Showing posts with label self-deprecation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-deprecation. Show all posts
Short Men Are Expected to Be Jesters in the Face of Discrimination
Basically, for some reason people think a short guy has to either become a raging lunatic in the face of height prejudice, or turn into a dancing monkey. The only one remotely making sense in that thread is the person who said, "There is a third option. It is called learning to accept that you are short while not making a fool of yourself." Otherwise the whole topic is a disaster. You have a bunch of short clowns, some 7'3 guy telling short men how to behave... Even the main short guy questioning the whole thing says he believes the "short man syndrome" stereotype, even though there is zero good science behind it.
When people discriminate against a short guy, he is expected to essentially turn into a jester and just take it. But whenever a short guy is the one doing the discriminating, for some reason I never see others apply that same "take it in stride and just make fun of yourself" mentality to themselves. No, it basically becomes a free-for-all to slander and insult short men back. Odd. Almost like short men are expected to be more docile than everyone else, lest the "short man syndrome" label rear its head. Of course, nobody else is diagnosed with a syndrome when they get angry about being mocked or dehumanized.
If I were working the register, and I insulted some fat or bald customer, I doubt many would take my side. At most, people would just tell the customer to not overreact. They wouldn't pressure that customer into becoming a personal comedian for literally any random asshole (not just friends and family). It's only with short men where the reaction is gauged more harshly than the initial action. People spend more time lecturing short men about how to react to discrimination, rather than talking to the ones actually doing the discriminating in the first place. When it comes to the latter group, it's always "just ignore them" or something like that. But it seems like people are unable to ignore indignant short men. Short men are the ones told about how height isn't uncontrollable and to accept shortness, when others should also be taught that.
P.S. I doubt College"Humor" would send a similar message about women's weight. It's no wonder their employees are getting laid off, people are sick of their hypocritical preaching. They once made a video about how oppressed women are, because the moment a woman isn't always smiling and amiable, people say she's on the rag. Well, these same folk call any short man who isn't completely castrated a "pocket prince," probably excusing themselves with the "it's fighting the patriarchy when we do it" mindset. If there was some way to magically make short men unable to ever become angry, I swear a frighteningly large number of people would go for it, many of them from the "tolerant" left.
Related: a woman receives almost 50k likes on Twitter for getting mad at a store's weight jokes. The difference in who's allowed to defend themselves is interesting, especially considering how height is an immutable trait but weight isn't. This would be like some bizarro world where it's okay to judge a person's skin color but not their political beliefs, because the former isn't controllable but the latter is.
Kevin Hart Admits to Being Insecure About His Height and Lying About It
Keep this in mind whenever people tell a short man to self-deprecate in order to show how he's not insecure about his height[1][2], because there is no short guy who self-deprecates more than Kevin Hart.
If a Short Man Doesn't Play the Role of Christmas Elf, He's a Pussy
"My old boss use to call me a keebler elf and I'd laugh. I even brought keebler cookies to our Christmas party and told people it's an old family recipe. You just can't be a pussy"
Obviously most people agree with the statement above (because it's just a prank bro), but once we remember how short men are promoted less in the workplace, all of a sudden this isn't as funny. After all, when people picture someone worth respecting, I doubt they picture a keebler elf. This behavior also sets a bad precedent because the moment a new short man arrives who wants to be taken more seriously, people will expect him to also play the elf, because the previous short guy had no problem with it. If the new guy doesn't, people will be offended. "Why can't he be more like keebler elf?"
Also keep in mind how society not only expects, but demands much more self-deprecation from men than women. I have never seen this much peer pressure for fat women to make whale noises in public, or towards flat-chested women to refer to themselves as ironing boards for the entire workplace to laugh about. I'm sure it happens somewhere in the corner of the earth, but personally I haven't seen it.
Related reading: a study about how self-deprecating humor is not helpful for low status individuals.
Obviously most people agree with the statement above (because it's just a prank bro), but once we remember how short men are promoted less in the workplace, all of a sudden this isn't as funny. After all, when people picture someone worth respecting, I doubt they picture a keebler elf. This behavior also sets a bad precedent because the moment a new short man arrives who wants to be taken more seriously, people will expect him to also play the elf, because the previous short guy had no problem with it. If the new guy doesn't, people will be offended. "Why can't he be more like keebler elf?"
Also keep in mind how society not only expects, but demands much more self-deprecation from men than women. I have never seen this much peer pressure for fat women to make whale noises in public, or towards flat-chested women to refer to themselves as ironing boards for the entire workplace to laugh about. I'm sure it happens somewhere in the corner of the earth, but personally I haven't seen it.
Related reading: a study about how self-deprecating humor is not helpful for low status individuals.
The "Manlet" Slur Becoming More Mainstream
I recall a time when "manlet" was only used on sites like 4chan or bodybuilding forums. Anyone who used it elsewhere would be told to go back to those places.
Now, however, I've seen it used everywhere. Generic message boards about video games, music, dating, etc. It's all over YouTube, Twitter, Reddit. I also remember when only guys used this label, but now, I've seen girls saying it to be hip and "one of the boys."
Short men are also being told to call themselves this, often by fellow short guys, because it shows a good sense of humor and pride. I just find that humorous, since I've never seen people telling flat women to call themselves ironing boards, or fat girls to call themselves landwhales. They can choose to do this, but there is no pressure.
I'm just now waiting for the day it's used in real life. Currently we're at, "nobody would say manlet in real life, it'd be too weird," but that's what they used to claim about saying "manlet" outside of specific websites. I'm guessing this is because the kids and teens are now adults. An old man would probably scratch his head at this label, but a kid born nowadays in the Internet age would consider it normal.
Now, however, I've seen it used everywhere. Generic message boards about video games, music, dating, etc. It's all over YouTube, Twitter, Reddit. I also remember when only guys used this label, but now, I've seen girls saying it to be hip and "one of the boys."
