Earning Freedom

by Daxisle

Thought Experiment

Thought Experiment

Mac's mind raced about as he hammered down upon the rails on posts of the fence surrounding the Sweet Apple property.

Today's project was to restore some sections of the miles long barrier between his property and the county land besides, but all the stallion could think about was how sad Applebloom looked that morning during breakfast.

He lifted the mallet in his fetlock and slammed it down upon the well driven nail, making the world around echo with his hammering.

The poor thing looked as if she hadn't slept last night, eyes red and puffy as if she'd been crying. Any time she'd dare steal a glance, it was immediately followed by her eyes going straight to the floor in a look of unforgiving guilt and depression, a mask she wore the night before during that diversity seminar...

That Celestia dammed seminar... if he wasn't thinking about how bad he felt for Applebloom, he was trying to figure out what those ponies on stage were trying to say. He and Annabelle had talked about it last night while they were in bed, and the only thing either of them could come to was that: It was on the part of stallions for putting up with such treatment in the first place.

Macintosh was a perfect example of this, most of what that Banita character had said was... right on the money with how he was. How he used to be.

Okay, granted, the treatment he'd received from granny and his sisters wasn't all that great... being bullied into silence, punished worse than his sisters for the exact same offense, constantly expected to do the heavy lifting and more dangerous work around the farm... all of that was garbage double-standards. Though, it wasn't without reason, well the heavy lifting anyways.

Stallions were stronger than mares more often than not, that was just a fact of life. If a mare wasn't strong enough to do a job, it naturally fell to a stallion to do it because the job needed to get done. Fact was fact, nature was as it was. Nopony was to blame for that, not mares or stallions.

The Pony sisters were Alicorns, more powerful and well lived than any other pony alive, that Macintosh knew of, anyways. It made sense that they'd be the ones to rule the country, their wisdom and experience did give them a fair bit more credibility and right to rule when compared to even the oldest of ponies. School taught that Celestia -and to a minor extent, Luna- were responsible for the prolonged peace Equestria had enjoyed for so long.

Politics and money ran along the lines of simple population ratios. There was simply more female than male ponies, and by logic of probability, it only made sense that there would be more mares with money and in politics than stallions.

That wasn't oppression or putting stallions down, and the real issues stallions and other males faced was trivialized by saying it was. It made it sound like stallions had a gripe with just about every aspect of society and were treated as second class citizens with no agency of their own. That wasn't true, of course, and to tartarus with all of that "internalized misandry" crap they were touting.

Though, that brought on an issue he couldn't explain away, not even with Annabelle and his inner voice's help.

'Institutional gender roles and cultural conditioning.'

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, be it the typical subservience of males to females or females domineering over males, stallions acting... well, whipped, was a wide spread phenomena. Macintosh wasn't sure how it happened, but there was no denying the way males were treated and the fact they accepted it.

It wasn't the greatest of respectful treatment, but it wasn't oppression as Bannita had said. It wasn't for one simple fact, there was a choice to be made to avoid it.

Stallions could walk away from those whom behaved as if they were children, yes. They simply chose not to, and chose to indulge the treatment. If there was one thing the past year had taught Mac, it was that there was always a choice. Decisions had consequences, to be sure, but there was always a choice.

So why? Why did stallions act so pathetic and... how did Sin call it? Simp like, when it came to mares?

The stallion had thought about it a few times in his life. Mr. and Mrs. Cake, Shining Armor and Cadance or Twilight, Mr. and Mrs. Harvest... most of the relationships he'd seen revolved around that dynamic.

But why? It couldn't be because mares really saw stallions as incompetent, right?

Was it a misunderstanding between the sexes? A maternal need to henpeck and maintain order like a mother duck? A complex that had infected most every mare into playing a stern care giver role and lord about over her perceived "ducklings" both foals and mate? Maybe not as a form of disrespect, but an odd expression of love and affection?

That made sense, but at the same time, it was also a little strange to think about.

