Men have always wanted to spread their “seed” but until post-World War II society women were very effective at being the gatekeepers and “civilizing” the men.
I agree. As a man, I subscribe to the “men are basically pigs” theory. Not that they should be or have to behave as pigs, but just that we naturally are pigs when left to our own devices.
Paternal western societies were civilized by the influence of women who demanded more from men than being pigs. They did this 2 ways. First, mothers tried to instill some sense of honor and restraint and chivalry by raising them right, with a lot of help from priests and the church to give us a solid moral compass. Then, wives and girlfriends demanded a minimum of moral, respectful behavior from us.
Today, too many children get their morals, or lack thereof, from government schools, and too many wives and girlfriends don’t punish their mates for being pigs.
I’m not trying to give us men a pass and saying we are off the hook for being pigs, I’m just saying that women were the enforcers of moral behavior and restraint and as they do so less, modern men are taking advantage of the relaxing of rules.
I myself was raised to be polite and respectful to the point that I make other sick being over polite and most women I know still call me a “gentleman”. I don’t hear that so much anymore but I haven’t changed from the man who used to hear that continually in the 80s.
I like to think I am not part of the problem, and a lot of religious conservative men probably are not. But I still believe that women have the unfortunate responsibility to civilize societies because when they don’t, it just doesn’t get done.
It was men who civilized women.