Short men are also being told to call themselves this, often by fellow short guys, because it shows a good sense of humor and pride. I just find that humorous, since I've never seen people telling flat women to call themselves ironing boards, or fat girls to call themselves landwhales. They can choose to do this, but there is no pressure.
I'm just now waiting for the day it's used in real life. Currently we're at, "nobody would say manlet in real life, it'd be too weird," but that's what they used to claim about saying "manlet" outside of specific websites. I'm guessing this is because the kids and teens are now adults. An old man would probably scratch his head at this label, but a kid born nowadays in the Internet age would consider it normal.
My Interpretation of the Tyrion Lannister "Armor" Quote
In case anyone doesn't know the quote I'm referring to, here's the full exchange from Game of Thrones:
Tyrion: Let me give you some advice bastard. Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.
Jon: What the hell do you know about being a bastard?
Tyrion: All dwarfs are bastards in their father's eyes.
I've seen many people parroting these lines to encourage self-deprecation among the short. My personal interpretation is slightly different.
Whenever I've had "you're short" used as an insult against me, I've always responded with, "And?" or "You're very observant." On the other hand, someone who doesn't accept their height would say something like, "No, I'm not short, I'm (insert fake taller height), or "I may look short, but I'm actually tall on the inside." Most view short stature as a negative, and that's what allows the label to hurt them. They wish to swat it away like a fly, rather than embrace it.
What separates my interpretation from others is dignity. I find there's a difference between accepting yourself, and I quote, "a short guy wearing an oversized suit and suspenders, dancing a jig in a circle while spinning the propellor on his beanie."
Peter Dinklage himself has a history of refusing demeaning roles, so I wish people would stop using his most famous portrayal to perpetuate the idea that short people should be taken less seriously:
"Dinklage initially struggled to find work as an actor, partially because he refused to take the roles typically offered to actors with his condition, such as "elves or leprechauns... When later interviewed for a theater website, he was asked what his ideal role was, and he replied "the romantic lead" who gets the girl." [9]
P.S. Hopefully anyone who reads this has the discretion to differentiate between joking around with close friends, and constantly making a fool out of yourself.
I Have FINALLY Been Called An Idiot
In my entire life, I've been called an asshole, crazy, etc. but whether online or off, I have never had my intellect insulted. I'm dead serious. The last time I pissed some guy off on here and he left angry comments, he still didn't go there.
Today, I have made someone so mad that it's finally happened. The drought is over:
Update: Unfortunately, the great Richie Le has pulled down the video, so now my original thread burying Richie Le has no context. I tried Googling for an alternate source but all that remains is the reddit thread about it.
Damn son. One would think I stole from this fanboy or something. Talking about height prejudice and self-deprecation makes people furious. The irony is that I'm accused of being "too macho" while this dude rages more than any dudebro I've seen. Then again, every short man who calls out this stuff is accused of some form of being too manly/angry/serious. It's like saying a woman is on the rag or a bitch the moment she's not a doormat.
Anyway, if this is what an intelligent, well-adjusted short man is like, I'll pass. Hopefully no short Uncle Toms or tall masters try to kick my ass. They even admit there's a "struggle," but why is that? Think about it, then you'll understand why I trash guys like Richie Le, and why I'll continue to do so.
Others create enough of this on their own, to the point where if every short man never self-deprecated again, we'd still be screwed. Picture Jet Li in the first Expendables film (hurr hurr I'm so short), or the short Asian guy in Two Broke Girls, or some Bobby Lee type comedian, or the Kim Jong Un Napoleon style propaganda [1][2][3]. This is not what we need more of. Remember, we don't care about height itself here, we care about height prejudice.
Today, I have made someone so mad that it's finally happened. The drought is over:
Update: Unfortunately, the great Richie Le has pulled down the video, so now my original thread burying Richie Le has no context. I tried Googling for an alternate source but all that remains is the reddit thread about it.
Damn son. One would think I stole from this fanboy or something. Talking about height prejudice and self-deprecation makes people furious. The irony is that I'm accused of being "too macho" while this dude rages more than any dudebro I've seen. Then again, every short man who calls out this stuff is accused of some form of being too manly/angry/serious. It's like saying a woman is on the rag or a bitch the moment she's not a doormat.
Anyway, if this is what an intelligent, well-adjusted short man is like, I'll pass. Hopefully no short Uncle Toms or tall masters try to kick my ass. They even admit there's a "struggle," but why is that? Think about it, then you'll understand why I trash guys like Richie Le, and why I'll continue to do so.
Others create enough of this on their own, to the point where if every short man never self-deprecated again, we'd still be screwed. Picture Jet Li in the first Expendables film (hurr hurr I'm so short), or the short Asian guy in Two Broke Girls, or some Bobby Lee type comedian, or the Kim Jong Un Napoleon style propaganda [1][2][3]. This is not what we need more of. Remember, we don't care about height itself here, we care about height prejudice.
Ever Notice How The "Good" Short Men Go Along With Heightism?
I've noticed that the short men people consider "cool, tough, alpha, confident, secure, positive," etc. typically do two things:
Any short man who challenges this status quo has a complex/syndrome, is bitter, insecure, weak, etc. It's just fascinating to me, because if you replace this situation with race or something, people do a complete 180.
For example, I've seen some Asian men say "We have to admit, Asian guys are generally uglier/weaker." Guess what happens? Everyone around teams up to find the guy's balls and put them back on him, like here.
I'm just left wondering who else is pressured into doing this stuff. If I called a bunch of flat-chested girls "pancakes," who would pressure them into also calling themselves that, lest they're "insecure?" Rather, the moment someone remotely insinuates small breast as a flaw, everyone shows up to play the defense force.
Just funny how it's the other way with height. If you're a short man, you must be secure with your implied inferiority, or else you're the piece of shit. It's not enough that the prejudice exists, short men have to go along with it too.