Macintosh thought back to when he was once like that, why he had expected it from Applejack and, more recently, from Granny Smith.

Granted, he didn't like being spoken down to, or threatened, but a small part of him appreciated the gestures. Setting aside the more humiliating and enraging scoldings, as well as his own emotional biases, the actions and effort his kin had put forth did come from a place of caring and love, right?

Looking back on it, despite it being the very thing that had driven him away, Applejack's words did come from a place of care and love. She was afraid of him leaving the farm and abandoning the family, just like Granny Smith was. They wanted him to stay because they loved him and valued him. Yea, sure, they needed to utilize his strength and contribution for the chores and apple bucking season, but that didn't negate the fact they loved him and cherished his presence like he did theirs.

Maybe it was stereo-typical to say that a stallion's pride kept him from admitting to weakness and pain, but there was a lot of truth to it as well. Sometimes stallions did let their pride and disgust with their own weakness prevent them from taking measures to ensure self preservation.

Mac looked down at the small bandages around his chest and forelegs where Platinum had scored upon him and frowned.

Annabelle and his sisters' were very much against the prospect of him putting himself to work until he'd fully recovered. The small throbbing pain that reminded him of the injury, flaring whenever he'd move in the wrong ways, making work a bit more difficult.

Yet here he was, outside in the late spring morning, pounding away at the new fence for no other reason than it was a job that needed to be done. He knew he was being watched from time to time, be it Applejack or his wife coming to see, but despite their attempts to stay hidden, he knew they were there, checking up on him and making sure he was alright.

That was a gesture of appreciation and care, right? Was he stupid for forcing himself to work despite his injuries? Likely, but it felt good to know someone was looking after him in a way he'd be unable to if he needed them. Yet that was the paradox, wasn't it? Not wanting to need others, but needing to be wanted...

'It's not all that paradoxical, not when you really think about sexuality and mate selection.'

Mate selection?

His inner voice grunted in acknowledgement. 'Mares get vulnerable in pregnancy, right? Think back before modern times, like back in the days of the three tribes of the old world. Predators were abundant without the empire and food was scarce before mass agriculture. A pregant mare, even a well to do one, isn't to be as likely to do for herself as an unburdened stallion. But stallions would need to be able to do the hard work, even putting their lives and selves at risk in order to feed the pregnant mare, yea?'

Mac could see the logic in that and nodded.

'So, it would stand to reason that only the most willing to work and provide stallions would be the ones to be chosen to make foals, yea? Though, as time went on, and food gathering became easier by making farms and walls were built to protect, the preferred behavior of stallions became less and less about the willingness to fight and compete for food, but more for family life and cooperation. Maybe, in response to stallions natural inclination to competition and physical actions, mares adapted to try to wrangle that behavior?'

Macintosh's eyes shot wide at the perceived epiphany, half in righteous indignation and half in utter awe. He didn't care for the implication that stallions, by their very nature, were violent creatures, but at the same time, it made sense. Foals did have similar physical characteristics of both of their parents, so it would make sense to have similar mental ones as well; and it was no secret how aggressive and frustrated colts became during their teenage years...

If anything, though, that ran directly counter to stallions acting in submission to mares.

'Not really. That behavior is for anything but mares. Not too many foals would be born if stallions acted in hostility to the other half, now would they? I don't think they always acted in submission like they do today, though. And before you get all in a tissy about it, things were very different way back when, stallions needed to be aggressive and competitive in order to survive. To judge the actions of yesteryear by today's moral standards is just asking to be offended all around, not to mention, completely missing the point.'

Mac's brows furrowed as he considered the concept before asking what that had to do with the current state of affairs for the sexes.

'An over correction, perhaps?'

An over correction to curb stallion's natural inclination born thousands of years ago? How was that possible? Wouldn't that much time naturally change stallions minds?

'Maybe, but that would lead to the idea of nature vs nurture. How much the social environment influences male behavior and how stallions would behave if they weren't exposed to said influences.'

