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Political Machismo

Donald Trump’s hyper-masculinity is distinctly unconvincing. Despite his rants and bluster, one still has the impression that behind his façade of pumped-up machismo lurks a frightened little white man who knows that he is no longer in control.

NEW YORK – Parts of the world are experiencing eruptions of hyper-masculinity. The president of the United States presents himself as a kind of caveman, beating his chest, grabbing women “by the pussy,” and roaring like a great ape. A Canadian psychology professor, Jordan Peterson, has attracted countless young male followers by telling them to stand up straight, fight the liberal softies, reassert their male authority, and restore the old social hierarchies that he believes are forces of nature. Peterson is a slightly more couth version of another male self-help guru, Julien Blanc, who caused a scandal a few years ago by stating that women enjoy being taken by force.

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