The End of Men and Hindu View of Kaliyuga

Dear All: Don't know if you have heard this: The End of Men, not the end of the world but the end of men, is happening. That is the new mantra. Why? Hear what Hanna Rosin has to say. Come on guys, seriously, don't tell me what Rosin says is true! This brief description of Kaliyuga (which follows later below) was prompted by a recent article in Slate Magazine entitled, The last days of the American Male based on an interview with Hanna Rosin, the author of the book entitled End of Men and a recent controversial cover story in The Atlantic (see below). May be now we will learn to believe in our scriptures some more. One of the Puranas states the Lord Hari is present in Kaliyuga (though unseen) for the first 10,000 years after which He will appear only at the end of the 432,000 years of Kaliyuga. In the interim, there will be only a few places left where the Holy names of the Lord will be chanted. It is like the game of musical chairs. You can choose to be with that small crowd, like the winner of the musical chairs game is standing with that last chair.

The Last Days of the American Male

http://www.slate.com/id/2303759/

An interview with journalist Hanna Rosin: Why she'll argue that "men are finished" at the Sept. 20 Slate/Intelligence Squared U.S. debate.
By Elizabeth Weingarten Posted Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, at 2:14 PM ET Read more about the Sept. 20 Intelligence Squared U.S. debate on whether "men are finished," buy tickets, and see who else is debating.

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Hanna Rosin

Hanna Rosin's 2010 Atlantic cover story, "The End of Men," was one of the most talked-about magazine articles in recent years. "Man has been the dominant sex since, well, the dawn of mankind," wrote Rosin, an award-winning journalist for Slate and the Atlantic. "But for the first time in human history, that is changing and with shocking speed." Now compare the above with the following predictions from our Hindu Puranas and scriptures.

Marriage ceases to exist as a holy union - men and women simply live together on the basis of bodily attraction and verbal agreement, and only for sexual pleasure. Women wander from one man to another. In Kali-yuga, young women freely abandon their virginity. Women, children, and cows - always protected in an enlightened society are abused and killed during the iron age. Thieves are numerous and rapes are frequent. Everyone uses vulgar language.

Rosin says they've (men have) failed to adapt to a modern, postindustrial economy that demands a more traditionallyand stereotypicallyfeminine skill set (read: communication skills, social intelligence, empathy, consensusbuilding, and flexibility). Statistics show they're rapidly falling behind their female counterparts at school, work, and home. For every two men who receive a college degree, three women will. Of the 15 fastest-growing professions during the next decade, women dominate all but two. Meanwhile, men are even languishing in movies and on television: They're portrayed as deadbeats and morons alongside their sardonic and successful female co-stars. Read more here (some nuggets pasted below):

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http://www.slate.com/id/2303759/

.the reason that women are doing better than men is because the children are with them, and so they have to make ends meet. So they hustle in order to make ends meet, but their lives are really, really hard, and it's terrible for the children. And the fact that about one-fifth of American men are not workingwe're almost at Great Depression levelsthat's really terrible. And it doesn't seem to be getting any better. So, no, this isn't like, "yay, we won! yay, we triumphed!" It's actually really bad. Men were hit so unbelievably hard by this recession, but I think this is historically true in all recessions: You almost always get a bounce-back that favors the manufacturing industry initially. So it's not that surprising. It doesn't mean that overall men are doing better. The overall message of the last 25 to 30 years of the economy is the manufacturing era is coming to an end, and men need to retool themselves, get a different education than the one they've been getting, and they're not doing it. They're (women are) this class of people who are trying to get somewhere in a real hurry, and the men just seem to be sitting around in no hurry. One of the young guys I interviewed put it to me: "I just feel like my team is losing." They feel like women have clocked them, and it came as a surprise to this young generation of men, so I don't know that they can't catch up. They might. Speaking abt herself Hanna Rosin says : My family was super working class. But there was a kind of natural female dominance. My mother definitely wears the pants in my family, and I come from generations where the men disappeared, got sick, died, or for whatever reason, the women wore the pants. My great-grandmother ran away from her husband, my grandmother's husband died very young, and my mother rules the roost in my house. But she would never say she was a feminist, ever. She's fairly conservative. I grew up with the natural sense that female dominance was possible, but not that it's some kind of political message. Female dominance wasn't an ideal, but just a natural occurrence by virtue of my mother's personality and the circumstances of all of the women ahead of her.

