💖🔔😴 A heart of joy is my dream catcher.

✨️👻✨️

🕯 In some European regions, especially in the Middle Ages, small bells were attached to doors and windows or hung above the bed to keep evil spirits or demons at bay. The sound of the bells was considered protective or banishing. It was believed that the sound not only warded off the "evil" forces but also energetically purified the space.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

⚖️ I am against any form of injustice - whether it concerns physical characteristics, psychological traits, gender, origin, religion, or interests. This is not just about social peace but also about fairness and the foundations of constructive coexistence. Aggressive rhetoric cannot be helpful, as it builds walls. Journalists must work responsibly to avoid reinforcing harmful narratives.

🎯 In addition to the rise of right-wing extremist forces, I am also frustrated by the dichotomous view of gender. It is not helpful to portray men as the root of all evil. If only about 1-2 % of men become violent, one cannot act as if men, in general, are incapable of resolving conflicts in a normal way. This aggressive rhetoric against men, in particular, demonstrates that the problem cannot lie solely with men. 20–30% of men have been violent at least once in their lives (e.g., in a fight, domestic violence, or in other situations). Most of these occurred at a young age and drunk.

📰 We are not incapable of talking about or regulating our emotions, but the way we are portrayed in the media might make us start believing that we are (gaslighting). Just because measurable differences exist in studies, they should not be taken out of context to demonize men!

🔎 Prejudices regarding empathy, in particular, are often distorted, even though the studies themselves emphasize their limited significance. It is about respect and decency. About objectivity in pursuit of a common goal!

🎣 Polarization generates attention, engagement, and ultimately profit - whether in the media, politics, or social networks. Clear enemy images make complex problems seem easier to understand and emotionalize the debate, which in turn leads to more clicks, higher ratings, or more votes.

🐾 The fatal thing is that such narratives often take on a life of their own. Once a group has been established as "guilty", every single misconduct from within that group is perceived disproportionately and reinforces the stereotype. At the same time, a dynamic emerges in which factual discussions become increasingly difficult because any contradiction is seen as "trivialization" or "taking sides" with the other group.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🔧🧰🌍 Easier than repairing the planet!

If a hair clippers has served you well for over a decade and then stops working, it might seem reasonable to just buy a new one. The exact same model today costs between 40 and 50 euros. From a personal effort standpoint, it initially seems more plausible to buy a new one rather than repair it.

♻️ However, the issue is the resulting electronic waste. Especially small appliances quickly end up in the household trash, even though they can be dropped off at any major electronics retailer for recycling. But even when it's properly taken to recycling, only about 60 percent is actually recycled. Additionally, a lot is illegally disposed of or sent abroad, where cheap labor is exposed to toxic chemicals, and groundwater gets contaminated. This doesn’t have to be the case!

🔧 Usually, it’s just a small thing that needs to be repaired, like a small part or even just the battery, as in my case. With a little skill, you can either do it yourself or find someone who wants to help. There are repair cafés, classifieds, and even online services that accept defective electronics to repair them.

🤓 I decided to give it a try myself. Since I often tinker, I already have a soldering iron set at home (which isn’t expensive either). I carefully disassembled the hair clippers and guessed it was the batteries. After such a long time, it’s a logical assumption. So I ordered the appropriate replacement batteries online, focusing mainly on size (AAA) and voltage (1.2 volts). The cost for the batteries was 6 euros, plus 6 euros for the unfortunately oversized shipping (why such a huge box?). I removed the old batteries by melting the solder and sucking it up. Then I installed the new batteries and soldered them in place. Unfortunately, I worked a bit carelessly and damaged the circuit trace for the LED lights. No big deal! The hair clippers work! I just had to reassemble it correctly. I unnecessarily took the cutting head completely apart – this turned out to be a bit tricky to reverse – but in the end, it was successful! Here’s to another decade with my hair clippers!

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🤺 Male Violence? A Distorted Perspective!

Discussions about violent crime often highlight that about 93% of such offenses are committed by men, implying that "masculinity" is the core issue.

However, this ignores an important fact: about 0.3 to 1.4% of men actually commit violent crimes (🇩🇪). The vast majority of men are not violent offenders, making it misleading to link violence to masculinity itself.

