The Language of Louie

I  enjoyed The Language of Men because I feel like it accurately portrayed the way men behave in social situations-that is, according to some obscure and unwritten code.  One of the criticisms of this language in the story and one that I hear about often (such as in class) is about how men have to settle their disputes with violence. Wouldn't it be so much easier if everyone could simply talk their problems out, instead of having to resort to fisticuffs?

Well, according to Louis CK, that is theoretically the best choice.  However, he examines the consequences of peaceful acquiescence in his show Louie, where in his episode "Bully" he is confronted by a testosterone filled teenager while on a first date with a lady.  The gist of what happens is that the kid threatens Louie and Louie submits to the kid in order to not get beaten by some hormonal chimp.  The problem is, after he does that, his date is immediately not attracted to him anymore, because of some prehistoric instinct.  The date, which had been going very well up until that point, is now ruined because although the date wants to believe that Louie did the right, mature, and responsible thing, she just can't shake off the fact that he is a coward.

This episode provides good insight on the pressures to conform to masculinity not just because of an inherent desire to be manly or accepted by your peers, but also the need to appear attractive.  One of Louie's signature aspects is the fact that pretty much everyone in the Louie universe is unfiltered and speaks their minds no matter what.  So from this, we can see through Louis CK's eyes the progress of Feminism in deconstructing male gender roles.  Essentially, things are getting better, because Louie's date does realize that he did the right thing, and that she should still be attracted to him.  However, men are pressured to conform to these aggressive male archetypes because if they don't, they are considered weak and unattractive to the opposite sex.

It's also important to recognize the fact that this is in no way a criticism of women, feminism, or anything like that.  CK is not necessarily saying that it's their fault for not being turned off by a guy who has to submit to a high schooler.  If you watch the scene in question, it is hard not to lose some respect for Louie, despite the fact that you know exactly why he is choosing not to fight.  This is simply his way of demonstrating the inherent difficulty of pacifism as a male.  View it as more of a commentary rather than a critique.  I'd assume from this episode that CK himself is a feminist, as he clearly shows that he has a lot to gain from Feminism and the deconstruction of gender roles, and it shows how the gender roles are negatively affecting his life.