Tough Man Points

I'm sure if you live within the United States (or anywhere else in the world where there is a male population in evidence) that you've heard the saying (or some variation of it),

“Pain is fear leaving the body.”

As a woman this saying sends one thought through my head every single time I hear it. Puhhleeease!

Pain? Really I have a thing or two to say about this.

Us women must unite against such fallacies of masculinity. I need to make it clear from the outset to all the women I know that I understand your plight. I understand your desire to show your man just exactly how tough you are. I get it. I get the pressure to 'tough it out' that these testosterone charged creatures place upon us, the “weaker sex.”

But let me make this very plain to all the women who read this (and the men for that matter).

PAIN DOES NOT GIVE YOU TOUGH MAN POINTS

Anyone, anyone! Can feel pain. In fact you can't get out of feeling pain. You endure pain just like you endure any other bump in the road of life. Don't be fooled by people who say “I don't know how you did that, you're just so strong.” This is a common phrase used by those who have yet to understand that some things in life (in this particular case pain) are quite literally impossible to get out of. It's these people who have yet to grasp that they would do just what you did because they would have NO OTHER CHOICE... just... like... you.

Men would have you believe that you are tougher for feeling pain. Men must not have a grasp on the above concept. I will repeat it... Anyone, anyone! Can feel pain.

Tough man points come with how you handle the pain. Tough man points come from the minutes and hours leading up to the pain (or the minutes and hours of time you endure the pain). How you deal with walking, willingly, into a situation in which you are keenly aware of the fact that pain is to follow is one of the greatest indicators of toughness. Should you weep, scream, cry, and/or try to run in the other direction then you're gonna lose some points. If you kick the doctor during the procedure (my daughter did this at 5 years old when given her immunizations... it wasn't pretty) you're likely to lose some more points (unless you're five... then there is a certain amount of leniency given).

You can feel pain till you turn pale and faint but if you haven't endured it well you aren't going to get a large allotment of TMP's. Take for instance the torture victim who refuses to give over the wanted information... definitely in line for some Tough Man Points.

In Africa it is believed that if a woman screams during the delivery of her first child then she will scream through all subsequent labors. The women, therefore, do their darndest to not make a sound during labor. This has very large TMP potential. (It might be noted that I scream like a baby and swear like a sailor during delivery).

There is a story in my religion about a prophet named Joseph Smith (a name I'm sure many of you have heard). When he was a child he had some issue with a bad leg, I can't remember the specifics but it required that the doctor go in and cut out the infected section of the bone (lest he should lose the entire leg). Joseph Smith was a child of a financially humble (large in progeny) farming family in the 1800's and the best anesthesia the doctor could offer was hard liquor. He insisted that the young boy take the liquor so as to be able to endure the pain. Joseph Smith refused and went through the procedure cradled in his father's arms. Making this another example of tough man points. (He had a lot of TMP moments, I could spend an entire blog on this alone).


Do you see what I'm getting at? Women will go through labor regardless, Joseph Smith would have had to have his leg cut open no matter what. Pain is not a recommendation for TMP's, endurance is.

So next time you hear someone say you need to 'take it like a man' or 'feel the pain' I want you to remember that it's all about how you deal with it, not how much it hurts.

Comments

The Paynes said…
You swear like a sailor, huh? I guess I punch like a boxer cause I'm a hitter in labor! Our men know when to steer clear!
Jennifer said…
My resident male says, "Pain is just weakness leaving the body."

Yeah, I roll my eyes, too. :)
Cari Hislop said…
I've never ever heard the saying, "Pain is just weakness leaving the body." until reading it on your post.

The Goblin complains when he's in pain, but when I say, "Then take some paracodal or something!" (overthecountercodinethatworks) He looks at me like I am interfering wench and says, "No, I'll be fine." That's when I roll my eyes. I know in several hours he'll tell me again that he's in pain...and once again I'll tell him to take some painkiller and the cycle continues. Maybe some men just need to have their pain affirmed? Interesting!

Seperate subject...Esperity, I hope you share a picture of the baby!!! :)
Anonymous said…
Hey, I want to talk to you but everytime i want to call it's too early or too late. I want life updates. Call me.
Cannwin said…
ralexwin was proud of me this time... I only swore once :)

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