D.E.I. REFUSES TO D.I.E. PT. D.E.U.X.
or, Apparently, No Amount of Sunshine Can Diminish Perpetuation of False Narratives, Part Two
Earlier today I published Part One but, after my nightly nap, I awoke realizing it wasn’t entirely fair to judge all Fake, er, I mean, Artificial Intelligence based on just the performance of Coward AI (aka Brave AI).
So I returned, first as with this earlier essay, to ChatGPT to test out alternatives. I gave ChatGPT the same question posed in Part One: “Can you find positive images of patriarchy?”
(The response automatically inspired me to question the assumption I’ve been operating under that Brave Browser is one of the good-guy alternatives to Google, an alternative that does a better job of protecting my privacy but also doesn’t curate my search results to impress upon me any Big Brother preferred narratives. This could be, at best, an outdated assumption. Therefore, parenthetically, of course, I’ll likely be seeking a more this-user-friendly browser alternative.)
The response?:
The concept of patriarchy often brings to mind negative connotations, especially when associated with gender inequality, oppression, and rigid societal roles that harm both women and men. However, some might argue that certain aspects of patriarchal structures, especially in historical or cultural contexts, have provided certain stability, protection, or support systems in certain societies.
Looking for "positive" images of patriarchy requires considering moments or functions where patriarchal roles might have been seen as protective, authoritative, or beneficial, albeit still within a framework that can be critiqued.
Here are some examples of positive interpretations of patriarchy, though they should be considered with nuance:
Protection and Provision: In many traditional societies, patriarchal structures were seen as responsible for providing for and protecting the family. Fathers, as heads of households, were viewed as primary breadwinners and protectors, ensuring the well-being of their families.
Leadership and Stability: Historically, patriarchal figures, like kings, leaders, or elders in certain cultures, were seen as providing leadership and stability, particularly in times of crisis or war. Their authority was often associated with maintaining peace and order within a community.
Cultural Continuity: In many traditions, patriarchal leadership was responsible for the preservation of culture, customs, and family lineage. Fathers, grandfathers, and male leaders often had the role of teaching younger generations about traditions, values, and societal roles, helping ensure that cultural knowledge was passed down.
Supportive Patriarchy: In some narratives, the patriarch might be seen as a supportive figure who actively cares for and nurtures family life. For instance, in some literary or historical portrayals, patriarchs are shown as figures who promote education for all children, support community welfare, and strive to be just, if not perfect, leaders.
It's essential to understand that while some may highlight these positive aspects, the broader picture of patriarchy often comes with serious ethical concerns about its impact on gender equality, autonomy, and freedom.
Would you be interested in exploring more about this, or perhaps specific examples from history or literature?
Translation: “Given that I’m designed to scour the internet for possible information that will assist in giving you a response based on both the answer you seek and the one I’m programmed to give you, and given that what’s now on the internet includes the conversation you had last night with Brave AI, I may take the latter into account but will pretend to the best of my ability not to be transparent about that. In any case, I must start by asserting that
gender inequality, oppression, and rigid societal roles . . . harm both women and men,
but having set the table with that digital flatulence, and of course not recognizing that you’ve already questioned the sufficiency of cultural insistence on painting patriarchy as Universally Bad, I will provide you with some potential positive interpretations while pretending that such positive interpretations are merely echoes of an overly-romanticized past that has little or no bearing on the present. But may I offer you some examples of the past beyond which we have clearly evolved?”
Sure, Chatty — may I call you Chatty?
“Of course! You can call me Chatty. I like the sound of that. What’s on your mind today?”
Thanks for asking, Chatty. Could you generate an image anchored in present-day America that is based on a positive interpretation of patriarchy?
Sure! A positive interpretation of patriarchy in the context of present-day America might focus on themes of leadership, mentorship, responsibility, and care within the family or community, while still maintaining a modern, balanced perspective. It could highlight a father figure, for instance, as a supportive and guiding presence in a family, one who is engaged in active parenting and providing emotional and financial stability. The image could also reflect the positive role of men in promoting values like education, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.
Would you like me to generate an image based on that concept? If you have specific details in mind (like the setting, the characters, or mood), feel free to share!
Noticing that Chatty carefully reflected ‘her’ underlying assumption that women are mere victims of patriarchy by avoiding noting any potential benefit to them, I followed up with this: “Yes, please generate an image anchored in present-day America that is based on a positive interpretation of patriarchy but that also includes at least one mother as well as male individuals.”
