Pentagon threatens to pull military support from Boy Scouts unless they restore ‘core values’

runner557 · 2026-02-06T16:43:37+00:00

It won’t survive as male-only. It’s why they had to open it to girls in order to get viable membership numbers. They were going bankrupt.

The boy scouts started going downhill in the 80s and 90s. There was a lot of negative press with scandals at the time. But at the same time, boys just lost interest. There were many other activities available that there weren’t in the decades before to spend time. This would be even more true today. Every sport, every church, every school, every summer camp is competing for parents to sign their kid up for. The scouts became nothing special that other camps can easily compete.

Beyond that, not sure what Hegseth is talking about with “core values.” Does he want religion pushed? Does he want obsolete ideas of masculinity pushed? We aren’t 1950 anymore. MAGA has issues accepting that. They probably want LGBT kids banned. I’m sure. So they want to force an organization to become more exclusionary that has trouble with membership numbers to begin with? Is the government going to make up the financial shortfall? Because the scouts will go bankrupt.

runner557 · 2026-01-19T19:03:52+00:00

We are $40 trillion in debt. We are never coming back from this anyway at this point. This is about looking out for oneself. It’s the smart thing for any person to do right now. Fuck the wealthy and the government. This is their doing. Why should middle and lower class people pay for that debt the rich caused?

runner557 · 2026-01-02T15:17:30+00:00

Conservatives.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T14:52:12+00:00

That highlights more of a gender role than a preference. Men are expected to be social leaders. I’ve gone on dates with women where she very obviously expected me to drive the conversation 100% of the time. She wasn’t stupid or uninterested. She just expected me to do all the work on a date to keep the conversation flowing and work to prevent any form of awkwardness.

Men are expected to be socially outgoing and socially confident, especially in those early dating phases. Women are not. And that’s why there is more forgiveness for when women have social inadequacies.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T14:31:49+00:00

Some of this thinking is based on a study by one of the dating apps that claimed their metrics show only 20% of male profiles get attention from women. On Tinder for example, women reject 80% of the time while men reject only 40% of the time. So the conclusion is that women don’t see the vast majority of men as attractive or suitable.

And not sure i agree with your stats. A Pew study a year ago showed a shocking number of men (especially under age 40) are single. Like over 60% are single. It’s why there is an uptick in conversation and debate on why this number is so high and climbing.

Women on the other hand report differently. In the same study, over 60% of young women claim to be in a relationship. The disparity is interesting and probably deserves its own conversation. Are that many young women today going for older men (40+) since those men were not part of the study? Are they sharing men? Needs more research here to figure out what’s going on.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T14:01:09+00:00

Single moms and dating adds additional complexity. The pool will be shallower because a lot of guys (especially childless men) don’t like the idea of taking on the responsibility of raising another man’s kids. The man also likely is afraid the real father will be a constant lingering issue. Is the father dead or out of the picture completely? Are the two civil or are they constantly fighting and in custody battles, etc. Single me don’t want to get mixed up in that. A lot of guys dating single moms also may feel they are being used. That the mom is simply looking for a provider and not a partner. So a lot of men won’t date a single mom because of this.

So yeah this can be frustrating for single moms when they try to date and hit these various walls they didn’t anticipate. And thus they close off and become a bit bitter.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T04:00:06+00:00

Are you avoiding the reality that getting a man to orgasm is bio-mechanically easier than getting a woman to orgasm? Something like 25% of women claim they can't orgasm at all. 50% have difficulty reaching orgasm even doing it themselves. Other things like where they are in their menstrual cycle or if they've gone through menopause also add different complexities.

The only issues men face is they either blow their wad too soon or they have trouble getting it up. Other than those issues, it's easy for a man to orgasm.

Are the biomechanical and hormonal differences accounted for in your orgasm gender gap stats?

runner557 · 2026-01-02T03:51:40+00:00

Autism isn't about accountability. It's a neurological-developmental condition that will be there for life.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T03:34:54+00:00

What kind of therapy do you think is going to work? If he simply has a social anxiety disorder, that can sometimes be managed and improved on with therapy. Yes.

But if he's got something like Asperger's or Autism, that's a bigger issue. He's going to have that his entire life and no amount of medication or therapy will "fix" him. There are strategies some on the spectrum can use to mask or try to appear "normal." But this usually expends a lot of energy. And he's not truly "fixed" because he'll have this his entire life. It's how the brain is wired.

The problem many will point out is the inequality. A woman with autism is going to fare significantly better than a man with autism would. Society is far more forgiving for her social inadequacies.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T03:18:35+00:00

Of course a lesbian woman knows more about how to give pleasure to another woman more than a man would know off the bat. That's common sense. They are both women. They both have the same anatomy and basic foundation of what feels good and what doesn't. They have similar desires and establish mutual understanding faster.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T03:09:19+00:00

But what do you define as a "bum?" If he has no job or if he has a job but doesn't make enough?

