Two things. First, although I haven’t read Antonio’s book, his story is remarkable and admirable. He is steeped in wisdom learned through suffering, and he’s seems like someone I’d love sit down and and have a beer with.
Second, Tara, this is your second interview of a black man about masculinity and fatherhood. The first was an ex-convict (now author and success), while Antonio is an immigrant and defacto orphan (now author and success). Both interviews were marvellous, but do you see a pattern? You’re following the CBC template. I wouldn’t be surprised to see your next piece about masculinity and fatherhood to include an interview of a gay interracial couple.
As Canadians, we need to get past all this ethnic/tribal identity stuff and get on with discussing our ever-evolving CANADIAN identity. There are many different Canadian views about masculinity and fatherhood, but how are they evolving? Where would we like to see them go? And how do we reconcile these views with modern feminist views, which reject traditional gender roles and most things masculine? How do we bring Canadians together on these things?
If you know what a limited hangout is, and you've followed Tara's well-crafted narrative from "disillusioned" to "independent" journalist, it's clear what's going on here.
It is tempting to refuse to believe in the nefarious nature of it, I know. I did it too. Then, she published the Media All Sound Alike piece, in which she went round and round trying to claim "Well, ya know, it just happens."
The media does strategize how to do unethical, untruthful things in order to get what they want. They have meeting, with coffee and croissants, where they sit there defining the strategy and divvying out action items for various "journalists".
Tara spent far far too many words white-washing this as "Well, ya know, it just happens." Sorry. No. It is corporate strategy. It is overt.
Prior to the Media piece, I was trying to avoid the "nefarious" conclusion, as you are now. I was thinking it was her Business Plan to target what she saw as under-served demographic. Well, the Media piece colors this an entirely different way. There is tons of evidence. The question is whether somebody wants to avoid the most likely conclusion.
100% agree. This is how people are: "tend to be polite, conflict adverse people. trust too much to the point of naivety. give too much deference to people in positions of authority"
I deleted teh "We" because my career taught me to do avoid all of that. I spent a LOT of time with CEOs in my career. I spent time with MSM CEOs and CFOs and strategists. I had close business contacts who spent much more time with MSM than I did.
CEOs in general? Do no trust them.
MSM strategy vs "Well, ya know, it just happens." If people knew what I have heard from the mouths of wolves, they'd understand, sorry, no, it doesn't "just happen".
Modern feminist views acknowledge that men, and fathers play an equal role in raising children. It’s the ideology surrounding feminism that tries to subvert this message. Children for as long as they have been here, haven’t changed cognitively/biologically; they still need a strong male and female presence in their lives. It’s only in this post truth era where some prefer to believe science and history don’t matter, that the narrative can become skewed. Don’t listen to them.
The new narrative is powerful and difficult to just ignore. As just one example, the report commissioned by Nova Scotia concluded that mass shootings are caused by masculinity. Apparently they don’t teach sociologists the difference between correlation and causality anymore.
It will get much worse, but it will get better. Look South of the border to see what progressive communities are now doing-the same ones which defunded police forces and forced police officers to resign, are now having a sober second thought. There will be Hell to pay, that’s a fact, before it gets better.
Actually, for half the population the reason they live in Toronto and not Tehran is because THEY WERE BORN THERE. They want nothing to do with discussions and debate. They want only lecturing and mandating and censoring. It is amazing how all these Lean Out interviews contain key ideas that simply miss the underlying reality.
Tara, Antonio & most of these people basically agree to agree with the underlying propositions and then put their own more-centric spin on them. Until they choose to attack the underlying propositions, and esp the rank-ordering of those, they are simply swimming upstream while playing the other side's game.
Antonio Michael Downing is an absolute treasure. We should wish there were many duplicates of him. I was most impressed with his stressing the similarities among all people. I have had many discussions wherein I stated that , basically, we are all the same. We all love our children and want the best for them. We want friends to share our lives with, the good and the bad. We want to be respected and considered worthwhile. Thank you, Tara, for sharing this beautiful interview.
Two things. First, although I haven’t read Antonio’s book, his story is remarkable and admirable. He is steeped in wisdom learned through suffering, and he’s seems like someone I’d love sit down and and have a beer with.
