Great review of the discourse to date. But as I have said here before, pathologizing men (or anything really) is not helping. Men are men and doing as they always have: learning by doing (rather than "studying"), providing for others (when they are given a decent chance to do so), and prepared to self-sacrifice (literally prepared to die to defend their people). These things are as they always have been, virtues, though our culture has lost all sense of virtue. We are also very patient. And would rather not talk about it thank you very much.
I'm kinda like you, and didn't see much appeal in traditional masculinity until I started dating. Turned out most women want it. Oh well.
I think the fact that our mainstream media is so dominated by leftists who hate masculinity gives a hugely slanted picture. Then all the guys get driven off to these podcasts and compete to look more macho than each other. (So yeah, I blame the left here, but the right isn't very appealing either.)
I feel like increasingly you have to be a macho weightlifting stereotype if you want to be a right-winger, or constantly deferring to women and apologizing for finding them attractive if you want to be on the left. Sorry, I'm not a Navy SEAL, but I'm not some feminist's sub either. A pox on both your houses.
There is that quote from CS Lewis about how the most childish thing you can do is act very grown up. Essentially the more you brag about something or say you are something, chances are you're lying and seeking validation.
Why do you need to shout from the heavens that you are a good/masculine/strong man? If that was true, why say something so blatantly obvious? And why get so uppity about something said about you that was false?
It is possible to enjoy the sunrise WHILE working out :) the two are not mutually exclusive. Whenever I'm out running early in the morning ...I can still appreciate nature. In fact, I'd argue I appreciate it all the more :)
Great review of the discourse to date. But as I have said here before, pathologizing men (or anything really) is not helping. Men are men and doing as they always have: learning by doing (rather than "studying"), providing for others (when they are given a decent chance to do so), and prepared to self-sacrifice (literally prepared to die to defend their people). These things are as they always have been, virtues, though our culture has lost all sense of virtue. We are also very patient. And would rather not talk about it thank you very much.
Good stuff Ben.. I remember you from Spectator..
I'm kinda like you, and didn't see much appeal in traditional masculinity until I started dating. Turned out most women want it. Oh well.
I think the fact that our mainstream media is so dominated by leftists who hate masculinity gives a hugely slanted picture. Then all the guys get driven off to these podcasts and compete to look more macho than each other. (So yeah, I blame the left here, but the right isn't very appealing either.)
I feel like increasingly you have to be a macho weightlifting stereotype if you want to be a right-winger, or constantly deferring to women and apologizing for finding them attractive if you want to be on the left. Sorry, I'm not a Navy SEAL, but I'm not some feminist's sub either. A pox on both your houses.
There is that quote from CS Lewis about how the most childish thing you can do is act very grown up. Essentially the more you brag about something or say you are something, chances are you're lying and seeking validation.
Why do you need to shout from the heavens that you are a good/masculine/strong man? If that was true, why say something so blatantly obvious? And why get so uppity about something said about you that was false?
It is possible to enjoy the sunrise WHILE working out :) the two are not mutually exclusive. Whenever I'm out running early in the morning ...I can still appreciate nature. In fact, I'd argue I appreciate it all the more :)
Amen to that, Marta. Alas, Mr Willinck always seems to be indoors.
This reads like a prologue. You never really start talking until maybe the last two paragraphs. I'd like to hear more from you.
Mr Ben. Please commission Mr Fred Skulthorp to write a piece on new acclaimed drama Adolescence.