Myths of Masculinity

[Indurrago]

http://www.cbn.com/family/familyadvice/ ... inity.aspx
A good article about the myths of masculinity, myths that many men especially jocks to fervently believe and follow with zeal.

Btw, feel free to post web-pages with similar topics. Much appreciated.

[i_like_1981]

Good article, Indurrago. It seems that these myths have now become well-established guidelines that males have to follow if they wish to prove themselves to their peers and be a "real man". There is no time or place for compassion, so it seems. Life is just one great big competition, and foul play is definitely allowed to get to the top. But women are actually attracted to this sort of "hard man" act. Believe me, a woman would rather have a risk-taker than someone who always plays by the rules. It's the sort of "badass" behaviour that's always been looked highly upon by young people, for some reason. I always regarded it as being stupid and as a result, I've been ostracised by the majority of people for a lot of my life. I view these "Myths of Masculinity" as just that - myths. Nothing compulsory. But a lot of people my age and younger regard them as being rules that they have to follow in order to get ahead in life. It really isn't just jocks who abide by these rules. More and more blokes seem to be living their lives by these myths nowadays, because society generally tends to have more admiration for the strong and fearless. They're looked up to as being "heroes". And many people tend to think that acting a complete moron and nearly killing yourself makes them a "hero".

Best regards,
i_like_1981

[Fat Man]

Good article, Indurrago. It seems that these myths have now become well-established guidelines that males have to follow if they wish to prove themselves to their peers and be a "real man". There is no time or place for compassion, so it seems. Life is just one great big competition, and foul play is definitely allowed to get to the top. But women are actually attracted to this sort of "hard man" act. Believe me, a woman would rather have a risk-taker than someone who always plays by the rules. It's the sort of "badass" behaviour that's always been looked highly upon by young people, for some reason. I always regarded it as being stupid and as a result, I've been ostracised by the majority of people for a lot of my life. I view these "Myths of Masculinity" as just that - myths. Nothing compulsory. But a lot of people my age and younger regard them as being rules that they have to follow in order to get ahead in life. It really isn't just jocks who abide by these rules. More and more blokes seem to be living their lives by these myths nowadays, because society generally tends to have more admiration for the strong and fearless. They're looked up to as being "heroes". And many people tend to think that acting a complete moron and nearly killing yourself makes them a "hero".

Best regards,
i_like_1981

Well, I don't call that brave and fearless.

A real man who is truly brave and fearless is one who stands up for his principles, and one who stands for the truth, and one who doesn't go along with the crowd like all the moronic sheeple people.

There is nothing wrong with being a "risk taker", for example: you want to start a new business, one that might eventually be employing more people, or perhaps exploring new ways of doing things.

No, I'm not talking about moronic risk takers who pull dangerous stunts just to show how Macho they are, but sometimes in life, one must be willing to take a risk.

For example: people who fought for civil rights back in the 1960s often had to put on their go to jail clothes if you know what I mean. Martin Luther King was a risk taker, and a high school teacher John Scopes back in the 1920s took a risk of getting jailed because he dared to teach Darwin's Theory of Evolution in a science class. Of course, he wasn't jailed, but had to pay a $100 dollar fine.

History is filled with examples of risk takers. Galileo comes to mind.

Then there is "playing by the rules" which most of the time I do, for example: when driving, one must obey the traffic signals and not drive through red lights or go over the speed limits.

But then, there are times when "playing by the rules" is not the right thing to do when the rules are unfair or unjust, again for example: when I was in school "playing by the rules" meant that you had to like sports, because if not, you were in for harassment.

Of course, it was not actually a written rule. It was more or less and unwritten law.

But unwritten laws are pure bullshit that are made up as we go along.

But again, there are written laws that are unjust.

Martin Luther King once said "One has a legal obligation to obey all just laws, but conversely, one has a moral obligation to disobey unjust laws" for example, a black lady who refused to sit in the back of the bus, and who dared to take a drink from a public water fountain that had a sign above it that said "WHITES ONLY" in an act of civil disobedience.

That is how we get unjust laws, like the old Jim Crow Laws changed or abolished.

So, these civil right workers were certainly risk takers.

But as I have said, when it comes to standing up for your principles, you might have to put on your go to jail clothes.