🎯 Social Dynamics Matter More Than Gender

The real question is why a small percentage of men turn to violence. While testosterone may influence aggression, socialization plays a much greater role. Boys are often taught to be tough and independent, while emotional expression is discouraged. Violence is sometimes normalized through rough play, peer conflicts, or societal expectations.

However, social influences extend beyond men. Parents, caregivers, and broader societal structures shape early behaviors. Dysfunctional family dynamics, neglect, or emotional manipulation can contribute to violent tendencies, regardless of gender. Violence is less about being male and more about the environments that shape behavior.

⚖️ A Balanced Approach to Reducing Violence

To tackle violence effectively, we must move beyond gendered blame and address the root causes:

👪 Early emotional education to help boys and girls process anger constructively.

💑 Promoting healthy conflict resolution instead of normalizing aggression.

⚡️ Recognizing harmful behaviors across genders, not just “toxic masculinity”.

🌈 Challenging restrictive gender roles that reinforce destructive behaviors.

🔎 A meaningful discussion about violence must look at the bigger picture - social structures, upbringing, and cultural norms - not just statistics that fuel one-sided narratives.

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😶 I have been violent myself. As a teenager I fought with boys my own age. I can remember five fights. Three of them were in a children's home. I also once hit my father in the face. As a child I was often hit by my mother, but never by my father. I have never hit a woman. My mother once asked my father to hit my older brother. He didn't.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

I pull on doors that say push. But actually I like efficiency. My bed is efficient. And I want to present things accurately. That's why I look at the world critically and question a lot. Journalists, well, are not necessarily the best measure to properly assess the methodology of studies. Simplifications are much more catchy!

It is often assumed that women are more empathetic than men because of their social connections and supposedly stronger emotional perception. However, this assumption may be inaccurate because it does not fully capture the complexity of empathy and human perception. Rather, it can be argued that women develop a greater basic knowledge of other people's emotional states because of their kind of social connections. This basic knowledge often leads to a greater agreement with others' feelings because they often apply their own emotional projections to what they observe. However, this agreement is not always a sign of accurate empathy, but rather a result of the personal ideas and assumptions that are projected onto others' perceptions.

Men, on the other hand, may try to understand others' emotions and thoughts from a more unbiased perspective without automatically imposing their own assumptions. This may lead them to look more closely when recognizing feelings or needs, even though they may make more erroneous judgments in doing so.

Empathy is not just an intuition, but an active, individual process based on discussion and reflection. It requires the ability to set aside one's own prejudices and understand others.

Experiences in which one is outside the social norm and is therefore often confronted with misjudgments create a deeper sensitivity to the complexity of perception and empathy. They recognize how easy it is to draw wrong conclusions based on projections or preconceptions and experience first-hand how important it is to consciously detach oneself from one's own ideas in order to really understand. This outsider perspective can therefore provide a valuable basis for deeper and more precise empathy that is based less on assumptions and more on genuine discussion.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🪰 The harder you push, the more stubborn the door—yet it opens when you least expect. ✨️

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🧠 People who are so focused on rationality that they fail to acknowledge their own emotions can miss important opportunities for self-reflection.

❤️‍🩹 When individuals mistake their feelings for objective logic, they risk avoiding accountability for their role in a situation.

👻 The real problem might be the way people, in general, avoid difficult conversations, whether through ghosting, blaming, or running away from emotional responsibility.

🌱🌱 Real growth happens when people face discomfort, acknowledge their emotions, and take responsibility for their part in conflicts.

🤷‍♂️ I wonder why people keep making seemingly critical statements, but as soon as an argument comes up that contradicts them or relativizes the statements, they can't discuss them. Instead, other measures are taken: silence, ignoring, aggression, escape.

👫 This applies to all genders, including those who regularly claim that they are able to deal with emotions so well.

🎯 I present my personal views publicly. There is the option to comment and people can write me messages. Sometimes my posts are seen by several thousand people. If I were afraid of that, I wouldn't do it. And I know that some of my views are controversial.

🤗 I would therefore like to point out again that I even offer an anonymous contact form on my website (megagroundsloth.de -> contact -> anonymous contact).

😶‍🌫️ This is specifically designed so that people who don't dare to criticize me directly can do so in this way.

🥱 However, most people don't do anything at all.

⚡️ I find that sad because I like being criticized.
⚡️ I love creative friction.

