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#1 2008-04-26 09:35:24
- Marc Grayson
- Member
- Posts: 8860
The Decline Of Manliness
http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2008/04/wolcott200804
"‘The sense of being perfectly well dressed gives a feeling of inner tranquility which even religion is powerless to bestow." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Looking good and dressing well is a necessity. Having a purpose in life is not." Oscar Wilde
#2 2008-04-26 12:02:05
- Film Noir Buff
- Dandy Nightmare
- From: Devil's Island
- Posts: 9345
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
That's an interesting read. I am not sure it gets us anywhere or that it's anything more than a well considered rant. I dont always have a lot of respect for people who simply identify a problem without offering a solution. Which man are we supposed to be? What makes a man, manly?
One element (of many) left out are the politics of bi-sexuality in men. Not true homosexuality, mind you. Seems like some women reserve the right to either support it as natural or humiliate straight men by insinuating this behavior whenever they want to get them to do or not do certain things. They know it gets a charge out of men (and that's whether they are gay, straight or bi).
So, it isnt just men afraid to help men out for fear other men will think theyre gay, it is also fear that women will tease/humiliate them about it.
I think what's unfortunate is that it can tend to make men otherwise neutral over homo or bi-sexuality feel the need to take a hard stance against it. Which is truly incredible because so many city dwelling women profess to championship the gay lifestyle and are instead unconsciously undermining it. I am not trying to lead this into a discussion about bi-sexuality, merely demonstrating that when he writes about fear of it, he may not be accurately uncovering some of the current causes for it.
#4 2008-04-26 12:40:20
- Voltaire's Bastard
- Member
- Posts: 967
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
Last edited by Voltaire's Bastard (2008-04-26 12:54:59)
“You know that saying, 'Caesar's wife is above suspicion'? Well I put an end to all that rubbish!"..”
#7 2008-04-26 13:15:01
- Fogey
- Member
- Posts: 228
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
^ the last three posts are well worth a link-to in their own right.
#8 2008-04-26 13:15:35
- Voltaire's Bastard
- Member
- Posts: 967
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
“You know that saying, 'Caesar's wife is above suspicion'? Well I put an end to all that rubbish!"..”
#11 2008-04-27 09:47:38
- Godspeed
- Member
- Posts: 24
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
It's funny that I keep seeing articles like these all the time, as well as hearing AM talk show hosts talk about the decline of the "manly man" and they always seem to use pop culture as their reference point. Even in this thread there have been multiple references to movies and pop icons to prove a point. I think that's the problem and that's possibly why no one seems to be able to offer a realistic and reasonable suggestion for the failing man of today to pick himself up. If I asked "What would you have a sissy man do?", these critics would probably imagine Clint Eastwood riding horses or Wyatt Earp defending his town from a gang of bandits or something ridiculous like that. That just goes to show how disconnected from reality some people are.
Fact is I think this whole thing is a non-issue being made an issue for the sake of being able to talk/write about it. I know some guys who are "sissies" just like i know some guys who are "manly". I'm betting if you went back in time to 1850 or whenever manly men seemed to have roamed the earth in abundance, you'd find the same thing. There are sissies and there are manly man or whatever.
#14 2008-04-27 20:33:08
- Admiral Cod
- Member
- Posts: 412
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
"You will find that men of style and their adherents are considered either political enemies of the people or reckless, gluttoness consumers while most live in squalor" - FNB
#16 2008-05-01 07:05:59
- Tony Ventresca
- Member
- Posts: 5132
Re: The Decline Of Manliness
So...
What is the definition of "a man" or "manliness"?
Are men incapable of defining it? Is it a dangerous, macho swagger, or a refined, 'renaissance-man' refinement? Is it bold competitiveness, or quiet reflection? Is is one of those things that can't be defined? or are there 6 billion+ definitions for it?