- Proclaim tallness as superior, but they'll just "deal with it."
- Call themselves "manlets" and other various slurs, because it's shows how they're confident and accept themselves. They also label anyone who doesn't do this as insecure.
Any short man who challenges this status quo has a complex/syndrome, is bitter, insecure, weak, etc. It's just fascinating to me, because if you replace this situation with race or something, people do a complete 180.
For example, I've seen some Asian men say "We have to admit, Asian guys are generally uglier/weaker." Guess what happens? Everyone around teams up to find the guy's balls and put them back on him, like here.
I'm just left wondering who else is pressured into doing this stuff. If I called a bunch of flat-chested girls "pancakes," who would pressure them into also calling themselves that, lest they're "insecure?" Rather, the moment someone remotely insinuates small breast as a flaw, everyone shows up to play the defense force.
Just funny how it's the other way with height. If you're a short man, you must be secure with your implied inferiority, or else you're the piece of shit. It's not enough that the prejudice exists, short men have to go along with it too.
How to Fight Heightism With Humor and Empower Yourself
Click to enlarge.
This reminds me of when 5'2 jockey Victor Espinoza went on Dancing With The Stars, and the judges praised him by claiming he seemed like a tall man on stage. Click here to take a look back at that.
This is like praising me by saying "you're Asian, but you have the masculinity of a white guy." Not good.
Typical Responses to Excuse Heightism: "You're Just Insecure/It's Just a Joke Bro"
I came across a good comment summing up how heightism traps short men into never fighting back:
I've seen many short men who believe that by mocking their own height, heightism will be remedied, i.e. by calling themselves "manlets" they "own it" or something. Or they simply shut their mouths like good little boys, like a child getting scolded and not talking back. You see, defiance in the face of heightism makes one "insecure," so it's better to just "let it bounce off you."
It's all fairy tale bullshit. Convenient excuses, for the bullies to feel justified and the short men to do nothing, because deep down short men know that retaliating in any fashion is socially taboo. I once saw a popular comment outright state: "We don't hate short men. We only hate the ones who don't make fun of themselves." That's literally all a short man has to do to draw ire. He's not insulting their family or something, he just doesn't want to dance when they tell him to dance, so he's an asshole. Why any proud short man would want to bring joy and laughter (at his expense) to those who hold him in contempt, is beyond me. I've said it before: for many short men, I guess it's better to be the group clown than not be in any group at all. Think about how many self-deprecating short men already exist. Think about how many short men just "deal with it." Why has heightism not been quelled one bit? Rhetorical question.
It's also telling how every shot at short men is considered "just a prank," but merely pointing out a woman's weight is considered poor taste in this society, let alone publicly mocking a fat lady. I've seen this mentality several times: a short man is mocked, another person replaces "short man" with "fat woman," then somebody else claims the fat line is maliciousness and therefore rude, but the short "jokes" are fun and games. What these people don't understand is that they've been taught by society to think everything towards short men is harmless, while anything about a woman's body is shaming. Name one joke about short men that people agree is rude. Now tell me a joke about fat women that people consider inoffensive.
Remember: short men are not insecure when telling people to fuck off for discriminating. In fact, it's objectively the harder course of action, as everyone will gang up on short men who "take themselves too seriously." These short men are "insecure, sensitive, bitter, have short man syndrome," etc... Fight back regardless. Think of it this way: they already have no respect for short men in general.
"One guy innocently points out that as a shorter guy it sucks to see the author refer to short men as stumpy and taller men as impressive, only to have another user reply to him with this:
'And all the coverage on Chris Christie's weight, despite him being quite physically able. Come on, is this American Idol? The fact that people care so deeply just shows how insecure they are.'
That sums up western hatred to short men just there. 'It's just a prank bro. Learn to laugh at your shorter stature. If you have a problem with me mocking your height that just makes you insecure now'.
Fuck society. Humanity really hasn't come that far it seems. No wonder so many people just put a pistol to their head these days. People are dicks." - Original comment.
I've seen many short men who believe that by mocking their own height, heightism will be remedied, i.e. by calling themselves "manlets" they "own it" or something. Or they simply shut their mouths like good little boys, like a child getting scolded and not talking back. You see, defiance in the face of heightism makes one "insecure," so it's better to just "let it bounce off you."
It's all fairy tale bullshit. Convenient excuses, for the bullies to feel justified and the short men to do nothing, because deep down short men know that retaliating in any fashion is socially taboo. I once saw a popular comment outright state: "We don't hate short men. We only hate the ones who don't make fun of themselves." That's literally all a short man has to do to draw ire. He's not insulting their family or something, he just doesn't want to dance when they tell him to dance, so he's an asshole. Why any proud short man would want to bring joy and laughter (at his expense) to those who hold him in contempt, is beyond me. I've said it before: for many short men, I guess it's better to be the group clown than not be in any group at all. Think about how many self-deprecating short men already exist. Think about how many short men just "deal with it." Why has heightism not been quelled one bit? Rhetorical question.
It's also telling how every shot at short men is considered "just a prank," but merely pointing out a woman's weight is considered poor taste in this society, let alone publicly mocking a fat lady. I've seen this mentality several times: a short man is mocked, another person replaces "short man" with "fat woman," then somebody else claims the fat line is maliciousness and therefore rude, but the short "jokes" are fun and games. What these people don't understand is that they've been taught by society to think everything towards short men is harmless, while anything about a woman's body is shaming. Name one joke about short men that people agree is rude. Now tell me a joke about fat women that people consider inoffensive.
Remember: short men are not insecure when telling people to fuck off for discriminating. In fact, it's objectively the harder course of action, as everyone will gang up on short men who "take themselves too seriously." These short men are "insecure, sensitive, bitter, have short man syndrome," etc... Fight back regardless. Think of it this way: they already have no respect for short men in general.