Very sincerely V. Laxmanan

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Brief Description of Kaliyuga

The Srimad Bhagavatam states that Brahma, who was the first embodied soul created by Bhagavan, was then entrusted with the task of populating the Universe. He struggled to fulfill this daunting task. He really struggled. He tried many different ideas and failed. After each failed attempt he realized his limitations and turned to Bhagavan, prayed, and did tapas and Bhagavan came to his rescue to move the plan for creation forward. Finally, with the grace of Bhagavan, Brahma created the first human couple - a male and a female - named, respectively, as Swayambhu and Shataroopaa. And so began the battle of the sexes. One day in the life of Brahma (called one Kalpa) is made up of 1000 cycles of four yugas (which together last for 4.32 billion human years, with an equal time period for the night of Brahma), a total period of 8.64 billion years for one single kalpa, or day and night time combined. Now we are in the FIRST DAY of the 51st year of Brahmas life. It is now the 28th Kaliyuga (in the reign of the 7th Manu) of this present day of Brahma, known as the Shwetavaraha Kalpa (a name just like we have names like Sunday, there are 14 Manus in one kalpa). Our present Kaliyuga began around 3102 BC and so about 5113 years of the total of 432,000 years of the present Kaliyuga have passed. For those who do NOT believe in all this Brahama and yuga thingies, we are into the 21st century but the above article (see link below) already talks about being the dominant gender in society for more than about 40,000 years. So, it is acknowledged (by prominent Westerners whom we all look up to for endorsement of our beliefs) that men have existed for longer than 21 centuries and certainly longer than even our own Kaliyuga recokning of 5100+ years. The Srimad Bhagavatam also states that, with the progress of Kaliyuga, there will be a domination of women in society (Canto 12). Also, in Kaliyuga, the shudra class will become dominant and will rule the world and there will be a progressive decline in the power held by the other three varnas. This is described in the 12th Canto, chapters 2 and 3, see http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/?p=11934

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The advent of Kali, during the reign of King Parikshit, immediately after Krishna left this earth (following the Mahabharata war), is described in Canto 1, chapters 16 and 17. Also, in chapter 3, Canto 12, starting with verse 24, the sage Shukacarya (who narrated the Srimad Bhagavatam to King Parikshit, over seven days, while the latter was preparing himself to die, by fasting, on the banks of the holy Ganga), provides a nice introductory description which also includes a statement about how women are transformed in this yuga of progressive moral degradation. The sage says, Yadaa maayaanrutam tandraa nidraa himsaa vishaadanam l Shoko moho bhayam dainyam sa kalistaamasah smrutahaa ll 12.3.30ll Yasmaat kshudradrusho martyaah kshudrabhaagyaah mahashanaahaa l Kaamino vittaheenaash ca swairiNyash ca striyOsateehi ll The first sloka above describes the dominant characteristics of the people who live in Kaliyuga. Yadaaa (when) these dominate tadaa (then) it is to be known (smrutahaa) as Kali the darkness (taamasah) of Kali. What are the characters or traits? Maya (magic, jugglery, or essentially cheating), anrutam (lying, speaking untruth), tandraa (laziness), nidraa (too much sleepiness), vishaadanam (too much lamenting about trivial matters, remember what Krishna says about Arjuna vishada, in the very first sloka of His discourse), shoko (too much sorrow), moho (too much delusion), bhayam (too much fear, because of lack of values and faith in God, as opposed to abhayam in verse 1, chapter 16 of Gita), dainyam (beggary, pitiful behavior, lack of dignified conduct, due to lack of conviction, values). The next verse ends with the description of women in Kaliyuga. When people (murtyaah, mortals) develop narrow-mindedness, a short-term vision, a bankrupt vision (good examples are current US President, its Congress, and the political fringes of both US parties, or is there a third party, T-party, too?), when they suffer from misfortunes, when they eat too much (the explosion of obesity all over the world, especially in the US, is already predicted!) then it is Kaliyuga. Kshudra means of low class, poor quality, petty, impoverished, etc. People are lust-filled and act to fulfill them (kaamino), there is abject poverty and utter lack of wealth (vittam), women act cruelly and wantonly (swairiNyah) and turn immoral (asatee). That is Kaliyuga.
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The links given below also discuss succinctly, the moral degradation as Kaliyuga progresses http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/kaliyuga.htm based on Linga Purana and Srimad Bhagavatam (SB) http://tribes.tribe.net/srimadbhagavatam/thread/99fe57d9-ccfa-4d95-94bce0f8c0615145 Nice summary of Canto 12 of SB. Also, see link below. http://www.prabhupadanugas.eu/?p=11939 The following is strictly copy and paste from the first of the above links. 1. Marriage ceases to exist as a holy union - men and women simply live together on the basis of bodily attraction and verbal agreement, and only for sexual pleasure. 2. Women wander from one man to another. Men no longer look after their parents in their old age, and fail to provide for their own children. One's beauty is thought to depend on one's hairstyle. Filling the belly is said to be the only purpose in life. Cows are killed once their milk production drops. Atheism flourishes. Religious observances are performed solely for the sake of reputation. 3. The Linga Purana (ch. 40) describes the human race in Kali-yuga as a vain and stupid people "spurred on by the lowest instincts." They prefer false ideas and do not hesitate to persecute sages. They are tormented by bodily desires. 4. Severe droughts and plagues are everywhere. Slovenliness, illness, hunger and fear spread. Nations are continually at war with one another. The number of princes and farmers decline. Heroes are assassinated. The working classes want to claim regal power and enjoy royal wealth. 5. Kings become thieves. They take to seizing property, rather than protecting the citizenry. The new leaders emerge from the laborer class and begin to persecute religious people, saints, teachers, intellectuals, and philosophers.
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6. Civilization lacks any kind of divine guidance. The sacred books are no longer revered. False doctrines and misleading religions spread across the globe. Children are killed in the wombs of their mothers. Women who have relations with several men are numerous. Predatory animals are more violent. The number of cows diminishes. 7. The Linga Purana says that in Kali-yuga, young women freely abandon their virginity. Women, children, and cows - always protected in an enlightened society - are abused and killed during the iron age. Thieves are numerous and rapes are frequent. There are many beggars, and widespread unemployment. Merchants operate corrupt businesses. Diseases, rates, and foul substances plague the populace. Water is lacking, fruits are scarce. Everyone uses vulgar language. 8. The men of Kaliyuga seek only money. Only the richest have power. People without money are their slaves. The leaders of the state no longer protect the people, but plunder the citizenry through excessive taxation. Farmers abandon living close to nature. They become unskilled laborers in congested cities. Many dress in rags, or are unemployed, and sleep on the streets. Through the fault of the government, infant mortality rates are high. False gods are worshiped in false ashrams, in which pilgrimages, penances, charities and austerities are all concocted. 9. People in this age eat their food without washing beforehand. Monks break their vows of celibacy. Cows are kept alive only for their milk. Water is scarce. Many people watch the skies, praying for rain. No rain comes. The fields become barren. Suffering from famine and poverty, many attempt to migrate to countries where food is more readily available. People are without joy and pleasure. Many commit suicide. Men of small intelligence are influenced by atheistic doctrines. Family, clan and caste are all meaningless. Men are without virtues, purity or decency. (Visnu Purana 6.1).