The apple pony considered the concept for a bit but found that he had very little points of reference. Psychology was a funny thing that he'd never taken the time to appreciate nor look into.

'Or, if you want to get really out there, maybe it's all just some kind of fantasy.'

Fantasy?

'Yea, okay, okay, follow me on this, alright? You've just admitted to liking the feeling of being looked after by the mares in your life, right? That it makes you feel loved, cared about, and wanted? Well, consider for a second that maybe other stallions do too. Healthy or unhealthy for partner relationships aside. You've seen numerous instances of this same behavior over and over again, with all the social consequences to go with it... Now, what if they know, and they don't do anything about it because they like it?'

Macintosh wasn't sure what to think of that, but decided to hear his inner voice out.

'What if all of it was manufactured, not by mares, but by stallions? Think about it: Who's the first female that any stallion meets in his life? His mother. The unconditional loving care giver. The reliable and immovable rock of love and comfort, hooves that would never hurt nor betray. Embraces that give emotional safety and can sooth even the most unfathomable fear.

Now, and this is important, set aside the actual mother and the oedipus complex, and apply the same kind of concept of maternal love to a lover. The constant looking after, the firm tones, the gentle kindness... it makes sense that stallions would want that, yea? That kind of devotion? That kind of desire to be understood, protected and accepted? If you'll notice, that is kinda the basis for many a romantic relationships. With the mare acting more as a maternal figure and the stallion submitting to it in a kind of... male mother need? Don't tell me that doesn't make some sense to you.'

Grimacing, the red stallion considered the idea and shivered at the disturbing implication that came to mind, but he was hard pressed to deny the viability of it.

Umm, alright, but what makes you think stallions were the ones to make it?

'Statistics.'

Statistics?

'How many mares are there in pony kind as opposed to the number of stallions?'

Mac figured the numbers were heavily in the female's favor, but wasn't ready to give an approximate estimate. Probably about 3 to 5, he supposed.

'Exactly, which means stallions had the pick of mates. What if maternal behavior was the preferred behavior for mares to have towards stallions? That such behavior was the primary motivator for stallions to take them as wives and have foals with them? If it worked best, it would only stand to reason that that behavior, rewarded via sexual selection, would be the prominent female inclination, yea? Mothers teaching their daughters that stallions respond positively that kind of treatment, and advocate for it if they want to land a husband.'

Ehh, that made a little sense, but it didn't answer why stallions wanted it in the first place.

'They're the ones who benefit most from it? Makes life easier for them? I don't know, but what benefit do mares get aside from a power trip and a feeding into their own maternal ego? I'm not saying it's right or entirely factually correct, I'm just saying it's a possible theory.'

Before the pony could force his mind to trepidly expand farther into the dark nuance of the concept, a continuous dinging chime from back at the farm echoed around him, saving him from the train of thought.

Lunch time.

Author's Note:

Sooo, yea, time to address the elephant in the room: The Simp male character trope, and why it exists in the first place... Let's be honest here, most FIMfiction writers are males, mid to late teens up to... 30, 40, maybe? And the Simp trope is everywhere.

(Toying around with Lamarkian Evolutionary theory as opposed to Darwinian Evolutionary theory.)

Comments

[Daxisle]

7397360 Ah, so you're seeing Tapio's issue being with Luna's perceived superiority to ponies, and that his lack of voice to her deserving punishment as indicative that he doesn't think she should be punished.

And that the entire argument of Darwinism and strong survive mentality is just a shield rhetoric for elitism?

[RadicalDishonesty]

7397384
Well, if it wasn't an expression of elitism... why is he so upset? Because someone he dislikes "betrayed" their sibling? Why would he care, if what he really cared about was the strong surviving?

Why wouldn't he believe, instead, that Luna being destroyed was a natural consequence of Luna's actions. Luna initiated a contest of strength and violence, trying to strike down her sister, and was killed (later revealed to be banished) for her actions. Seems pretty natural and pretty in line with the strong surviving, right?

