: |
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Abm:
Your commentary was rather--shall we say--effete? (Eyebrow raised questioningly, as homoerotic implications make Abm do a slow burn)
Lili:
I present the evidence.
Two black comic book fiends. Both of them murdered white women.
The difference between me and Abm on the subject (which he twisted and obfuscated as usual by the way, are simple)
He is in league with comic books ergo Satan.
I am not.
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Libralind2
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 344
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:12 pm: |
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Abm, I have always encouraged them to read. Since I ran a afterschool literacy program for children, the 21 and 18 yr old worked for me so they had to read to children or assist them. The 8 yr old was part of the program and would "help" the kids by telling them to sound out words as I tutored. He is a mess. Oh I digress. They have always seen myself or thier mother read. I also encouraged them to read Malcolm X, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, etc. The 21 yr old has read Malcolm X 2-3 times.
LiLi |
Libralind2
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Libralind2
Post Number: 345
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 10:14 pm: |
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Chris, you are a mess..
LiLi..former comic book reader who never killed LOL..in fact I will still read one |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 340
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 08, 2006 - 11:00 pm: |
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I think about what most of the guys I know do to relax--gamble, drink, go to nudie bars, run women and/or lie about it, participate or watch sports.
Well, ChrisH, it sounds like you need to get yourself some better friends because if your assertion is true - that real men don't read - then real men must be really ignorant.
Even worse, that notion is the reason why our young ppl are failing in school, because boys think studying and reading is "uncool" and the girls are right there with them. It's also why some of us can't engage in an intelligent and enlightening conversation. Not rocket science or brain surgery conversation, just discussions about life in general and current events. Too many of us don't read anything at all - no magazines, newspapers, tabloids or online articles - nothing. And unfortunately, the negative impact is immeasurable. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 4519
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 02:11 am: |
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Chris: "Your commentary was rather--shall we say--effete? (Eyebrow raised questioningly, as homoerotic implications make Abm do a slow burn)"
You are such a tease.
Chris: "Two black comic book fiends. Both of them murdered white women."
Now how should one apply this rationale to the +1,000 Black men who will kill Black WOMEN in a given year?
Chris: "The difference between me and Abm on the subject (which he twisted and obfuscated as usual by the way, are simple)...He is in league with comic books ergo Satan...I am not. "
No. The difference between you and me is I actually read for comprehension. Now...
"Give your soul to ME!" |
Schakspir
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Schakspir
Post Number: 257
Registered: 12-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 09, 2006 - 04:14 pm: |
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That's the good ol' U.S.A. for you. Anti-intellctual and jock-oriented. This is why Dubya is our fucking president. |
Yukio
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Yukio
Post Number: 1213
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 08:08 pm: |
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iNteresting . . . so do you men here considered yourselves faux-men?
by the wAy, the rumor is that women love intellgent meN! |
Va_sis
Newbie Poster
Username: Va_sis
Post Number: 16
Registered: 02-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 03:55 pm: |
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Looking at the membership of all the AA book clubs out there, you would think that Black men don't read.
I'm the president of a co-ed club, and that is one of my selling points when I promote it. In researching other clubs, they all cater to and are the namesakes of women, because the membership is comprised totally of...women.
When I promote the club, I try to exclusively recruit men, because they are the hardest to come by. |
Batmocop
Newbie Poster
Username: Batmocop
Post Number: 17
Registered: 03-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 07:00 pm: |
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WOW! I leave the country for two minutes and all of a sudden this place becomes a battle of the sexes! Of course real men read! Not only do we read, we comprehend as well! Ladies the days of the gone all year hunting dinosaur Cro-Magnon man is over! And by the way, I bet there is a very well read real man out there that is probably dying to tell me that the Cro-Magnon and dinosaurs didn’t co-exist. Hmmmm I wonder how that real man would know that. Damn… You know what? He probably READ it somewhere. Yes reading is a passive pastime in which most don’t make time for. I would contend that for a lot of women, reading is an escape. For a lot of men, it may just be something to do to pass the time…
Just my two cents-> BatMo->
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Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 464
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 07:22 pm: |
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I missed you BatManKoolMoDeeRoboCop! And I'm glad you made it back  |
Batmocop
Newbie Poster
Username: Batmocop
Post Number: 18
Registered: 03-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 11:34 am: |
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EMZEEE! Ha! Thanks for the welcome, I like being missed! |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 474
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 07, 2006 - 12:22 pm: |
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Uh huh. So what happened on your trip? Did you meet some fascinating beauty and fall madly in love? Did you bring her back home with you? Spill it - inquiring minds must get into all your business! LOL!!!
Anyway, if you're so inclined, come on over to the race and culture board to argue and complain with the rest of us. Okay.  |
Batmocop
Newbie Poster
Username: Batmocop
Post Number: 19
Registered: 03-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 08:42 pm: |
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WoW! No I didn't do the woman in every port thing. (This time) It was pretty cut and dry. I'll see U in Race-N-Culture |
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