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Updates on this debate

Dear All: Here's the counterpoint on the End of Men. http://www.slate.com/id/2303907/

Oh, Come On, Men Aren't Finished

Women are joining men as partners in running the world, not replacing them.
By Christina Hoff Sommers Posted Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, at 2:17 PM ET Men are not finished because neither men nor women will permit that to happen. After all these years, it turns out women need men much more than a fish needs a bicycle. (As a man I am thrilled and extremely comforted by these words of wisdom, more than a fish needs a bicycle! WOW!!!) Why are we even having a debate about man's demise? Because we're living in a society that's enamored with the "WAW", or "Women are Wonderful" phenomenon. WAW, a kind of reverse female chauvinism, is everywhere.

The idea that men are finished is absurd. But it is true that minimally educated men are in serious trouble. Girls do better than boys in school. They get better grades, score higher on reading and writing tests, and are far more likely to go to college. The reasons for girls' educational success are complicated and likely reflect innate differences to some degree: Is the technology industry finished? Is engineering finished? Is the military finished? I haven't even mentioned that men hold the lion's share of dangerous, dirty, and necessary jobs that few women seem to want. Men tend to be the truck drivers, builders, oil-rig workers, roofers, loggers, coal miners, taxi drivers, and window washers. Are those jobs pass?
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Women are joining men as partners in running the world, but they are not replacing men and never will. Yes, women are flourishing in unprecedented and gratifying ways. But men have hardly vanished from the center. After almost 40 years of gender neutral pronouns, it is still men who are more likely than women to run for political office, start businesses, file for patents, tell jokes, write editorials, conduct orchestras, and blow things up. Males succeed and fail more spectacularly than females: More males are Nobel laureates and CEOs. But more males are also in maximum security prisons. Males commit most acts of wanton violence, but it takes other men to stop them.

Very sincerely V. Laxmanan Sep 16, 2011 ****************************************************************** http://www.slate.com/id/2304331/

Apparently, Men Are Finished

The fairer sex won big at Tuesday's Slate/Intelligence Squared U.S. debate.
By Elizabeth Weingarten Posted Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2011, at 5:44 PM ET In the middle of Tuesday night's Slate/Intelligence Squared U.S. debate, ABC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams presented this damning piece of evidence: "Between 1995 and 2008, 82 percent of lightning strikes were on men," Even God, Abrams told the packed house at NYU's Skirball Center, has decided that men are finished. Abrams teamed with journalist Hanna Rosin of Slate and the Atlantic to argue for the proposition, "Men Are Finished." They squared off against American
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Enterprise Institute scholar Christina Hoff Sommers and Men's Health Editor in Chief Dave Zinczenko, who opposed the motion. ABC News Nightline Correspondent John Donvan moderated.

The debatelively, a little bit mean, and extremely funnyended with a big victory for Rosin and Abrams. Before the debate started, 20 percent of the audience voted for the motion, 54 against, and 26 were undecided. By the end of the debatein a result that Intelligence Squared deemed the biggest swing in its historythe numbers had more than reversed, with 66 percent voting for the motion, 29 against it, and 5 percent undecided.

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