But he definitely would care if it means that another immortal, another of the worthy of being cared for for real, was made to take responsibility for their actions when instead the unworthy could bear the brunt of their actions. That he'd look at Luna and say "I think you're worth the care" and then at the rest of the populace and say "yes, I would sacrifice many many of those to save you from bearing the personal misery the consequences of your actions would create for yourself."

To put it in life-worship terms: he's worshiping Luna's life, but not the life of the populace. He values Luna's life and well-being and puts it above the life of everyone else. But he (apparently) has no actual personal relationship with Luna, given how quickly he abandons her after she reveals she is not angry with Celestia for banishing her.

[Daxisle]

7397402 Hmmm... I like this, not my intention, but certainly something I can use.

[RadicalDishonesty]

7397416
... There is another option I thought of.

This is pure moral outrage at brother betraying brother, where he's forgiving Luna because she was infected with the Nightmare at the time, or possibly just because she lost in the end. It is something that he thinks is wrong, to harm family, and so he has a visceral reaction to this family harm... even if Luna initiated it, she should have had pity taken on her.

But, in this case the whole darwinism thing is still just justifying his real feelings on the issue.

[RadicalDishonesty]

Is "Simp" just another way to say a buncha stuff that is only said insultingly?

"Beta" "Mangina" "Doormat" "Pushover" "Cuck" etc?

It's weird to talk about because I can't come up with a definition that doesn't come from an insult (and some which are hugely politicized insults), but the milquetoast male is definitely an archetype of person...

[Daxisle]

7399105 Yes, yes it is, and it was meant to be in this context. Sin can insult ponies too.

[RadicalDishonesty]

7399727
Yeah, I figured...

I guess I'm more talking about how it's hard to talk about the prevalence of doormat men without the terms seeming like you're trying to insult them, which is rather counterproductive when it comes to convincing those men not to be doormats.

And then there's the fact that people use a variety of ways to defend it, vilifying the very fact that you are saying that it's not good. "Why is it wrong to be helpful?" "Why would putting others before yourself be bad?"

It feels like a lot of this isn't even chastising them for being unsuccessful, or unassertive, but straight up trying to stop them from pursuing those thing in the first place.

I feel like I don't have a good handle on the words to explain this, though.

[Daxisle]

7399931 If you ever find the words, let me know. I've been trying to figure it out for years, and this story is the best way I can come up with it. Dealing with Libertarianism, male issues, and all around social commentary.

[Godiswithus3]

Today's project was to restore some sections of the miles long barrier between his property and the county land besides, but all the stallion could think about was how sad Applebloom looked that morning during breakfast.

Pertaining to what?

The poor thing looked as if she hadn't slept last night, eyes red and puffy as if she'd been crying. Any time she'd dare steal a glance, it was immediately followed by her eyes going straight to the floor in a look of unforgiving guilt and depression, a mask she wore the night before during that diversity seminar...

Ugh. Damn those SJW bastards.

He and Annabelle had talked about it last night while they were in bed, and the only thing either of them could come to was that: It was on the part of stallions for putting up with such treatment in the first place.

Okay, granted, the treatment he'd received from granny and his sisters wasn't all that great... being bullied into silence, punished worse than his sisters for the exact same offense, constantly expected to do the heavy lifting and more dangerous work around the farm...

I remember. Those were hard things to read in earlier chapters.

Stallions were stronger than mares more often than not, that was just a fact of life. If a mare wasn't strong enough to do a job, it naturally fell to a stallion to do it because the job needed to get done. Fact was fact, nature was as it was. Nopony was to blame for that, not mares or stallions.

Too right.

Politics and money ran along the lines of simple population ratios. There was simply more female than male ponies, and by logic of probability, it only made sense that there would be more mares with money and in politics than stallions.

yep

That wasn't oppression or putting stallions down, and the real issues stallions and other males faced was trivialized by saying it was. It made it sound like stallions had a gripe with just about every aspect of society and were treated as second class citizens with no agency of their own.

