Cynique

@TroyYes, braced in quotation marks. But a good journalist wouldn't compose that kind of a sentence; a good journalist would use the word in a context that would make its meaning clear, especially if what the congressman said was obvious to the educators if they were all women. Google the phrase: "definition of mansplaining" and Merriman-Webster, will come up on the list of what is referred to as dictionaries supplying definitions for this word. If you click on to the Merriman-Webster headliner, it will take you to a site which is entitled "words we are watching" which features an interesting article about the etymology of the word. At least this is the case on my new desktop Dell computer! (BTW, since "questions" is used in the singular, you shouldn't have pluralized it. But you should've pluralized "news". You also should've used a colon(:), not a semi-colon(;). tsk-tsk Answer yes or no. Would a good journalist make these oversights and errors?) And I did not insist that word is in the dictionary. This is what i said: Not only are you not accurately quoting what i said, but you are apparently refusing to utilize Google because of your personal prejudices against it. So we will just have to remain at an impasse. i don't understand why this is such a sticking point with you. it's like it's an emotional thing with you because it's derogatory to poor "misunderstood" men - who mansplain.

The Republican Party neglected blacks during the Reconstruction era that ushered in Jim Crowism which was just another form of slavery. When FDR took office during the Depression, blacks began streaming into the Democratic party because it spoke better to their needs. During the height of the Civil Rights movement, southern Democrats were so horrified by the possibility of equality being granted to negroes that they bolted their traditional party and formed the Dixiecrats who subsequently infiltrated and took over the Republican party. Clarence Thomas was an affable ol colored guy, but he betrayed his people by aligning himself with the Right Wing Conservatives on the Supreme Court, and voted against everything that could benefit blacks, and this included the affirmative action and social programs that he and Uncle Ben Carson both benefited from. Are you suggesting that blacks just stop voting and wait around for one of these parties to address their problems? What we do know is that as flawed as the Democratic party is, the Republicans are even worse and they couldn't care less about blacks coming over to their side

@TroyIf you Google mansplaining, Merriman-Webster comes up, and supplies its definition of the word, and in its article on the subject, notes that the word is not going to go away, - which means it just might be inducted into the actual dictionary at a later date, as is often the case with pop culture words. And just because women misuse this word, doesn't justify it being misused. i reject your notion that it is not a "real" word. It conforms to the definition of a word, which includes describing it as a synonym for "term". BTW, Language covers a broad spectrum of communication and urban dictionaries are very legitimate because they are an acknowledgment of how slang contributes to language. Again, the word "mansplain" was coined by militant Feminists and was intended solely for the use of women. It has been bastardized by men who are offended by it, and by women who have inadvertently gone along with the mansplained perversion of it.

@TroyMansplaining does have an official definition which does, indeed, appear in the Merriam Webster dictionary: https://www.merriam-webster.com/.../mansplaining-definition-history. As well as the dictionary of idioms: /idioms.thefreedictionary.com/mansplaining The urban dictionary also defines it in street slang. So it's absurd of you to say that mansplaining is not really a word, especially after you supply a definition of it, yourself, in order to bolster your argument. I have valid reasons to stand by my argument that women/feminists originated this word, and men, as you previously stated, co-opted and tried to flip it because it was an unflattering put down of them. In spite of this admission by you, it doesn't seem to register with you, that the purity of this word was diluted by men. At its core, mansplaining is about men being patronizing to women. i insist on the proper usage of ''mansplaining" because of my love for language, and mansplaining loses its impact when not true to its original definition. As far as i am concerned, when men interact and discuss why they cheat, this is not an exercise in mansplaining but rather a "bull session"; a very apt term. And women certainly don't need to have men explain to them why men are "dogs".

@TroyYou certainly were not mansplaining in your response because you didn't recycle what i said but instead expressed your opinionated interpretation of what the word implies which, according to you, can involve hostility or hysteria. But these types of confrontations can occur between 2 people of the same sex, which is why what you contend is more about explaining than mansplaining. And why didn't you include one of the definitions that supported your argument? "Mansplaining" is a rather recent addition to the popular vernacular and it originated with women. Men should come up with their own term to counteract mansplaining, instead of trying to tailor this word to fit their views. And who in the universe would reject the intrinsic meaning of a word made up by women, except people who are prone to mansplaining and co-opting, - people also known as men.

The meme in this post, which is only a speculation, conveys with illustrations that humans have physical counterparts of the universe. Which would further suggests that we are replicas of it. Everybody has their own theory and when it comes to the truth, who knows?