Uncle Toms
Merriam-Webster definition of an Uncle Tom:
If you ask me, there are still many Uncle Toms running around in the form of short/Asian men. You know, Bobby Lee, Doctor Ken types. It's even worse when this type tries to convince everyone they're a positive role model. "Just make fun of yourself!" I will, on the day a 6 foot guy is mocked as much as a 5 foot guy.
I've seen many short men allow their heads to be used as armrests, and just outright humiliated by tall men. Then they become straight up apologists and excuse this behavior. Worst of all, is when people act like this is okay because short men haven't been lynched or enslaved. Trust me, Uncle Tom black men would still be scum even if they were never slaves.
People can make all the excuses they want, but until tall men are pressured into humiliating themselves as much as short men, I'll continue to call short jesters "Uncle Toms." Short sycophants are the one thing standing in the way of mainstream attention towards heightism. When the slaves themselves endorse their predicament, then what's the big deal?
- a member of a low-status group who is overly subservient to or cooperative with authority.
- The term "Uncle Tom" is used as a derogatory epithet for an excessively subservient person, particularly when that person perceives their own lower-class status based on race. It is similarly used to negatively describe a person who betrays their own group by participating in its oppression, whether or not they do so willingly.
If you ask me, there are still many Uncle Toms running around in the form of short/Asian men. You know, Bobby Lee, Doctor Ken types. It's even worse when this type tries to convince everyone they're a positive role model. "Just make fun of yourself!" I will, on the day a 6 foot guy is mocked as much as a 5 foot guy.
I've seen many short men allow their heads to be used as armrests, and just outright humiliated by tall men. Then they become straight up apologists and excuse this behavior. Worst of all, is when people act like this is okay because short men haven't been lynched or enslaved. Trust me, Uncle Tom black men would still be scum even if they were never slaves.
People can make all the excuses they want, but until tall men are pressured into humiliating themselves as much as short men, I'll continue to call short jesters "Uncle Toms." Short sycophants are the one thing standing in the way of mainstream attention towards heightism. When the slaves themselves endorse their predicament, then what's the big deal?
How to Be a "Cool Short Person"
"But much like racial minorities, short people are tricked into thinking that they are less than everyone else. Stature stereotypes, just like racial ones, greatly impact their victim's self-esteem and self-image. Some short people, in response to these stereotypes, develop a stereotypical short-person personality."
"The most documented of these is the Napoleon Complex. This affects short men who feel they must overcompensate in machismo or success for what they lack in height. They are quick to anger and eager to show off. An example: Some friends were walking out of class. A bunch of us jumped up to tap the top of the doorway as we exited, except for our Napoleon friend, who missed, backed up to hit it again, missed ... and wouldn't let anyone leave until he'd proved his manliness to us all. Needless to say, we were all very impressed."
"There is a female version of this which, for lack of a better term, I have dubbed Rhea Perlman Complex. Women with Rhea Perlman Complex abhor the cute and helpless stereotype attached to short women. So they go out of their way to let everyone know they don't need help, they're not cute and they better not be messed with. And they have a tendency to curse like sailors."
"If you should ever come across one of these, whether you are male or female, do not offer them help. Even if she is carrying a 50-pound bag of rice or towing a busload of school children, do not help. You will be met only with a contemptuous glare and a declaration of "No thank you, I'll do it myself."
"If you've met any of the types of people I've just described, please don't judge them. They've been discriminated against and don't know how to deal with their frustration. But don't worry. In time, most of them outgrow their confusion and land in the final category: cool short person. Cool short people are really funny because, like all people outside of "normal," they've learned not to take themselves so seriously. They laugh when they notice that the junior-high kids on Bruin Walk are taller than them."
This would be like laughing because you're darker than a black person. I just don't get the punchline. Why is it laughable to be shorter than someone? I don't believe it's "taking myself too seriously" to question this.
I also think it's funny how short people are absolutely not allowed to be strong/independent. Even if that's genuinely your identity, you will have it linked to your height, as if the Napoleon Complex is real (it isn't). It's like us short people have to pretend some 50-lb bag of rice is heavy, or else we're trying to prove something.
I doubt anyone would question some tall guy who wants to take care of business himself. If he ever wants to prove something, he'd just be ambitious, a loner at most with a chip on his shoulder. He wouldn't have some "complex" linked to his height. My 5'11 friend used to go to the gym, and would get annoyed whenever some guy tried to help him. Of course, since he isn't short, he gets a free pass on the height thing.
Ironic how these excerpts come from a site called "shortsupport." You know the old saying: with friends like these, who needs enemies? If you're a short person, don't fall for this type. When someone uses the Napoleon Complex to slander short men and women, they've given up a long time ago.
24/10/2015 update: As a pro-wrestling fan, I came across an interview from 6'2 wrestler Ryback. Doesn't matter if you don't know him, just read this excerpt because it's related:
"I like to win. I like to be my best. Here’s an example. At camp a few months ago, there was a pingpong table. I love pingpong. Since I was a kid, I’d always play pingpong. Now, Jimmy Uso and Adrian Neville both kicked my ass playing pingpong. I played them 10 games each. I couldn’t let it go.” - SourceGuaranteed if he was a short man, he'd be labeled with a complex. I fucking guarantee it. Short man stereotypes are pure confirmation bias.
