Take a long, hard look at that image.
Yes.
I know.
But that's the result what I have to look foward to with my upcoming tonsillectomy. That's of course, after the the scabs fall out - and apparently all blood drains from ones mouth.
Why am I getting the vague feeling that this whole tonsillectomy venture may not be worth it?
Don't get me wrong, I'll still do it, I'll man up, and won't even ask for directions to the hospital.
Which brings us to todays topic: manliness.
What defines it in todays shifting culture?
Well, according to Harvey Mansfeld, the appropriately named author of the book "Mannliness" essentially defines manliness as confidence in the face of risk. He also makes the assersation that feminism has hijacked this very essence. "Men are still free to be manly; but there's no justification for it, no welcome for it, no respect for it."
He may be right. Yet, at the very core of feminism isn't an anti-masculine approach, its simply working from a hypothesis of gender-equality. Thus, the shrinkage of manhood may not be due to the ideals of feminism, but the practices. Which, by and large, are based on rejecting "traditional" feminine roles in favor of more masculine ones - from occupations to the family.
Of course, I'm not suggesting women be turned away from high positions in business or elsewhere. However, one must ask themselves why adopting the traits of say, a more powerful "group A" over a less powerful"group B" empowers that "group B". Is it so much of a "man's-world" that women must, at least in some form, become men? Is it, alternately, so much of a "straight's-world" that gay couples must marry?
I would say, in an ideal world, all groups and individuals could simply affirm their equality and move on. Yet, that's hardly, if ever, the case. Can "Group A" so overpower a culture's practices that there seems no other way besides their way? Could the overwhelming desire to adopt a more powerful groups practices stem from a need to "legitimize" oneself, or does it just stem from a lack of creativity?
Just some stream-of-consciousness thoughts for you. :)
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