@TroyYour co-opting and flipping the word "mansplain" completely diffuses it, takes away its impact and makes it redundant. Why would mansplain be used in a general sense to replace the word "explain" without a reason? What are some of the other definitions of which you speak? You skewed the definition of mansplain by saying the word is applied by women every time a man opens his mouth. And this is not the case. It's only when he smugly states the obvious. That definition i supplied was from a dictionary, and the meaning of this word made up by women is universally accepted. i don't think you speak for all men.

I'd be interested in seeing "Lipstick Alley's comments posted on the "me, too", movement. Black women seem to be less hysterical about this topic perhaps because they're experienced in standing up for themselves.There was a little local demonstration against harassment on TV yesterday here in Chicago, and i didn't see any black faces among the participants. i made the comment on a FaceBook thread about this subject, and i was unfriended by the black woman who started it because i posed a tongue-in-cheek, truth-seeking question wondering why since, dating back to the "bra-burning" 1960s, Feminists have been touting women as being equal to and on a par with men, how come this strident message didn't inspire women to prove this when it came to dealing with sexual predators? Because i didn't want to appear being too sympathetic toward dirty ol men and perverts, i refrained from further observing that some mention should also be made about the rash of female teachers seducing their underage male students. I guess the idea of women preying on boys for sex is a little hard to fathom. It's also interesting that so many of the men accused of sexual harassment are Jewish. Which kinda reinforces the idea that harassment is really about exerting power, and who has more power, particularly in the entertainment world, than Jews?

@Troy Women coined the term "mansplain". It's actually a put down, and is originally the exclusive domain of women, reacting to men who think they know everything. That's the reason for not simply saying "explain". Here's a definition: to comment on or explain something to a woman in a condescending, overconfident, and often inaccurate or oversimplified manner:

We could all be particles of the big bang, and each particle could be a miniature universe; a microcosm. Just like we are star children, because we are made up of the same elements as stars are.

??? Are there actually white college graduates serving hot meals to drug addicts in the ghetto? This is why i can't groove with you, Pioneer. What you say sounds so unlikely. I'm trying to imagine a scenario where ghetto drug addicts are being served hot meals by anybody, because these people are on the street focused on quick ways to get their next fix, unless of course they are in rehab where i still have a hard time believing that they would be waited on by anyone other than blacks who are routinely relegated to this type of menial labor. But, - that's just me...

A man can't "mansplain" to another man. Mansplaining involves a man regurgitating what a woman has already said, or a man cluelessly attempting to clarify what a woman has figured out for herself. Maybe Mel can womansplain what Del means by "Wednesday, Thursday and Friday" means. i would guess that it's slang for "everyday".

Since there are millions of us, we can't all be the universe. We can be the spawns of the universe; each of us a miniature one unto ourselves.

@Pioneer1Would you be specific about all the white men i am putting a lot of "praise and power on"? The men that Mel and i exchanged information about in our posts following your complaint, were black men as is Colin Kaepernick. We both give due credit to Barack Obama, as well as our own Troy Johnson. Name some white men who are heroes of "Afro American" women in this society?? You are the one who looks upon white men as being omnipotent. You imagine that on this board your persona is "forceful and dominant". But not to me, especially with all of your pouting about how my and Mel's "rejection" makes you "jealous", and how you mope about my not sharing your adoration for certain people. This leaves me wondering why you don't you stop craving approval. Why do you need my validation? i don't need yours. i don't care if you are put off by all of my new age spirituality and pondering about truth and reality. Why should it make a difference to you if i don't agree with you? Man up! Since you choose to guard your identity and professional resume, all i can go on is the impression you make here on this site, and you come across to me as a font of preposterous pronouncements, opinions that you pull out of your ass; someone who dwells on subjects i have lost interest in. You're good at that. BTW, you spelled "independently" wrong.

Or, that we are microcosms of the universe.

A whole reality exists outside the boundaries of language. Maybe words, rather than defining, are instead, confining?

LOL Whose post was Virginia's comment directed at? The one immediately preceding hers, or the dissertation before that?

