The Best a Man Can Be

Have you watched this Gillette commercial recently? HAVE YOU?


Before any of you start: yes, I know it's a commercial. I know that they are ultimately trying to sell razors. I know that, and I don't care. I don't care if the CEO of Gillette is a cynical, misogynistic ass-butt. Because sending messages like this, directed to men and boys, is what is going to help make these ideas NORMAL and that is what is going to help make real change in the world.

I am a big believer in the power of making big ideas mundane. The more familiar something is, the more we like it, and the more easily we can remember something, the more we think it's true (the familiarity heuristic and availability bias respectively). So the more people see and hear that men need to hold each other accountable, stop with the bullying, and stop with the sexual harassment, the more they will think this is a good, normal, and true idea.

That's why I don't care two shakes whether Gillette actually believes in this message. (Okay, I care a little, but it doesn't make me skeptical about the ad itself.)

Dear Any and All Men Reading This:

Please watch this video and share it in the places you share things. Or put a "hells yes, this is great" comment if one of your friends beat you to it. Share the love! Spread the message! Help make it NORMAL!

Sincerely,

The Receptionist


This is the kind of lesson we need to teach boys: be caring, take care of each other, and don't learn toxic masculinity.
Photo by Juan Pablo Rodriguez.


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