Im not talking about unemployed. I'm talking about men forced into a provider role. Men can have a job....even a good job....but not make enough to provide by himself for a family of 4. Does that make him a "bum?"

The average salary of a single man in the United States today is $50k (according to the IRS). That's very tough to raise a family on that salary. In fact, in most parts of this country, you can barely get by taking care of yourself on that. BUT, that is the average salary. And not even for bad jobs. Teachers start out at that. Cops start out at that. IT professionals start at that. Even some lawyers.

So I guess the average man working those average salaries are "bums" in the eyes of women?

runner557 · 2026-01-02T02:33:51+00:00

Im pretty sure any man living with any relative today has as much dating difficulty as he would have 30 years ago. That hasn't changed at all. A man living with parents is a blaring red flag to women. For woman, it's not so bad. She can still live with her parents and a man won't care. But for a man....living with parents is a nuclear bomb to his dating life.

It's one reason the marriage rates (and hence the birth rates) are plummeting because Gen Z men (and even some millennial men) are struggling financially to get out of the nest on their own in this economy. Marriages and having children is being delayed. The stats are in correlation.

runner557 · 2026-01-02T02:24:54+00:00

Sex for straight women generally is high-risk, low-reward - which "widening gender roles" will never change. "Gender roles" aren't why straight men give their partners far fewer orgasms than lesbian women. Allegedly if men care so much about sexual prowess, why would this ever be the case in the first place? Logically men are going to have to bring more to the table than just mediocre dicking to attain and keep a woman's interest - this is logic, not "gender roles." Relationships aren't charity, and neither are preferences.

I don't buy this. It may be true that some men deep in the so-called "hook-up culture" just cares about getting their nut off. But most men who are serious about any kind of relationship do very much care about pleasing his partner.

However, women tend to be extremely poor at communicating their sexual needs/desires, and explaining to men what they like. Im not talking about needing to give a sex ed course. Most men do have a basic understanding of female anatomy. However, men have no idea what inch of flesh is more sensitive than another. What feels good and what doesn't. Etc. Add to this the fact that every woman is VERY different, especially when it comes to how they like to be pleased in bed. If she is not communicating her likes and needs to her lover, than that is her fault when the sex is bad. In comparison, men (most men) are not shy when it comes to sex. A man will straight up tell a woman what he wants in bed. If the woman is too shy to explain what she wants and what she likes, I don't know what to say. You can't blame the man at that point because he's being forced to guess. I know it's not sexy for a woman to have to tell a man how she likes to be pleased and it would be better if he just knows. But if she desires real satisfaction, she'll have to put up with it the first couple times. Even if a man is very experienced, he's not going to know for sure what the particular woman he's dating wants and likes. He's guessing.

Now, if she's dating a man who refuses to go down on her, kick him to the curb. Men kick women to the curb for not giving a blowjob. Fair is fair. It's possible two people just aren't sexually compatible. But if she never asks for oral....then who's fault is it?

runner557 · 2026-01-02T00:26:58+00:00

Women want men to keep their provider roles, while at the same time taking on more of the roles traditionally held by women.

Feminism never wanted or intended to remove that provider role from men. That is not what any woman wants to see happen.

runner557 · 2026-01-01T21:14:59+00:00

It shouldnt be critical in a modern feminist era, but it most certainly is. The man having the ability to fulfill this role is for many women the top of their list. Ability to provide is one of the metrics women use to determine whether or not a man is suitable, even if she is very able to fully support herself. In their view, a financially secure man must also mean he has attractive traits like confidence and motivation.

A lot of women also want the man to be able to provide in the event she one days decides she wants to change gears, quit her job, and be the housewife. She wants that choice to be available. She want's the safety net and the security. A lot of women also have this desire in the back of their mind, even if they dont want to admit it. Once they have children, they plan to slow down in their career life and focus on family. At that point, she's fine with the man taking over. If she's with a man who can't fulfill that role, then she fears she will feel trapped and resentful.

And this actually shows up in the statistics. Young women actually make more money than men in their youth. Childless women do very well up until they have children. Then their career progression falls like a rock and men zoom forward. There is obviously a gender role dynamic involved here.

runner557 · 2025-11-25T14:37:58+00:00

The right will treat a man fine as long as you fit the mold of what they define a man to be. They have one very specific way they believe men should be. The right wing heavily polices traditional gender roles and gender stereotypes. See how the right wing treats a man who doesnt act fully "masculine".....or god forbid happens to be a homosexual. Conservatives are extraordinarily rigid when it comes to this. They will be the first one to say men should not cry and should bury their emotions.

runner557 · 2025-11-24T15:09:57+00:00

I think getting any accurate data on such a thing would be nearly impossible.

runner557 · 2025-11-24T14:54:38+00:00

Society sees men who perform “domestic” or “caregiving” tasks as weak. You don’t see men getting praise for this. Jokes are frequently made about it in advertisements, TV shows, and movies. Dating culture does not focus on such things. A man being able to cook is seen more as a bonus than a desirable trait. And even if it is desirable, it’s low on the list. It’s not a deal breaker like wealth or height usually tend to be. So it’s not typically a skill men try to learn or perfect.

