The Man Thread: a discussion (and celebration) of masculinity

Viggo portraying him masterfully

I find Viggo generally plays interesting characters, presumably he picks roles/characters he likes, identifies with, or would like to emulate.

The earliest, non-clicheic “masculine hero” i recall discovering was Atticus Finch, from To Kill a Mockingbird. He was, if not exactly a pacifist, generally opposed to the use of violence. He never seemed to want to prove his masculinity but he is shown from beginning to end to be courageous and honest and ethical. He was one of the first characters to show me that theres a real difference between being a good man and being a stereotypical “badass”.

Learning to “be a man” for me was never in juxtaposition to being a woman (I.e. there was no particular emphasis on not doing something because it was a “woman” thing). Instead, “being a man” was in juxtaposition to being a “boy”, so it was about the pride of transitioning from being a child to being an adult.

Thus, being a man to me has always been about being responsible. About being conscious that whatever life is for me and mine, it is because of my choices. And thus I am responsible for my choices, and have full power over using it for good, or for immature, destructive behavior (being a child).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_HL0wiK4Zc

I thought the same thing as Manu mentioned above this morning, that being a man is relevant to being a boy, and being a women is relevant to being a girl. So since masculinity cannot be types of man, because each person is different, it must best be the attributes of growing into an adult, for which the lions share would be the same for men and women. Though there are differences, but those differences do not define masculinity but rather individuality IMO. Conflating the two just serves to create or reinforce stereotypes which can be abused to miscast people who are immature (adulthood) or different (individuality). I think it serves everyone to know the difference and respect people with their individuality while also understanding people with their maturity (or more saliently, lack of it). So I would consider that actually a function of maturity, which tends to promote empathy, which then tends to reinforce humanistic concepts - while the opposite of course reinforcing the plethora of self centered egoism.

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote:

Attachment 2r45p2.jpg not found

No that type of act was and is called heroism not “masculine”

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote:

Attachment FB_IMG_1548810129183_2019-01-29.jpg not found

Who wrote his ? This is key to finding and making the distinction between character and toxicity.

These statements are why we have problems in American society

Carlos.Martinez3 wrote: Who wrote his ? This is key to finding and making the distinction between character and toxicity.
These statements are why we have problems in American society

This is not the "critique my meme thread" Carlos. Stop disparaging my posts in the celebrating masculinity thread. You want to debate the merits then read the directions and get over to the debating toxic masculinity thread.