🌈 I know that no one is free from errors in thinking and that no one can completely keep their feelings out of their perception.

🙃 And sometimes - if not often - I want to deliberately provoke people so that they think. Being right all the time is less important than the exchange of ideas.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

🌞🚴‍♂️ Today there was beautiful sunshine. It's a bit chilly at 5 degrees Celsius, but that doesn't matter. A bike ride is always fun. I cut my hair yesterday. I've been doing it myself since 2011, but now only a short haircut is acceptable anyway, because everything else looks really sick when you lose hair. My skin is a bit orange because I eat carrots and drink carrot juice every day. But that only comes out in certain lighting conditions, like in this photo. I just have this special glow. I'm sitting here at the riding arena in Bommersheim - the largest horse village in Hesse. There are often riding events here at the weekend. I gave my bike the nickname Bikephalus, after Alexander the Great's famous horse Bucephalus. This horse, like me, had to learn to overcome its shadow.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

Women are generally considered to be the empathetic gender. I can't really confirm that. I think the term benevolence is more appropriate here. I think women tend to be more benevolent, whereas empathy is a skill that can be developed regardless of gender. I think many people don't know the difference between morality and empathy. Empathy means being open to the perspective and needs of others. Morality is an ideal that everyone has for themselves. Forcing this ideal on others has nothing to do with empathy.

One example is that men are often told: You don't need to build muscles. You don't need to reinforce your masculinity. But that immediately makes a judgment, then connects it with a personal ideal and then tries to talk the other person into adopting that very same ideal. That is not empathy, even if it stems from a motive of benevolence. That is moralizing.

In fact, even if the motives are fundamentally different, the effect is not so dissimilar to the infamous gaslighting (a subtle form of violence). As a man, you can become just as insecure and doubt yourself as women and non-binary people. Nobody - regardless of gender - wants to be told what they can and cannot want.

For men, physical strength is not a universal need, but a common one that is in the nature of men. Likewise, dominance or strength through superiority are completely natural drives - which, by the way, also occur in women.

In a society, it is not about setting rules about who can be what, but about everyone being able to live out their needs freely within a socially acceptable framework without being reduced to that or judged as a human being. When we talk about toxic masculinity, we mean a dynamic that is harmful - for example, aggressive behavior that harms others (that is, not socially acceptable). But if we keep talking about toxic masculinity, we must also talk about toxic femininity. Toxic femininity, for example, is the moralizing behavior I described. And if we now separate ourselves from the idea that both things can be stereotypically assigned to genders, we might be able to find a more objective basis for discussion that is not based on demonization but on empathy.

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.

Little Vincent doesn't even try to think about becoming independent ❤️🤭

A man in his fourth decade who cherishes his stuffed animal and carries it playfully in his heart may embody a deeper form of maturity (one rooted in self-care and appreciation) than someone who seeks importance in the lives of others out of self-interest, creating dependencies to secure personal advantages. This latter behavior reflects an infantile craving for the metaphorical milk of gratitude, masked as maturity.

🍼🎖

This contrast highlights the tension between external expectations and internal realities. It does not suggest that all who care for others do so selfishly, nor that every adult who finds joy in a stuffed animal embodies a higher wisdom. Rather, it exposes the superficiality of rigid stereotypes and quick judgments, inviting a more nuanced reflection on what it truly means to grow.

🌱🍂

Another example: What age were you thinking of when I spoke of the fourth decade? In fact, the first decade begins at birth. The probability that you thought of me as 10 years older is very high because few people think in such a nuanced and attentive way.

🤓🔢🤯

Furthermore, does maturity have something to do with the active effort to look behind the facade?

⁉️ 🧱 👥

True maturity involves a conscious effort to see beyond surface-level appearances, judgments, and assumptions. It requires recognizing the difference between what’s projected outwardly and what’s actually going on beneath the surface. This deeper awareness allows for empathy, understanding, and the ability to navigate the world with wisdom. It’s not just about understanding yourself, but also seeing others for who they really are, not just as they present themselves to the world.

🦚🪶🐦‍⬛

The first impulse can be important, but the decision to question it and learn more is the key to a deeper understanding.

🪸🦪🤿

🤗 For a more nuanced discussion, please feel free to use the comments section, private messages or the anonymous contact form on my website.