Second, Tara, this is your second interview of a black man about masculinity and fatherhood. The first was an ex-convict (now author and success), while Antonio is an immigrant and defacto orphan (now author and success). Both interviews were marvellous, but do you see a pattern? You’re following the CBC template. I wouldn’t be surprised to see your next piece about masculinity and fatherhood to include an interview of a gay interracial couple.
As Canadians, we need to get past all this ethnic/tribal identity stuff and get on with discussing our ever-evolving CANADIAN identity. There are many different Canadian views about masculinity and fatherhood, but how are they evolving? Where would we like to see them go? And how do we reconcile these views with modern feminist views, which reject traditional gender roles and most things masculine? How do we bring Canadians together on these things?
If you know what a limited hangout is, and you've followed Tara's well-crafted narrative from "disillusioned" to "independent" journalist, it's clear what's going on here.
A week ago, I would have said maybe "it is just me" for thinking that way. Now, it seems to be many people.
Cool. I’d never heard of “limited hangout” before. I’m not sure Tara’s motives are that nefarious.
It is tempting to refuse to believe in the nefarious nature of it, I know. I did it too. Then, she published the Media All Sound Alike piece, in which she went round and round trying to claim "Well, ya know, it just happens."
The media does strategize how to do unethical, untruthful things in order to get what they want. They have meeting, with coffee and croissants, where they sit there defining the strategy and divvying out action items for various "journalists".
Tara spent far far too many words white-washing this as "Well, ya know, it just happens." Sorry. No. It is corporate strategy. It is overt.
Prior to the Media piece, I was trying to avoid the "nefarious" conclusion, as you are now. I was thinking it was her Business Plan to target what she saw as under-served demographic. Well, the Media piece colors this an entirely different way. There is tons of evidence. The question is whether somebody wants to avoid the most likely conclusion.
100% agree. This is how people are: "tend to be polite, conflict adverse people. trust too much to the point of naivety. give too much deference to people in positions of authority"
I deleted teh "We" because my career taught me to do avoid all of that. I spent a LOT of time with CEOs in my career. I spent time with MSM CEOs and CFOs and strategists. I had close business contacts who spent much more time with MSM than I did.
CEOs in general? Do no trust them.
MSM strategy vs "Well, ya know, it just happens." If people knew what I have heard from the mouths of wolves, they'd understand, sorry, no, it doesn't "just happen".
This her pattern of agreeing to agree with the underlying propositions.
Modern feminist views acknowledge that men, and fathers play an equal role in raising children. It’s the ideology surrounding feminism that tries to subvert this message. Children for as long as they have been here, haven’t changed cognitively/biologically; they still need a strong male and female presence in their lives. It’s only in this post truth era where some prefer to believe science and history don’t matter, that the narrative can become skewed. Don’t listen to them.
The new narrative is powerful and difficult to just ignore. As just one example, the report commissioned by Nova Scotia concluded that mass shootings are caused by masculinity. Apparently they don’t teach sociologists the difference between correlation and causality anymore.
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/mass-shootings-caused-by-masculinity-says-report-commissioned-by-nova-scotia-inquiry
It will get much worse, but it will get better. Look South of the border to see what progressive communities are now doing-the same ones which defunded police forces and forced police officers to resign, are now having a sober second thought. There will be Hell to pay, that’s a fact, before it gets better.
Actually, for half the population the reason they live in Toronto and not Tehran is because THEY WERE BORN THERE. They want nothing to do with discussions and debate. They want only lecturing and mandating and censoring. It is amazing how all these Lean Out interviews contain key ideas that simply miss the underlying reality.
Tara, Antonio & most of these people basically agree to agree with the underlying propositions and then put their own more-centric spin on them. Until they choose to attack the underlying propositions, and esp the rank-ordering of those, they are simply swimming upstream while playing the other side's game.
Antonio Michael Downing is an absolute treasure. We should wish there were many duplicates of him. I was most impressed with his stressing the similarities among all people. I have had many discussions wherein I stated that , basically, we are all the same. We all love our children and want the best for them. We want friends to share our lives with, the good and the bad. We want to be respected and considered worthwhile. Thank you, Tara, for sharing this beautiful interview.
Always a great discussion you're having. Good to hear so many honest conversations going on here at Substack with people like you.
Wonderful! Thank you both so much for this moving and thought-provoking discussion.
Brilliant interview. This is what I miss from the CBC.
What a superlatively rich interview! What a wondrous man who is there for us all. Thank you Tara. You've both made my day.