[The Imperialist]

This might be me being very Japanese, and being very obsessed with bushido, but:

#1: As long as you have some sort of skill, you should be alright. Being a complete wimp is not very advantageous...

#2: As a maxim within Hagakure (Hidden leaves/Hiding in the leaves), "One must have a warm heart, but a cool head" or else, you will loose in a war/fight etc. It also means you must follow your principles, and what you consider 'right', instead of being a complete logic robot.

#3: Men's tears are not there to be shown. However, there are times where it is just distasteful not to cry.

#4: Sod off, I am a firm stoic so I spit uber-sexuality in the eye, and blow up the rest of the body with a ICBM.

#5: As long as it properly follows your principles on Loyalty, Honour, Honesty, Respect, some Benevolence, Courage, and Rectitude, you will not stray from the Path.

[Fat Man]

This might be me being very Japanese, and being very obsessed with bushido, but:

#1: As long as you have some sort of skill, you should be alright. Being a complete wimp is not very advantageous...

#2: As a maxim within Hagakure (Hidden leaves/Hiding in the leaves), "One must have a warm heart, but a cool head" or else, you will loose in a war/fight etc. It also means you must follow your principles, and what you consider 'right', instead of being a complete logic robot.

#3: Men's tears are not there to be shown. However, there are times where it is just distasteful not to cry.

#4: Sod off, I am a firm stoic so I spit uber-sexuality in the eye, and blow up the rest of the body with a ICBM.

#5: As long as it properly follows your principles on Loyalty, Honour, Honesty, Respect, some Benevolence, Courage, and Rectitude, you will not stray from the Path.

So, real men don't cry! Eh?

Watch this YouTube Video.

CROCODILE HUNTER, STEVE IRWIN CRYING OVER A CROCODILES DEATH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVEVUxyxBJc

Steve Irwin liked to capture live animals and had an extensive collection.

One day, his favorite crocodile died. She was a hundred years old, and he weeps over the death of his beloved crocodile.

I think this video is quit touching. I cried when I saw this one myself.

Hey! I also like reptiles. I think reptiles are really cool.

I once had a pet king snake that I was really fond of. I let him curl up on my lap whenever I was sitting down.

I was sad when it wasn't around anymore.

So yeah! Real men do cry!

[Jerry McGuire]

Steve Irwin was such a cool guy. I was so sad when he died.

[Fat Man]

Steve Irwin was such a cool guy. I was so sad when he died.

Yes, I believe he was stung by a poisonous sting ray. I also morn his passing.

He loved nature, and exploring in the jungles and in the sea.

He died doing the thing he loved most.

[Jerry McGuire]

Yup, stung in the heart. The ironic thing is sting rays kill very few people a year, one because the amount of attacks is relatively low, and two because their venom isn't very toxic. But not only was he stung by one, he was stung in the HEART, which made any attempts at saving his life fruitless.

[The Imperialist]

Fat Man, I am not too sure if you were criticising me, but I will just highligh tthe fact that I said "sometimes, it is just distasteful NOT to cry"

And I do not condone crying. It is just that they are not there to be shown. (You kind of never know who might try and take advantage of such situations, and people pretending to feel sorry for you waters down meaning of your sorrow)

[sailorexec]

Excellent article. Being a small man 5 feet even and 128 lbs, most people judge me on sight based on preconcieved notions. Here is what they don't know. I served 20 years in the U S Navy. First in the field of nuclear waheads and prepping those weapons for strike. Throughout that period I was ready at any given time to go into action and because of those actions ready to wipe out millions of innocent lives. Later on I was highly involved in conventional missile operations many tomahawk cruise missiles left the launcher at my hands. And many of those same missiles took lives in the hundreds maybe even thousands. I also was a boarding team leader during counter narcotics operations and was directly involved (that's right smelling the breath of the bad guy) in the capturing of over six tons of cocaine. What's the difference in me than jocks. After a successful mission there were no high fives or cheering fans. Lives were taken and I and my shipmates took those lives. The actions we took did not make us masculine. It was the very private tears that followed that made us men. Because of this I see atheletes and their fans as cowards that only have the guts to play games that have no purpose and no victims. Too many times I see these atheletes elevated as gods only knowing they have no idea what true sacrifice is. They only live for false glory. A glory that won't matter in the pages of history.

[recovering_fan]

Welcome to the forum, sailorexec,


I hope you find yourself in good company. Out of respect for the depth and power of the ideas in your post I am not going to quote just the parts of it I disagree with, because that would feel disrespectful to the Navy, as well as to you, personally, who have risked your life for us. (I agreed with 8 out of 9 lines, or so, so why quote just the parts I didn't like and make you look bad? That would be rude.)

However, I will say one thing, because I know what I'm saying reflects the views of other forum members: many of us at this forum, including myself, do not consider athletes to be cowards. I don't think Kurt Warner, for instance, is a coward. If I remember right, he was playing semi-pro ball, and he stuck with it, and he made it work and won a Super Bowl. I mean, I don't consider him a hero, but it was his career choice. It was something he liked doing for a living, and I'm glad it worked out for him. And many athletes are so committed to victory that they badger their coaches to let them play with concussions.

Cheers,
recovering_fan

[Fat Man]

Good evening sailorexec.

Welcome to our anti-sports forum.

I see you had a rather interesting career.

Oh, speaking of cocaine, I have a little joke for you.

Q: What dose it sound like when the DEA knocks on your door?

A: KNARC! KNARC! KNARC! KNARC! KNARC!

Anyway you said . . . . .

Because of this I see athletes and their fans as cowards that only have the guts to play games that have no purpose and no victims.

Well, actually . . . . . jocks have plenty of victims. The other students they enjoy bullying around in our high schools.

Anyway . . . . .

Once again, welcome to our forum.

[Ex fan]

Excellent article. Being a small man 5 feet even and 128 lbs, most people judge me on sight based on preconcieved notions. Here is what they don't know. I served 20 years in the U S Navy. First in the field of nuclear waheads and prepping those weapons for strike. Throughout that period I was ready at any given time to go into action and because of those actions ready to wipe out millions of innocent lives. Later on I was highly involved in conventional missile operations many tomahawk cruise missiles left the launcher at my hands. And many of those same missiles took lives in the hundreds maybe even thousands. I also was a boarding team leader during counter narcotics operations and was directly involved (that's right smelling the breath of the bad guy) in the capturing of over six tons of cocaine. What's the difference in me than jocks. After a successful mission there were no high fives or cheering fans. Lives were taken and I and my shipmates took those lives. The actions we took did not make us masculine. It was the very private tears that followed that made us men. Because of this I see atheletes and their fans as cowards that only have the guts to play games that have no purpose and no victims. Too many times I see these atheletes elevated as gods only knowing they have no idea what true sacrifice is. They only live for false glory. A glory that won't matter in the pages of history.

You probably saved hundreds of lives by capturing all that coke and also served your country well for 20 years. You've done far more for America than some overpaid, greedy American football player, same as British soldiers are risking their lives in Afghanistan for £ 20,000 a year, while some greedy, amoral pig of a footballer called Wayne Rooney demands £ 250,000 a week.

[i_like_1981]

Welcome, sailorexec. Let me assure you, people who will gladly judge others based on their appearance or interests and feel secure in such opinions are complete idiots. I have of course had to endure all of this crap in the past, like in school, where I often became the brunt of homophobic and other such insults for not sharing everyone else's manic obsession with competitive or professional league sports. I was called "gay", "poof" and all that shit because I preferred academics and other intelligent pursuits over that overblown, overhyped waste of time and money they call "sports". All these dickhead football players who think their stupid games and antics give them the right to have more money in a week than most people make in a year are completely up their own arses, and the world around them does absolutely nothing to get them out of their own arses by satisfying their urges and, in the case of Wayne Rooney, offering them more money to keep them happy. And I agree with your last sentence completely. The true heroes of the world are the ones who do great things for little material gain. I'm sick of these sports players getting everything they want - and more - for their insignificant and somehow idolised games. It's absurd. I love this site, because it's one of the few places on the internet that's happy to speak out against the absurdity of it all.

Maybe you will return to these forums. Maybe you won't. But you made good points in your post and I agree with you. Society makes too much of a fuss about things that don't matter and too little of a fuss over things and people that do matter. The madness isn't going to stop, but as long as we hold out against it and see through it, and stick to what we believe, then we shall at least be resisting it for something.

Best regards,
i_like_1981