Joseph Gelfer - The Masculinity Conspiracy: Chapter 7 (Spirituality) Now Online

Joseph Gelfer has posted chapter 7 of The Masculinity Conspiracy - Spirituality - online. Here is the blurb for this chapter from his personal blog. A couple of days ago, he also gave a brief example of why he making this an online book, free to all - and it all comes down to marketing, or rather, an ignorance of how to market the book.

The Masculinity Conspiracy: chapter 7 now online

Chapter 7 (Spirituality) of The Masculinity Conspiracy is now online.

This chapter examines how spirituality is mobilized in the conspiracy via two books: No More Christian Nice Guy: When Being Nice—Instead of Good—Hurts Men, Women and Children by Paul Coughlin, and The Hidden Spirituality of Men: Ten Metaphors to Awaken the Sacred Masculine by Matthew Fox.

It shows how these books promote masculine spirituality as being defined by fixed characteristics.

It then offers some different ways of thinking about spirituality in order to counter the conspiracy.

Here is the post from the other day demonstrating why he's doing this book online for free:

The Masculinity Conspiracy and Sales

In the interests of radical transparency, I thought I’d give you some notes from the reader reports at an unnamed mind-body-spirit publisher who just had a look at The Masculinity Conspiracy:

• Reader 1: I like the style. My question is how much more is it than an extended book(s) review, (most of which I haven’t read, so confess ignorance in the area), and how we’re going to sell it.
• Reader 2: Love the short blurb, it immediately made me want to read the book. Extremely well written in a reader friendly way that makes even someone completely uninterested in the subject sit up and take notice. The book certainly makes some good points and although it examines other books on the subject it does so in a style which, although serious, is light and sometimes humorous. I found this an enjoyable read and it made me stop and think and in doing so I realized that a part of my mind had already explored these issues but without having anywhere to express them. I’m not sure how many people would actually buy it.
• Reader 3: I agree, well written, great style and an interesting subject, but general sales will be a problem.

So, everyone seems to like it, but how are they going to sell it? That’s why I’ve been giving it to you online… The conspiracy has things so neatly wrapped up that even when a well-written critical text comes along three readers who like it can’t imagine anyone else buying it!

Tags: Joseph Gelfer, The Masculinity Conspiracy, Chapter 7, Spirituality, Online, free, marketing, publishers, men, masculinities, books, spirituality, gender stereotypes, Paul Coughlin, Matthew Fox