[Ummon]

Inb4 there are no women on the internet

[ThirdTerm]

The general lack of interest in politics among women may result in the gender gap in online political discussion, which could be related to the fact that only few women hold political positions. Females are better at face-to-face interactions and their interests are usually confined to parochial issues directly related to their personal lives. Most women may also lack confidence in vocalising their opinions when it comes to political issues but I think some notable posters on this forum are actually females, guessing from their avatars and posting patterns.

Although there are equal numbers of men and women accessing the Internet and participating in online discussions through blogging and online forums, there is a disparity between the genders discussing politics online. The number of men engaging in online political discourse outnumbers women, and is concerning as previous literature points to the connection between political discussion and interest in facilitating political participation. Although there is significant research which investigates gender interaction online and gender gaps in political knowledge, there is little explanation for the gender gap in political discourse online. Interviews with bloggers, academics, journalists, and non-profit organizations in this study provide experiential explanations for why this gender gap is facilitated, most often citing socialization and male-dominance in media gatekeeping positions. Those interviewed provide four main solutions to bridging this gender gap in political discussion online including: changing the tone of online interaction, increasing the number of females in media management positions, demystifying the process of the online contributing, and using the power of suggestion to persuade more females to add their voices to online political conversation. If these suggestions are implemented at an individual or organizational level, they may perhaps aid in increasing the numbers of females contributing to online political discussion and further pique female interest in political participation.
http://www.american.edu/soc/communication/upload/Megan-Smith.pdf.

[SE23]

Most women are caught by superficial liberalism or the new left; there are exceptions, but the rise of women in politics that has been celebrated recently, is only going towards movements which claim to give women everything they could possibly want; while celebrating the decline of men and appealing to a instinct desire of our society to put women and children first.

PoFo tends to draw in the intense political minds, whether they are on the left or right, usually outside of the current liberal democracy paradigm.

[Goldberk]

The kind of political debate prevalent on POFO and in theory other non existent forums is adversarial, aggressive and abstracted, this suits men (and masculine others) whilst women (and feminine others) are more suited, to collaborative and relational political discourse.

[Kaiserschmarrn]

In my experience, women are not less interested in politics, but much less interested in political debate (in the widest sense). As a woman I find this quite unfortunate because it can lead to me being caught up in rather boring conversations.

I don't like saying it, but on average men make more interesting conversational partners.

[SE23]

The kind of political debate prevalent on POFO and in theory other non existent forums is adversarial, aggressive and abstracted, this suits men (and masculine others) whilst women (and feminine others) are more suited, to collaborative and relational political discourse.

Men and Women both have the same levels of aggression, the difference is that women's aggression is more passive and subtle, yet runs throughout a coarse of time, a male's will be dormant and then peak suddenly in an overt outburst and go back down again. Some feminine politics may be "nice", especially on the exterior, but passive aggressive. Maybe comparable to the so called "humanitarian interventions" in the Middle East. After all the countries are being invaded for a "nice reason".

I still have a theory that the rules of hypergamy, render more men reaching politics and high status positions than women, because a man has a strong incentive to reach such status (To get sex). When a woman is attracted to a man, she would usually assess how he behaves, who his friends are, what is his job, these are all very important. Where as for a man, we are just attracted to physical looks, perhaps emotional state, if the fella has previous experience with the ladies.

Men by nature of their sexuality have to be dominant, aggressive, and assertive; no this doesn't necessarily mean they have to go around pillaging and raping like the vikings; but they require an element of laughing in the face of rejection. If a man doesn't approach women and ask them out or proposition them, he will be very unlikely to pass on his genes. Women say they don't wish to be stared at by a desperate horny male, but at the same time, many would admit that if they were attracted to a man, they would expect him to read her signals, (i.e. eye contact) for him to approach her.

Of course the idea is absurd and doesn't make rational sense, if a woman makes eye contact with you in the street, it doesn't mean she wants you to jump her, but thats the point, as a man you have to take the risk and face rejection.

[SE23]

In my experience, women are not less interested in politics, but much less interested in political debate (in the widest sense). As a woman I find this quite unfortunate because it can lead to me being caught up in rather boring conversations.

I don't like saying it, but on average men make more interesting conversational partners.

Men tend to more talk about things, were as women tend to more talk about people or relationships. This can lead to great female leaders however, as they know the the way of manipulating people, due to all the Cosmo esque bullshit, but have the dominance and aggression to override others.

[Godstud]

Women have a tough time debating politics because they can't bring their feelings and emotions into online arguments. <ducks>

[layman]

Most women I have spoken to have very little interest in Politics at all. They just go with what is fashionable. This is "generic left wing" where I live.

I don’t really know why it is the case in the wider world. Some say there are discouraged in taking part.

[Kaiserschmarrn]

Men tend to more talk about things, were as women tend to more talk about people or relationships.