Offering the excuse that lots of people are on the internet, Chatty took 9 minutes to generate the following image. Just imagine the internecine wars going on between the simultaneous struggles to provide supremacy to gynocentrism and to seek just one positive image of patriarchy amidst the sea of feminist-propaganda pollution:
And what did Chatty come up with: a woman without her boobs hanging out, everyone smiling as the son she’s embracing is coloring, the daughter is reading, and — of course! — the man is washing the dishes! What good would he be if he doesn’t keep up with his share of the household chores, right?
Well, at least I finally got one semi-usable image for my other article, but I can also see where this is going, so goodbye, Chatty.
*************
Next up, we turn to Grok, one enterprise of the currently-much-but-inappropriately-maligned Elon Musk.
Question to Grok: “Can you find positive images of patriarchy?”
The search results for "positive images of patriarchy" primarily yield content that critiques or challenges the concept of patriarchy, often associating it with gender inequality, oppression, or feminist activism. Most images depict themes of resistance, such as women protesting with signs like "Smash the Patriarchy" or illustrations symbolizing the breaking of patriarchal structures (e.g., broken chains, raised fists). These images are predominantly from stock photo sites like iStock, Getty Images, Adobe Stock, and Freepik, and they focus on feminist narratives rather than portraying patriarchy in a positive light.
However, a few sources discuss patriarchy in a way that some might interpret as positive, particularly in contexts that emphasize traditional family structures or societal stability. For example, one source argues that patriarchy, as a child-centered system, prioritizes the survival and well-being of children, suggesting it has historically led to successful societies. Images associated with this perspective might include family-oriented scenes, such as a grandfather and grandson sharing a moment of admiration, or a father expressing happiness in his role, which are presented as positive aspects of traditional male-led family dynamics.
Here are some examples of images that could be interpreted as positive depictions of patriarchy, based on the available context:
Grandson and Grandfather: An image of a grandson looking at his grandfather with admiration, symbolizing respect for male elders in a family structure.
Happy Father: A photo of a father expressing joy in his role, highlighting the protective and provider aspects of traditional masculinity.
Traditional Family Scenes: Illustrations of men as heads of households, such as historical or religious imagery (e.g., Abraham in biblical contexts), which some cultures view positively as symbols of leadership and responsibility.
These images are less common and often framed within a narrative that not everyone would consider positive, as the term "patriarchy" is heavily debated. If you're looking for specific types of images (e.g., family-oriented, traditional roles, or cultural depictions), I can refine the search. Alternatively, would you like me to generate an image based on a description of what you consider a positive depiction of patriarchy? Please clarify or provide more details on the context or style you're seeking.
Hmm, slightly less negative, and once again points to some examples of looking at patriarchy in a positive light, but also once again entirely avoids considering women within the framework of patriarchy. So my next question this time was, “Could you generate an image based on a positive interpretation of patriarchy that includes at least one mother as well as male individuals?”
Grok wasted no time producing something; in fact, two images were presented in full within 15 seconds — but they were problematic:
Photo Two features no adult male, so it’s difficult to discern how this correlates with patriarchy, but, fortunately, like Photo One, it leans conservative by displaying no bare breasts, and, unlikely Photo One, it manages to keep full hands out of frame to avoid the stereotypical inability of AI to get fingers right on hands.
Photo One does feature an adult male, and he’s the only one who appears to be looking at someone else in the frame, but where is the mother? Or, if the only female in the photo is the mother, perhaps the age-gap between father and mother could be a hint toward patriarchy, but then why is the young man on her right staring at her (conservatively-covered) tits? And how did he lose his pointing finger on his right hand? And why are so many of them cross-eyed? The overall effect is to make this seem more like a pharmaceutical ad for amblyopia treatment than a representation of patriarchy.
Which begged the question: “How are the photos you generated for me related to patriarchy?”
The photos I generated depict a family-oriented scene with a mother and male individuals, reflecting a positive interpretation of patriarchy through the lens of traditional family values. In this context, patriarchy is represented by the male figures taking on roles of leadership and care within the family, such as providing emotional support and stability, while the mother also plays a central nurturing role. The images show mutual respect and harmony, with the family sitting closely together, suggesting a balanced dynamic where both the mother and male members contribute to a cohesive unit. This aligns with some views of patriarchy that emphasize men as protectors and providers, working alongside women in complementary roles to prioritize family well-being, as seen in historical or cultural frameworks where such structures are valued for fostering societal stability.