Short Men Who Accept Their Place Are Not Secure
People often label short men as "insecure" when we call out heightism. In turn, society praises short men who know their place. I found a good comment discussing complacent short men, the ones who self-deprecate and grin when they're mocked:
"In their quest to feel accepted by society, they give permission to be treated as inferior to others. These men are seen by society as being 'secure with their implied inferiority.' So, when other short men insist on being treated fairly/equally (or question their poor treatment), they are labelled as insecure with their implied inferiority. The same is true when striving to create an environment where heightism is intrinsically immoral." - Source
Short Men Are Automatically Hilarious Just For Existing
https://www.facebook.com/djmosakenofficial/videos/1129490263743866/
Truly witty and clever. A real knee-slapper. The comments are the best part. Remember, these are actual people one would see in everyday life. We should have a video where a really dark black dude is laughed at in a lineup of really pale white guys. Don't be mad, it's just a sight gag, so let's like it over 30,000 times and share it over 70,000 times. Yes, I'm comparing heightism and racism, not equating them. I always need this disclaimer because people are retarded.
The video reminds me of this picture: 5'8 Kit Harington standing with 5'9 Sophie Turner and 6'3 Gwendoline Christie. The two actresses are much taller than the average woman (plus they're wearing heels), yet the short man is the one used as the punchline (because short men are weak you see). It's always the man who's too short. It's never the women who are too tall.
I'm not saying tall women should be made fun of instead, but c'mon, at least be equal with these so-called harmless jokes. Short men are automatically hilarious just for existing. Just for standing there being short. I guess I'll never understand society's sense of humor. I'll also never understand why short men are always told to bash ourselves/take mockery up the ass, like here, here, and here.
This isn't about attractiveness or however else people spin it, it's about being seen as a joke in everyday life. Short men are walking jokes. Well, society has a height joke alright, but I ain't laughing. The joke is that people are zombies when it comes to height. Perhaps they watch too many movies.
Update: a few days after I made this post, reddit has done it again: Sophie Turner and Gwendoline Christie taking out their adopted son to a dinner party
He's their adopted son only because he's shorter than they are. Wow.
Aside from specific subreddits designed to make fun of people, reddit in general has a politically correct facade. Mock flat or tall women in some random forum like Game of Thrones and there would be hell to pay. Short men, however, are everyone's bitch, the ones people use as target practice to feel better about themselves, with the added bonus of no political correctness.
One of the top posts says "You can see the regret in Kit's face, "Damnit why did I agree to having a photo with two really tall women in heels."
No. That's his regular 'I smell something funny' expression he does 24/7. It's even a damn meme, and I'm pretty sure these fans are just conveniently ignoring it to laugh at his stature.
People project this weird idea onto short men, where we're insecure due to simply standing next to taller women. I could stand next to a 20 foot lady and I wouldn't care. I hate these fuckers because they're the average retard off the street. "We're just kidding around bro. I actually think short men are a joke though."
I agree with the following:
Truly witty and clever. A real knee-slapper. The comments are the best part. Remember, these are actual people one would see in everyday life. We should have a video where a really dark black dude is laughed at in a lineup of really pale white guys. Don't be mad, it's just a sight gag, so let's like it over 30,000 times and share it over 70,000 times. Yes, I'm comparing heightism and racism, not equating them. I always need this disclaimer because people are retarded.
The video reminds me of this picture: 5'8 Kit Harington standing with 5'9 Sophie Turner and 6'3 Gwendoline Christie. The two actresses are much taller than the average woman (plus they're wearing heels), yet the short man is the one used as the punchline (because short men are weak you see). It's always the man who's too short. It's never the women who are too tall.
I'm not saying tall women should be made fun of instead, but c'mon, at least be equal with these so-called harmless jokes. Short men are automatically hilarious just for existing. Just for standing there being short. I guess I'll never understand society's sense of humor. I'll also never understand why short men are always told to bash ourselves/take mockery up the ass, like here, here, and here.
"Embrace being short and accept that it is part of you. Laugh when a girl rejects you at the bar for being too short and move on. Smile when someone uses you (all the fucking time) as an armrest. Recycle the short jokes you have heard all throughout high school and middle school on yourself and make people laugh."I'll pass on the voluntary castration. How often would a 6 foot guy have to insult his own height, or receive heightist humiliation from others? Don't say "well, life isn't fair." Say, "society has a facade of equality." Once all the schools/governments/media admit society does not strive for equality, and instead has a huge height bias, I'll do a little jig like a monkey. For now, they're lying.
This isn't about attractiveness or however else people spin it, it's about being seen as a joke in everyday life. Short men are walking jokes. Well, society has a height joke alright, but I ain't laughing. The joke is that people are zombies when it comes to height. Perhaps they watch too many movies.
Update: a few days after I made this post, reddit has done it again: Sophie Turner and Gwendoline Christie taking out their adopted son to a dinner party
He's their adopted son only because he's shorter than they are. Wow.
Aside from specific subreddits designed to make fun of people, reddit in general has a politically correct facade. Mock flat or tall women in some random forum like Game of Thrones and there would be hell to pay. Short men, however, are everyone's bitch, the ones people use as target practice to feel better about themselves, with the added bonus of no political correctness.
One of the top posts says "You can see the regret in Kit's face, "Damnit why did I agree to having a photo with two really tall women in heels."
No. That's his regular 'I smell something funny' expression he does 24/7. It's even a damn meme, and I'm pretty sure these fans are just conveniently ignoring it to laugh at his stature.
People project this weird idea onto short men, where we're insecure due to simply standing next to taller women. I could stand next to a 20 foot lady and I wouldn't care. I hate these fuckers because they're the average retard off the street. "We're just kidding around bro. I actually think short men are a joke though."
I agree with the following:
"This is why I never take tall girls complaining about standing out for their appearance seriously. When a tall girl, or extremely tall girls in this case are stood next to a guy who is practically average height, guess who gets mocked? The 'manlet' of course"
"I wonder if someone made some joke about Kit taking his two pet giraffes out for a walk or something if people would still see it as "just as joke"
Proud Short Men Apparently Have to Self-Deprecate
I've found the problem here. I was a regular at "/R/verticallychallenged" until some people here decided that it was too demeaning. It wasn't. It was a part of making fun of yourself. If you cant make fun of yourself you will mark yourself as a vulnerable target for teasing, bullying and condescension.
And then there is the low self esteem. I see guys mostly just whining that they're short, a joke to everyone and no women will want them. Well, no woman wants a short guy if he's insecure too. Man the fuck up, you can have a huge presence even if you are small in stature.
I am 5'6 and I get teased occasionally, but once someone cracks a joke about my height I just top him with a better one. ( let's face it, we've heard them all, we should have a decent arsenal)
This is a place where we could have fun, but it somehow always spins into a "oh woe is me". And it's getting boring. Locate your testicles and gain some confidence. Once you have the confidence to not let anyone's remarks or prejudice budge you then people won't even notice that you're short, you're just not tall.
Stand proud, and no one will care if you're short.
I know many will assume I'm a troll because they can't face the fact that they are a big part of their own problem.
This is an old post from reddit.com/r/short, but I came across it again while searching for something else. The "short" subreddit used to be called "verticallychallenged" but got changed because it was retarded. Vertically challenged by what? Gravity? Heightists? Are dark skinned people challenged by pigmentation?
True fucking delusion from the self-hater I quoted. Tells short men to stand proud while making fun of ourselves. If no one cared about our height so long as we're proud, we wouldn't have to make fun of it, let alone have others join in.
I can't believe self-deprecation is even a real suggestion. "If someone makes fun of you, simply approve and perpetuate it, then they'll stop!" What? Guys used to try and mock me. The moment I told them to fuck off, they did. They never disrespected me again. I'm speaking from experience. How the hell does the opposite make sense?
I've seen this before from other short guys. The moment you approve of these "jokes," they will rain down on you for the rest of your life. You will be the dart board in social gatherings, as douchebags will target you to elevate their own status, especially if the opposite sex is around. Society views shortness as inferior, no matter how confident you are, so short men are already easy targets. Why make it easier for them?
Out of curiosity, how often would a 6 foot guy have to make fun of his own height? If the answer is "never" then I will also pass on the height deprecation, citing equality. Can you imagine James Bond or Batman or some other tall hero constantly self-deprecating about their stature? It would be annoying and pathetic. Does Vladimir Putin make fun of his own height? Did Bruce Lee? Like them or not, they're proud and confident short men in my eyes, yet I can't recall any self-deprecation from them, at least not about height.
Society's idea of a confident short man is a jester. They want short men to be confident enough to be the group clown, a social punching bag. There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity. Don't fall for this shit. Make fun of yourself for being a klutz or something, but don't insult your own height until heightism is a recognized prejudice. Studies show that self-deprecation, from those who can't afford it, comes off as weakness. Click here for more.
Finally, this moron says "then people won't even notice that you're short" like it's a positive. It's pretty obvious where the real low self-esteem lies. If he's so proud, why would he want that? That's like me hoping my 'konfidunce' causes people to ignore my skin color. He's like a tall girl hunching over during group gatherings. I want people to notice that I'm short, because it's who I am. If they think who I am is a joke, then they can kiss my ass. Guess that makes me a weak ass bitch.
All in all, it seems like some short men gave up on fighting back ages ago, and this is their way of rationalizing submissiveness and complacency. They're good little boys who dance like monkeys for their masters. When the standard for confidence is to grin like a doofus, it's easy being a tough guy, telling others to “man up” over the Internet. It's not like they actually have to show any toughness in real life, because all they do is take it up the ass and smile. I never knew being a proud short man was so simple. In all seriousness, I know society encourages this in short men, but delusional apathy is not a great trait.
This is not the visage of a proud short man, no matter what Garmins say.
A self-deprecating short guy is like a fighter who gets knocked out by no choice of his own, then later claims he let his opponent hit him. It's all bullshit because he would've gotten clocked anyway. From the moment our genetics are determined, short guys are made fun of no matter what we do, as "short" is an insult on its own. Therefore, these Garmins just pretend like the disrespect is within their control. "Oh, you didn't really make fun of me, because I let you do it." Either that or they're claiming they knocked themselves out first. "Joke's on you, I humiliated myself before you got to me! Therefore you didn't really win. I'm so smart and strong." Best part is when a fighter is getting destroyed but pretends like it doesn't hurt. Pure retardation no matter how one spins it, yet Garmins believe they're profound. I don't buy what they're selling for a second.
"His thick skin and ability to laugh at himself." It takes no thick skin to just shut-up and take the treatment... It takes a thick-skin to battle against heightism. - Source
This Is Basically Short Men's Place In Society
Yup... If this is considered comedy, then I wonder what kind of society would find this funny. One obsessed with eyelid surgery and skin lightening, no doubt. Guys like Richie Le would claim this is how short men should act.
What the Fuck Is This?
Whether this show was scripted or not, that short guy is a classic Garmin (short jester).
While the video itself is already stupid, here's some bonus retardation from the comments:
"He just has a Napoleon complex. He's 5'5'' and he's trying to have the balls and confidence of a 7'5''.
YouTube comments are notoriously dumb, but I've seen people elsewhere with similar sentiments. What the fuck do they even mean? Confidence of a 7'5"?
"He's Asian and he's trying to have the balls and confidence of a white guy."
Sounds silly when I put it that way, doesn't it? I hate how positive traits are intrinsically linked with taller height.
Don't even get me started on the bullshit Napoleon Complex.
Garmin
People on reddit coined a term for self-deprecating short men: Garmin.
"What's your problem?! Why can't you relax and know your place? Why can't you be more like Garmin over here?" (Gestures to a narrow chested short guy wearing an oversized suit and suspenders, dancing a jig in a circle while spinning the propellor on his beanie).
"A Garmin is like a kid who goes to his dad's construction job on "take your kid to work day." His dad lets him wear a hard hat and a tool belt to make him feel like he's helping, and the kid really believes he's part of the crew that day. A Garmin who self deprecates is in the same situation because people pretend that he's part of the team because he's a good little boy."
