The New Bloke

Reading the newspaper as I was relaxing down in Jervis Bay (thanks Milli and Matt for organising!), I saw that another guy persona was identified. An excerpt:

The New Bloke is no wimp but he is no male chauvinist either, though he gets a laugh out of pretending to be: mock chauvinism is one of his party tricks and he enjoys satirising his unenlightened comrades.

He's typically in his twenties, relaxed and confident about his masculinity, attractively blokey in style. To borrow the key word from the women's movement, the New Bloke is liberated. Try to get him talking about politics and he'll steer the conversation to girls, jobs, girls, sport, girls, the internet, girls, movies and drugs (of the legal and illegal variety).

He is as interested in having a good time as any bloke ever was, but the big difference is that he knows women are equal. He accepts that a serious relationship with a woman involves taking her identity and her needs seriously, and that the woman's agenda is just as important as the man's. (Some of his best mates are women, by the way.)

The New Bloke despises "old" blokes who pretend to be in love so they can get a woman to sleep with them. The New Bloke is explicit about the difference between uncommitted and committed sex, and he knows plenty of girls who are equally clear about that distinction.

Often posing as a traditional larrikin, he wouldn't want you to know he's reshaping the world, but that's his agenda: he wants us all to have more fun, to lighten up, to accept that the pathway to good relationships between the sexes lies in an acceptance of genuine equality. Any other way of operating strikes him as being unfair, unsustainable and just plain silly.

And for once, I would like to be that type of guy! And upon further thought, I would say that most of my friends fall under this category as well.

Which makes me wonder, why do we have these attitudes? Why is there such a difference from the perceived notion of Asian guys having no respect for their partners, and us? I guess it's because we have been raised in a Western society that allows us to see this "equal opportunity" at a much more developed level than if we had not emigrated from our homelands. And for that, I'm very glad to be living in Australia.

On another note, is that why most girls I know think of Asian guys that are still living in their own countries as "ugly"?
Seriously, there cannot be that much of a difference in the way people look if you're both from the same ethnic background, can it? Hence, could it be not of the looks but rather on their outlook on women?

Of course, this can be taken to the other extreme, where a man has too much respect for his partner, and ends up having no equality of his own. Which reminds me, Bill, can I get one of those Chop Design shirts done with a big thumb crossed out within a red circle, and the words "No Thumb!"? :P

Quote for the holiday:
Kev: Helen, why are you sucking that pickled gerkin?
Helen: Cause I like to suck....oh dear

Damn! sixteen cheap calls already:

I'll start working on some designs :)
What about one for Helen with the phrase "I like to suck..." and a picture of a pickled gerkin?
ding! (link) - 14 June '04 - 10:34

this ought to get her commenting.
ue - 14 June '04 - 12:24

Nah, she'll blatantly ignore all these cheap calls :)
JookBoy (email) (link) - 14 June '04 - 14:03

Hmmm IMHO sophistication is the difference between overseas chinese and chinese still living in their homeland.

Cheap tacky clothing, people standing waaaay too close when talking, lack of consideration for others, unwillingness to splurge on lifestyle... it ain't the same in Shanghai :(

As for outlook on women; well, in Shanghai, women are (big generalisation) typically more ferocious... so men actually have to give way to them a lot. i'm not sure if outlook on women is what is unattractive about asian guys living here. i think its more of a general outlook on life :p
al - 14 June '04 - 23:43

Ferocious eh Al? You love it mate :)
Peedz - 15 June '04 - 13:56

5 guesses to what 'S' in helens middle name might be?
the vault - 16 June '04 - 09:38

Ooh...good call from the Vault; you couldn't resist posting it could you Kev? Oh well, if you weren't going to, someone else would have :)

And ferocious women? You would know something about that wouldn't you KC?

I'm not sure if the word is sophistication though Al..can't put my finger on it, but I'm thinking of another word...can I get an ABC up in here? :)
ricegrains (link) - 17 June '04 - 10:24

I'm down for ferocious women...Mary-Ann always tells me to go after hard chicks :)
JookBoy (link) - 18 June '04 - 09:10

hard chicks maybe but not ferocious - they end up growing into those scary old asian dragon ladies!!
mushiejc (link) - 20 June '04 - 16:32

good point, i wonder what cutesy girls grow up to be like though? will they always remain cutesy?

bogi: i think i worked it out. could it be bad teeth?

peedz: give it to me baby ... armpit hair included
al - 20 June '04 - 21:12

Too much cutey when you're older I don't think works very well. You gets no respect!

So al, it's probably a good business opportunity to start up a dental surgery in China? Or do people just not care?
JookBoy (email) (link) - 21 June '04 - 12:02

I read somewhere that Japan has the highest rate of malocclusion in the world. An orthodontist prob won't get much business there. Coz apparently the snaggle tooth look is cute. Ugh.

Don't know about China though.
milli - 22 June '04 - 06:35

My girlfriend tells me Japanese have smaller jaws, but still generally have to fit the same amount of teeth as other people (28)

China ... maybe it's more about discoloured teeth than misplaced ones?

I think you could make a lot of money as a dentist for foreigners here though. I paid 3900RMB to have two wisdom teeth extracted last year ... whereas my local friend paid 90RMB, no kidding!
al - 22 June '04 - 21:39

al - was that cause you got anaesthetic and proper dental equipment, whereas your friend got thread wrapped around the wisdom tooth at one end and a door knob at the other?
reenie - 23 June '04 - 09:37

interesting article, dude. Though I reckon it's just a new fad/label, same as the metro or the SNAG.

Best bet is to go for macho. It just keeps coming back.

RC
randomcow - 09 August '04 - 05:15

No fear? It's too much of a lie!
I'm not down for any type of scary movies :)
JookBoy (link) - 10 August '04 - 06:57