I don't know where this image comes from, but I really see Mal without a dad.

Maybe 'cuz it's canon in the show?

Yup, that could be it.

ita, hmmm. How funny our differences in Zoe background speculation. You are quite as likely right as I am, with your

long time in one or more fighting systems. Even if not formally taught, but handed down within the family.

I'm tickled that we come up with very different ideas, based on our own experiences. And each would be likely.

Mal is way too aware of what is going on to be heavily Dad-influenced. The male influence he had from the ranch hands was always tempered by the thought: "Hombre, these braggarts work for my Mom!"

Yes, that's the read I had on it, too. Even if I was, you know, influenced by canon.

Okay, someone really needs to explain "What Fathers Make Boys Into" for ita. Clueless and jocky, it seems.

Hmmm, well that's not really my plan with Emmett? Is that what you did with your son, Gus?

Psychological studies show that a father's influence on his son tends to manifest as modeling proper (socialized?) ways to express aggression.

I have no idea how that relates to this discussion of Mal, however.

Men are not to be trusted with rearing of anything but horses.

::wonders how to specify raised-by-Mom on eHarmony::

I have no idea how that relates to this discussion of Mal, however.

But didn't you draw conclusions about the status of his father from his character?

ita, I think dad-raised sons often--but by no means always, or even most of the time--have all these expectations to live up to. Mom-raised sons tend to have more choices open to them. Men have different expectations for their sons, and that may be a narrower path.

Or, being a mom and not a dad, I could be completely full of shit. Dads?

Wait, are we talking about what dads tend to add to their half of the parenting equation, or what single dads do?

But didn't you draw conclusions about the status of his father from his character?

Yeah, but that didn't have anything do with the psychological studies I cited.

Yeah, but that didn't have anything do with the psychological studies I cited.

What I'm asking about is what you guys based your read on his fathering sitch from his character, not what untapped studies said.

What I'm asking about is what you guys based your read on his fathering sitch from his character, not what untapped studies said.

It doesn't seem worth elaborating on since (a) I was wrong, and (b) I don't know how to discuss it without looking over my shoulder for Anya to come swooping in and putting her gender studies-fu on me. Besides, I think the canonical backstory on Mal provides for plenty of male role models which would account for what I was seeing. He had a lot of adult men in his life, but Mom was #1.

Well, you're probably safe from Anya. Me, I don't know what a) invested in male culture really means b) how Mal demonstrated that and in a far distant third position c) how closely tied that is to non-fictitious parenting.

So that's what I was wondering about.