"Being a Garmin is a really shitty thing to do, not only to your own self respect, but to other short men. When you make yourself a walking punchline for the entertainment of others, you reenforce the notion that short men in general are inferior and/or will entertain in the same way. It makes it harder for other short men to be taken seriously."
"I think that this is what a lot of people miss. Not only do Garmins make a fool of themselves. They disgrace us all. It makes people think that heightism is okay because some clowns don't mind being harassed. "Hey! It's just a joke, bro! Why can't you be more like Garmin! You're so sensitive!"
"Garmins have reaffirmed our punchline status so many times, that people always feel free to degrade us just to "break the ice" in social situations, even when it is extremely inappropriate, and done in a disrespectful manner. Then, if we object to the treatment, everyone coalesces against us for not being like the Garmins that they have met in their lifetime. Another harmful effect of Garmins, is they supply the safety net where people can degrade us in ways that are harmful to our reputation, then, they can pass it off as "Oh..I was just joking. Calm down, little guy."
This behavior can be attributed to other forms of self-deprecation, especially when mocking a trait society already deems inferior. It just digs a deeper grave. Also click here for a study on self-deprecation.
How to Make an Ironclad Stigma
The following is taken from here: http://www.reddit.com/r/short/comments/2be8mj/13_year_old_commits_suicide_after_years_of_being/cj56244
Ironclad is the perfect word for what it is. We can't improve ourselves or defend ourselves from the stigmas, or that is used as evidence that the stigmas are deserved. We can't get help from the media because they never take the issue seriously, they misrepresent studies in order to reaffirm the stereotypes, and celebrities either go full Garmin, or they remain silent about the issue because speaking against heightism can be a career killer. Basically, the stereotypes spread and reinforce at a rate much faster than the few of us who approach this issue can mount any countereffort.
We got left behind when other forms of discrimination moved forward. So, people equate heightism with "discrimination against big noses" etc, even though we have a body of evidence showing discrimination that links directly to height, but this is the price we pay for getting left behind when other isms were taking off. So, our evidence is cast away as "Everyone goes through something in life" even though the something that we go through has a ton of empirical evidence to prove it, while the other "somethings in life" that are used as counterarguments against us do not.(BTW- not saying that those other somethings aren't worthy of being addressed as well)
Also, being that we got left behind, we're not allowed to use analogies and comparisons to other forms of discrimination, even if we're just comparing the mechanics and not the historical significance. This is always carried-out by a straw man argument that represents us as stating that we're advocating for everyone to stop fighting other forms of discrimination so that they can fight heightism. This misrepresentation just will not die. If people don't enact this misrepresentation, it's the one about how fighting heightism is an indication that we are saying that slavery or The Holocaust was no big deal. People are rightfully fighting other traditionally-addressed isms, but they think that by trivializing anti-heightism efforts, they are somehow honoring the fights against those other isms. They are enacting an irrelevant strategy, but people who hold this misguided opinion are the majority of the populace. Good luck fighting the majority of the populace when you belong to a group that is generally ubiquitously despised, especially when they're idiotically assigning your efforts as an affront to efforts against other forms of discrimination that society is trying to eradicate.
Also, while heightism is not totally gender-specific, men get the brunt of it. Men aren't allowed to have issues or we're "not men." This is especially ironclad for us because we're already "not men" because of our height, so this issue compounds itself exponentially due to this Catch-22.
Then, there's the science(and pseudo-science) arguments where people apply biological arguments to justify heightism. These people all use computers, drive cars, and live in civilization, yet when it comes to heightism..they want it to be "Call of the wild." All of the things I've mentioned thus far help sway them in this direction, but you just can't argue with science...so that puts the nail in the coffin.
Societally, we're also dealing with a continuum of generations who are set in their ways on one side, and who have an indoctrinated sense of self-importance on the younger. On the older end, they see anything that changes as pissing on their nostalgia, and see any effort for social change as evidence that society is becoming "pussified" and going to "hell in a handbasket." On the younger end, we have The Self-Esteem Generation who have been taught that their opinions are golden and they can do anything they want if they smear a unicorn's ear wax on their chest and have "confidence." They are so darling that they can change the world with just their desire. So, everyone falls on this continuum somewhere, but no matter which side they're on, they are set in their ways or maintain a super-inflated idea of their importance to society. Those on the older(or older thinking) parts of the continuum are using flippant dismissals of things like anti-heightism efforts as a way to prove that "The buck stops here." They want to seal all loopholes that could potentially piss on their precious nostalgia to a degree where they may have to change their ways. This stew of self-involvement and inflated ego leads to a narrative where the status quo wins-out, therefore, anti-heightism efforts are not going to flourish in the current social climate.
These are some of the attitudes we're dealing with, and they even transcend heightism. Add the March of The Garmins into the mix, and our efforts get even further diluted because those of us who oppose heightism are believed to be "out of line" because people are used to Garmins staying in their place, and they expect us to be good little boys just like the Garmins.
Furthermore, and possibly most poignantly, society just flat-out doesn't listen to what short people say. Our size makes us child-like, so the best thing to do when we say anything that could upset the herd, is scold us and send us to bed without a juice box. It doesn't matter what we say, know, or think...because we're supposed to speak only when spoken to, and when we are spoken to, we are expected to only reply in a specific manner and tone, and we're supposed to only reply with content that has been predetermined by society, and is associated with our stature.
These are only a few of the reasons why it's such a mess trying to move this issue forward, but it's a mess indeed, and it's not going to be easy to sift through every cliche, stigma, stereotype, straw man argument, false belief, and inflated sense of importance this society offers. We definitely have our work cut out for us.