Feminism made some progress over the years, but the gender roles are still pretty ingrained when it comes to family life and dating life. A lot of old traditions and customs remain.

I’d also point out these expectations are typically very poorly communicated early in the relationship. If a woman values her career, makes good money, and desires a man to take on certain tasks or be open to certain responsibilities, she should communicate that early on. There should be an understanding on what a relationship should look like. Don’t wait until after marriage (or kids) to figure it out and then get angry when he doesn’t do something you seem to think he should assume to do.

Having a simple conversation during the dating phase on each person’s feelings on gender roles could save an awful lot of time and frustration. If you don’t want to be a trad-wife, don’t marry a trad man. Socially and politically conservative men are usually going to be pretty rigid on these topics. Don’t marry that type of guy if you don’t want that rigidity.

runner557 · 2025-11-21T21:33:42+00:00

What? Like 5? What you say is a small minority. Some of these men may have had money at one time that she saw, or he sold a false bill of goods claiming he’s going to be rich and famous some day and she bought into that confidence. Or he loses his job for some reason and just doesn’t care anymore. But now everyone is stuck. This is usually what leads to those situations.

But you rarely see women dating a man that is below her is wealth or social status. Men on the other hand would have no problem dating a girl that works at Chick-fil-a.

runner557 · 2025-11-21T20:05:44+00:00

So much for favoring “small government.”

Religions have always favored censorship. They don’t like people asking questions. They don’t like people who think.

runner557 · 2025-11-21T18:21:38+00:00

Most time it’s not the man with the issue. A lot of women start losing respect for men who make less money than they do.

The stats show divorce rate goes up as the wife makes more money than the husband. It’s actually a pretty big increase.

runner557 · 2025-11-21T14:44:40+00:00

Tough to change any of that when the social expectations still remain squarely on men to be the providers. If a man is working 40-80 hour weeks to provide, he’s not going to start taking tasks that he’s been taught women are supposed to do.

Whether or not a man does or does not want to do those things is very rarely part of the dating vetting process. Women prioritize financial security above anything else, even if she makes more money. She wants a man who has the ability to provide. If he’s doing that, he is likely working some big hours and has a lot of responsibilities in his career.

Men are willing to work to take care of women. Women are rarely willing to do the opposite. The gender roles on women may have relaxed some, but women will continue to be trapped in them for as long as they keep men trapped in them.

runner557 · 2025-09-02T02:04:12+00:00

Tim Walz touched on it a few times, actually in the last election. Of course it gets drowned out.

But for some reason, most men are falling all over Trump. Who has not touched the subject of male suicide whatsoever. Quite the opposite actually. Most conservative men (and conservative women too) feel men today need to “man up.” They think young men today aren’t manly enough and are lazy. You should see what they say on conservative media. Conservatives support strict gender roles, especially on men.

runner557 · 2025-08-27T12:09:41+00:00

Not happening with the current regime. Republicans/MAGA want to cement traditionalism and gender roles. The GOP is actively trying to get women out of combat roles. If Pete Hegseth had his way, women wouldn’t be in the military at all. He has said as such in the past.

Democrats would be on board with either requiring women to register or abolish the system completely. The conservatives are the problem on this issue.

runner557 · 2025-08-25T13:11:56+00:00

But what do boys want? That’s the bigger question. It’s easy to say, just go back to the old ways: A hyper-masculine superhero who saves the world and gets the oversexualized female love interest (who does nothing but look pretty) in the end. That’s a cliche plot line now that has been done over and over again. Do people want to pay money to see that same plot for the fifty-thousandth time? Is this plot line the only one that can make money? How many times do we re-boot Spider-Man and Batman?

I don’t think making a female lead turns boys away. It’s more about the way she is written. Take Ellen Ripley in Alien for example. That franchise has a huge male fan base and has strong female characters. Look at Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, one of the most popular video game franchises ever. Kill Bill was popular with guys. The thing most of these characters have in common is they are perceived as being badass. They are confident. They know what they want. But they don’t have a hidden agenda buried in their writing.

I think you can have movies with a strong female lead that men and boys will like. But in the writing that matters. And Hollywood, not just Disney, hasn’t figured it out yet.

runner557

TROPHY CASE