@Pioneer1 So you think that because Mel and I defended ourselves against what you, yourself, conceded may just be your imagination, and which you subsequently didn't refute because you couldn't come up with a rebuttal that held water, except to say in effect, that we are picking on you because we don't share your interests. And it's presumptuous of you to get indignant because we don't. Are you in any way guilty of bringing on yourself what you accuse us of doing? As far as i'm concerned, my disagreeing with your opinions does not necessarily make you wrong. it's more about your interpretations just not grabbin me and i don't feel the need to humor you by saying they do. I'm sure both lurkers and posters find many points of disagreement with me. But i don't require everybody to defer to my cynical opinions and observations and - don't care if they don't. You might consider toughening up your skin and stop trying to dictate what i should be engrossed in at this stage of my life. I am not Afro-centric and i'm sick of wasting my time dwelling on the entrenched white power structure and how it affects black people; your favorite subjects.

i didn't say i didn't like the man. i just wasn't blown away by what he had to say. He was like a slick-tongued minister, moreorless preaching to the choir, - to people like you who eat up that all that pseudo science and black exultation. i'm past that. It doesn't expand my mind. It is funny how i never agree with you. But it's not deliberate. You just say things and makes claims that naturally invoke my skepticism. Whatever.

@Pioneer1What a lame rebuttal. Maybe you should do a little listening, yourself. You sulked about what you falsely perceived as Mel and i being enamored of white men, and we gave you answers to debunk your notion. She and i subsequently exchanged information about black men who are prominent in the esoteric disciplines that we are interested in and it goes over your head. Because you are mired down in tired ol theories of your own making about the black mystique and white dominance, you think we have an obligation to align our interests with yours, accept your gospel, and abandon our pursuit of what appeals to and stimulates our imaginations. Speaking for myself, this ain't gonna happen.

@Mel HopkinsNo, i am not familiar with Dr. Bynum. I'll have to check him out. Thanks!

Yes, yes, yes. For somebody who is so slavishly devoted to this country and who constantly chides me about hating it, why would you ask this silly question? It should be obvious that i hate all white men of Trump's ilk and am indifferent to the rest of them who populate and run this BS country. Plus you had a fit because i backed Colin Kaepernick; guess he wasn't black enough for you. i happen to be interested in esoteric subjects and ancient wisdom. Besides Franz Fanon i don't know of any black men in these fields.

Lol. Not as much as i used to. Nobody is interested in hearing them.

@Pioneer1Puleeze. Why would you think that any of this warmed-over hash would be new and enlightening to an 84 year old woman who loves language and is an observer of society? Of course Fuller would blow your mind because his spiel reinforces everything you believe and constantly parrot. But I've heard it all before, a lot of it at the knee of my father, and i filter it through my own transcedent philosophy of life and my personal concept of reality. It's not that deep; a lot of this is just common sense black people have been saying about each other since way back in the day. Moreover, just because something captivates you, doesn't mean that everybody else should be awe struck and inspired to abandon their approach to life. And what i believe is not necessarily in conflcit with what this glib guru says. He speaks in meta-physical terms. BTW, the reason Fuller has never been able to find his quote about what Mahatma Gandi said is because he didn't say it. There are other reports out there about Gandi being a racist who put black people down. Google gandi's quotes about black people. Yes, i know who Frances Cress Welsing is. i went to U of I with her sister, Lorne. She's a physician and author who drifted off into anthropology after embracing Afro-Centrism. Her theories are just theories. Have you ever read the "Miseducation of the Negro" by Carter Woodson?" His is the original. Fuller just recycles him and the black is beautiful movement, whether he wants to admit it or not. My final thought on the subject, is that White Supremacist are supreme at seizing and maintaining power. And that's the bottom line.

@Antonio Ingram Actually you would be a better fit in the literary forum on this site. People here don't engage in a lot of discussion about books or writing careers. We can offer suggestions and sympathy but not much more that what you already know. Sometimes, a writer gets too close to their work and can't recognize its flaws. Have you had any of your manuscaripts critiqued by someone who will give you a honest opinion and make constructive suggestions? Are you writing for a particular audience? And do you tailor your work to this demograph? Is your work original or is it just a trite carbon copy of what's already out there. These are the things that a critic or a genuine literary agent would look for in assessing your manuscripts. There are vanity agencies out there who require a fee and who will tell you what you want to hear because they want your money. As i said, writing is not an easy profession to break into. But you need to be ready if an opportunity comes your way. @Troy As you know, the large cities of the midwest were where blacks from Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas headed for during the Great Migration. They brought their ways and traditions with them and passed them on to the next generation. My parents came to Chicago from Kansas and Tennessee. i did notice subtle difference between them and those who came to this big city from other places. My father never tasted chitlins until he came to Chicago. i never had grits until i got married. (They were a favorite of my husband whose family was from Mississippi. ) There were a lot of other things that were common to people from these states that were not common to my family.