Ironclad is the perfect word for what it is. We can't improve ourselves or defend ourselves from the stigmas, or that is used as evidence that the stigmas are deserved. We can't get help from the media because they never take the issue seriously, they misrepresent studies in order to reaffirm the stereotypes, and celebrities either go full Garmin, or they remain silent about the issue because speaking against heightism can be a career killer. Basically, the stereotypes spread and reinforce at a rate much faster than the few of us who approach this issue can mount any countereffort.
We got left behind when other forms of discrimination moved forward. So, people equate heightism with "discrimination against big noses" etc, even though we have a body of evidence showing discrimination that links directly to height, but this is the price we pay for getting left behind when other isms were taking off. So, our evidence is cast away as "Everyone goes through something in life" even though the something that we go through has a ton of empirical evidence to prove it, while the other "somethings in life" that are used as counterarguments against us do not.(BTW- not saying that those other somethings aren't worthy of being addressed as well)
Also, being that we got left behind, we're not allowed to use analogies and comparisons to other forms of discrimination, even if we're just comparing the mechanics and not the historical significance. This is always carried-out by a straw man argument that represents us as stating that we're advocating for everyone to stop fighting other forms of discrimination so that they can fight heightism. This misrepresentation just will not die. If people don't enact this misrepresentation, it's the one about how fighting heightism is an indication that we are saying that slavery or The Holocaust was no big deal. People are rightfully fighting other traditionally-addressed isms, but they think that by trivializing anti-heightism efforts, they are somehow honoring the fights against those other isms. They are enacting an irrelevant strategy, but people who hold this misguided opinion are the majority of the populace. Good luck fighting the majority of the populace when you belong to a group that is generally ubiquitously despised, especially when they're idiotically assigning your efforts as an affront to efforts against other forms of discrimination that society is trying to eradicate.
Also, while heightism is not totally gender-specific, men get the brunt of it. Men aren't allowed to have issues or we're "not men." This is especially ironclad for us because we're already "not men" because of our height, so this issue compounds itself exponentially due to this Catch-22.
Then, there's the science(and pseudo-science) arguments where people apply biological arguments to justify heightism. These people all use computers, drive cars, and live in civilization, yet when it comes to heightism..they want it to be "Call of the wild." All of the things I've mentioned thus far help sway them in this direction, but you just can't argue with science...so that puts the nail in the coffin.
Societally, we're also dealing with a continuum of generations who are set in their ways on one side, and who have an indoctrinated sense of self-importance on the younger. On the older end, they see anything that changes as pissing on their nostalgia, and see any effort for social change as evidence that society is becoming "pussified" and going to "hell in a handbasket." On the younger end, we have The Self-Esteem Generation who have been taught that their opinions are golden and they can do anything they want if they smear a unicorn's ear wax on their chest and have "confidence." They are so darling that they can change the world with just their desire. So, everyone falls on this continuum somewhere, but no matter which side they're on, they are set in their ways or maintain a super-inflated idea of their importance to society. Those on the older(or older thinking) parts of the continuum are using flippant dismissals of things like anti-heightism efforts as a way to prove that "The buck stops here." They want to seal all loopholes that could potentially piss on their precious nostalgia to a degree where they may have to change their ways. This stew of self-involvement and inflated ego leads to a narrative where the status quo wins-out, therefore, anti-heightism efforts are not going to flourish in the current social climate.
These are some of the attitudes we're dealing with, and they even transcend heightism. Add the March of The Garmins into the mix, and our efforts get even further diluted because those of us who oppose heightism are believed to be "out of line" because people are used to Garmins staying in their place, and they expect us to be good little boys just like the Garmins.
Furthermore, and possibly most poignantly, society just flat-out doesn't listen to what short people say. Our size makes us child-like, so the best thing to do when we say anything that could upset the herd, is scold us and send us to bed without a juice box. It doesn't matter what we say, know, or think...because we're supposed to speak only when spoken to, and when we are spoken to, we are expected to only reply in a specific manner and tone, and we're supposed to only reply with content that has been predetermined by society, and is associated with our stature.
These are only a few of the reasons why it's such a mess trying to move this issue forward, but it's a mess indeed, and it's not going to be easy to sift through every cliche, stigma, stereotype, straw man argument, false belief, and inflated sense of importance this society offers. We definitely have our work cut out for us.
Self-Deprecating Humor
"I think all of us know a guy like this. Always bringing up his 'flaws' before anyone else can. Always spinning it in a positive light, or trying to be funny, in order to prove to others that he's "one of the good ones."
In this study on how self-deprecating humor is harmful, it says "self-deprecating humor was much more attractive than other-deprecating humor when used by high-status potential mates, for both male and female raters. When used by low-status potential mates, there was little difference in long-term attractiveness between self- and other-deprecating humor. We theorize that high-status individuals can more easily afford to make fun of themselves."
"Thus, the use of self-deprecating humor by low-status individuals may be counter-productive, suggesting depression, defeatism, subordination, low self-esteem, and/or low mate value. On the other hand, if an individual has achieved high social status, they are unlikely to have truly low conscientiousness, extraversion, or emotional stability, and they must show reasonable agreeableness often enough to make friends and win support. Thus, self-deprecating humor may be a way of transiently faking inferior personally traits, to highlight the discrepancy between the faked traits (e.g., introversion, neuroticism) and the traits actually required to win high status."
Basically, when you're a "low status" person (like a short man), you only come off as pathetic when you self-deprecate.
Bonus shoutout to the guy named "Free_Apples" from where I found this study. In a situation where a tall guy uses a short man's head as an armrest, this uncle tom is focused on the short man's reaction and whether or not the short guy has a complex. Mr. Tom also still tries to excuse self-deprecating height humor, even when the study is right in front of him. A tall guy could literally put his hands on someone and there will be no height complex given. The behavior under scrutiny is the short person's reaction, not the tall person's action. A short man is much more often lectured about having a complex, rather than a tall person being told to not behave rudely around short people in the first place.
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