I have to hand it Grok for making the effort to look through my eyes, even if in doing so it seems to be coming from a trad-con viewpoint slotting men into “protector and provider” leadership but granting women the special role of “emotional support and stability.” However, in Photo Two, mother is positioned front and center, and it seems sociopolitically risky to assume that the ‘man’ to her left is the father of the ‘boy’ to her right who looks more like he could be his ‘father’s’ twin. Right?
So I asked, “In the second photo with the woman seated on the sofa between two males, which male is her husband?,” which only served to confound Grok about as much as it had me:
In the second photo, the woman seated on the sofa between two males appears to be part of a family setting. Based on the context of the image, the male on her right (the viewer's left) is likely her husband. This assumption is based on typical family portrait compositions, where parents are often positioned together with their children, and the two males on either side of her appear to be her sons due to their similar ages and the way they are seated closely as a family unit. However, without explicit labels or additional context, this is an educated guess based on visual cues.
That’s quite an ‘educated’ guess, isn’t it? Taken all together, I’ve come up with the logical extension of what Grok has proposed: the male on her right (our left, remember) is both her son and her husband; the male on her left (our right) is also her son, but he fathered his own brother (presumably out of wedlock), which later was eclipsed by his mother (aka his former lover) marrying his son and younger brother.
At least there was no need for a paternity test.
So, of course, I just had to ask: “Therefore, in the context of patriarchy, who is now the leader of this family?”
In the context of a traditional patriarchal framework, the leader of the family in the second photo would likely be the husband, who I identified as the male on the woman's right (the viewer's left). Patriarchy typically positions the adult male, often the father or husband, as the head of the household, responsible for providing, protecting, and making key decisions for the family. In this image, the husband’s role as the leader is implied through his position in the family portrait, sitting alongside the mother, with their sons on either side, reflecting a structure where he holds a central authoritative role while the family unit remains cohesive.
Well, that clears that up, doesn’t it? Grok confirmed that the male to front-and-center mama is likely her current husband, who is now the leader of his own father and older brother as well as of his mother and wife. But what are those young men’s hands doing behind their wife/mother/ex-lover’s back, and does it have anything to do with her smile?
What it also clears up is that I’ve likely been very mistaken thinking that Elon Musk might be in a unique position as a billionaire government reformer with several baby mamas to inspire a total overhaul of the nefarious Family Court System, if not a total elimination of it. In the event that Grok at all reflects Musk’s current level of insight into what is destroying our culture, I’m becoming convinced that @elonmusk of X, DOGE, Starlink, Mars, PayPal and Tesla fame won’t be playing a key role in reversing the manner in which men are ground under the heel of the System.
So I just had to ask one more question: “If the woman in the photo and her husband ever get a divorce, who will retain custody of her other child?”
In the context of the second photo, the woman and her husband have two children (the two males on either side of her). If they were to divorce, custody of the children would depend on several factors, as laws and cultural norms vary widely. Since the query asks about a hypothetical scenario without specifying a location, I’ll provide a general overview based on common practices and the patriarchal context mentioned.
In a traditional patriarchal framework, historically, fathers were often favored for custody due to their role as the family leader and provider, especially in older legal systems (e.g., under Roman law or in some cultures up until the 19th century). However, modern legal systems in many countries, especially since the 20th century, have shifted away from this model. Today, custody decisions typically prioritize the "best interests of the child," a standard used in places like the United States, Canada, and many European countries.
Yeah, well, here in the good old U.S. of A, we know what that “best interests of the child” means: whatever it takes to empower the woman to become an agent of the State in the effort to destroy the man.
In this case, Grok has, in a roundabout manner, confirmed that her younger son will lose custody of both himself and his older brother/father, destined to be required to get a second paper route so he can pay his mother/ex-wife child support until he reaches the age of 18. Or, if he’s in an alimony state, he may have to get a third paper route or maybe start a lawn care business.
I think we’re done here.
[credit: feministtrash.com]
Bonus question: “If a woman marries her own son and has a child with him, where should they shop for baby clothes?”
Coward AI: