what the hell is happening to this country?

December 26, 2005 6:20 PM

there are, at least to my mind, many nefarious things going on in this country, at all levels. i recently voiced a specific complaint to a friend of mind. his reply was 'this is the way the 'man' wants it.' who is this 'man' anyway?
posted by brandz to Society & Culture (14 answers total)

Best answer: Wikipedia, of course, has something to say about The Man. First few sentences: "The Man" is a slang phrase associated with the counterculture and used to describe higher authority. This "Man" does not usually refer to a specific individual as such, but instead to the government, leaders of large corporations and other authority figures; its meaning is pejorative. The Man is colloquially defined as the figurative person who controls our world. The Man is also often used as a symbol of racial oppression.
posted by jessamyn at 6:24 PM on December 26, 2005

It was originally a prison term, according to Wikipedia. It refers to the powers that be, the government, the warden, or whoever else has the power to push you around.

It eventually came to be applied by blacks to all whites, again according to Wiki. I think your friend just means "the power structure" or "the establishment".
posted by crapples at 6:25 PM on December 26, 2005

Best answer: The Man is the collective personality of those people who are in power. They have your best interests at heart, you know.
posted by chef_boyardee at 6:45 PM on December 26, 2005

Rove/Cheney
posted by UncleHornHead at 6:55 PM on December 26, 2005

the man is a member of them ... you know, they ... they always get what they want ... you can't do anything without them sticking their noses into it ... because that's the way they want it ...
posted by pyramid termite at 7:05 PM on December 26, 2005

It turns out the real monster is man!
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 7:22 PM on December 26, 2005

Response by poster: oh, i see, they know best.
posted by brandz at 7:23 PM on December 26, 2005

Best answer: "I'm the Man"

But seriously, The Man is any institution which seeks to impose it's will on you. Examples:

Republican party
Democratic party
Mass media
Churches
Large corporations
posted by ZenMasterThis at 7:42 PM on December 26, 2005

The Man is any institution which seeks to impose it's will on you

I think they have to be successful to be The Man.
posted by phrontist at 8:14 PM on December 26, 2005

I thought it was a reference to slavery/slave slang. "The Man" is the master, who controlls and oppresses "The Boy".
posted by sandking at 8:38 PM on December 26, 2005

It wasn't "juggling," exactly, because he never would throw them up in the air. Instead, he would circulate them about his palm, balancing them on the back of his hand and on his fingertips. The effect was mesmerizing.

This is called contact juggling, best known from the movie "labyrinth". Some googled up images (not the greatest) here. I would not have expected the man to be a contact juggler, however.

posted by advil at 11:18 PM on December 26, 2005

Well now I've got some advice for you, little buddy.
Before you point your finger you should know that I'm the man,
and if I'm the man, then you're the man, and he's the man as well
so you can point that fuckin' finger up your aaaaaaaaaaass!
posted by signal at 5:38 AM on December 27, 2005

Richard Scaife
posted by Thorzdad at 9:40 AM on December 27, 2005

Response by poster: all great remarks. thanks! oppression seems to be key.
posted by brandz at 6:40 PM on December 27, 2005