I don't know. I've heard of this stereotype but it's not really my experience (which, of course, might not be representative).

This can lead to great female leaders however, as they know the the way of manipulating people, due to all the Cosmo esque bullshit, but have the dominance and aggression to override others.

You really don't like women very much, do you SE23?



I've read a book recently (can't remember the title at the moment) which stated something like: Men argue, women negotiate. In a way that would agree with my experience that women in debates often immediately try to mediate. Very annoying and obviously completely counter-productive to debate.

Anyway, not to be too negative: There are a great many excellent women debaters, including on this forum. Yiwa could beat most of you guys without making much of an effort.

[jessupjonesjnr87]

Women only use the internet for facebook and shopping, pofo isn't going to get a look in.

[fuser]

men don't use facebook or shopping sites? I am pretty sure men would have higher ratio on facebook too.

The kind of political debate prevalent on POFO and in theory other non existent forums is adversarial, aggressive and abstracted

You pretty much described entire internet debate and in this regard PoFo is one of the better ones, me thinks.

In my experience, women are not less interested in politics, but much less interested in political debate (in the widest sense). As a woman I find this quite unfortunate because it can lead to me being caught up in rather boring conversations.

I didn't knew that you are a woman. May be its just that there are women on this board and we just don't know. But seriously there is a tendency (within me too) to take any poster as male by default until revealed otherwise.

[SE23]

You really don't like women very much, do you SE23?



I've read a book recently (can't remember the title at the moment) which stated something like: Men argue, women negotiate. In a way that would agree with my experience that women in debates often immediately try to mediate. Very annoying and obviously completely counter-productive to debate.

Anyway, not to be too negative: There are a great many excellent women debaters, including on this forum. Yiwa could beat most of you guys without making much of an effort.

haha I have been accused of this a lot lately, especially on this forum, for my criticisms on feminism. I am mostly very cynical when it comes to humans, although i believe everyone has their potential. From my personal experience, even at a young age, I saw men and women with similar levels of aggression, although they come out in different ways. I knew a lady who was involved with politics, very smart and on the ball with most things, in my opinion. She would befriend and be sexually very forward with most guys in the political circles she knew, they were mostly clueless, but she was able to wrap them around her little finger by doing this. It was partly tragic but amusing how she was able to gain so much power from this, and she wouldn't even sleep with them. Bottom line is, these will be the future politicians that she has in her pocket now, and she will go places because of this. My point being, that women are on par more advanced when it comes to understanding social interactions and how to manipulate them than men.

look at it like this, men watch t.v shows about fast cars and films regarding war, women read magazines and t.v doctors like Dr Phil and Oprah which is all about manipulating social situations and understanding them.

Men are on the most part, are easy to be manipulated, as its a rarity to find a man who is in charge of his sexuality and not dominated by it. We as men are no longer challenged to identify ourselves with our own sexuality, there is no rite of passage for man, besides having sex with a woman; look at all these coming of age high school flicks, were the anguished nerds spend the entire movie trying to "score" some blondes.
So men tend to go in three directions now, they become effeminate nice guys, who become impotent and are usually cheated on and eventually end up hating women; you get moronic jerks who goes from woman to woman, while not paying child support; and then you have the last category, which is men going their own way; they will end up in the far reaches of the planet to escape a domesticating culture, and ride a bike in Asia for the rest of their days.

[Lightman]

This forum is also toxically misogynistic. That might have something to do with it.

[Social_Critic]

The kind of political debate prevalent on POFO and in theory other non existent forums is adversarial, aggressive and abstracted, this suits men (and masculine others) whilst women (and feminine others) are more suited, to collaborative and relational political discourse.

Exactly. I've found that we are genetically inclined to bullshit in debates and opposition on screen. Women prefer to cooperate making up bullshit.

[jessupjonesjnr87]

This forum is also toxically misogynistic. That might have something to do with it.

So it's man's fault that there isn't more women on pofo?

[Pants-of-dog]

In my experience, women are not less interested in politics, but much less interested in political debate (in the widest sense). As a woman I find this quite unfortunate because it can lead to me being caught up in rather boring conversations.

I don't like saying it, but on average men make more interesting conversational partners.

Since we are all going down the huge generalisation river, I will simply agree with this. In my experience, men like to talk about politics, while women like to do what it takes to change the political situation.

This forum is also toxically misogynistic. That might have something to do with it.

This too.

[Oxymoron]

Women have no place in leadership, or politics.

And thank god we do not have that many on this site.

[Potemkin]

Divorced man here. ^

[Oxymoron]

Divorced a while ago, and that has nothing to do with the fact that women make horrible leaders, and are way to emotionally unstable to be involved in politics.

In fact I love women, and think they are very important in society. Just not in politics, not in leadership positions.