An argument I have heard constantly in school when we apply to real-life scenarios.

It wasn't the greatest of respectful treatment, but it wasn't oppression as Bannita had said. It wasn't for one simple fact, there was a choice to be made to avoid it.

There is?

Stallions could walk away from those whom behaved as if they were children, yes. They simply chose not to, and chose to indulge the treatment. If there was one thing the past year had taught Mac, it was that there was always a choice. Decisions had consequences, to be sure, but there was always a choice.

Amen to that.

Why did stallions act so pathetic and... how did Sin call it? Simp like, when it came to mares?

Did you meant "wimp"?

Was it a misunderstanding between the sexes? A maternal need to henpeck and maintain order like a mother duck? A complex that had infected most every mare into playing a stern care giver role and lord about over her perceived "ducklings" both foals and mate? Maybe not as a form of disrespect, but an odd expression of love and affection?

If you ask me, it is an odd way to express love and affection.

Macintosh thought back to when he was once like that, why he had expected it from Applejack and, more recently, from Granny Smith.

With Applejack, it was what she learned from Granny. With Granny, it was because of her experience with her male partner who left when she got pregnant (though she tried to manipulate him to stay if I remember correctly).

Applejack's words did come from a place of care and love. She was afraid of him leaving the farm and abandoning the family, just like Granny Smith was. They wanted him to stay because they loved him and valued him. Yea, sure, they needed to utilize his strength and contribution for the chores and apple bucking season, but that didn't negate the fact they loved him and cherished his presence like he did theirs.

I believe so too. It was especially true concerning Applebloom.

Mac looked down at the small bandages around his chest and forelegs where Platinum had scored upon him and frowned.

I'm still not happy that Big Mac will not get a re-match for what the unicorn did. DAMN YOU TRIPLE M!

'Mares get vulnerable in pregnancy, right? Think back before modern times, like back in the days of the three tribes of the old world. Predators were abundant without the empire and food was scarce before mass agriculture. A pregant mare, even a well to do one, isn't to be as likely to do for herself as an unburdened stallion. But stallions would need to be able to do the hard work, even putting their lives and selves at risk in order to feed the pregnant mare, yea?'

yEAH........

Maybe, in response to stallions natural inclination to competition and physical actions, mares adapted to try to wrangle that behavior?'
Macintosh's eyes shot wide at the perceived epiphany, half in righteous indignation and half in utter awe. He didn't care for the implication that stallions, by their very nature, were violent creatures, but at the same time, it made sense. Foals did have similar physical characteristics of both of their parents, so it would make sense to have similar mental ones as well; and it was no secret how aggressive and frustrated colts became during their teenage years...

O.O ....................................

To judge the actions of yesteryear by today's moral standards is just asking to be offended all around, not to mention, completely missing the point.'

SO VERY TRUE. As a history major, that is something I had to learn countless times.

Maybe, but that would lead to the idea of nature vs nurture. How much the social environment influences male behavior and how stallions would behave if they weren't exposed to said influences.

*thinking hard*

If you'll notice, that is kinda the basis for many a romantic relationships. With the mare acting more as a maternal figure and the stallion submitting to it in a kind of... male mother need? Don't tell me that doesn't make some sense to you.'

*puts hand on chin* I see where this is heading.

Umm, alright, but what makes you think stallions were the ones to make it?
'Statistics.'

Before the pony could force his mind to trepidly expand farther into the dark nuance of the concept, a continuous dinging chime from back at the farm echoed around him, saving him from the train of thought.
Lunch time.

I'm hungry now.

Well, this was.................quite the mental exercise. Let's see what else happens.

Sooo, yea, time to address the elephant in the room: The Simp male character trope, and why it exists in the first place... Let's be honest here, most FIMfiction writers are males, mid to late teens up to... 30, 40, maybe? And the Simp trope is everywhere.

AH! So that's what simp is.