Reply #3: The measure of a man [View All]

In answer to your questions: All these answers are from my personal male perspective, but many could easily be applied to either gender. Since I am only once gender though, I apply them to we males.

1. What does it mean to be a man?

Accept responsibility for your faults as well as your succcesses. To maintain a stoic disposition in times of strife and confusion. To show leadership by example. To stand your ground when necessary.

2. What does it mean to be masculine?

To me masculine is a body type. I don't think of it as a psychological position. Even effemenate males can be masculine in appearance. I think of masculine to mean physically and mentally strong, broad shouldered and broad minded, both muscular and tender.

3. Why has violence/conflict become an acceptable trait to cultiviate as a male?

It's a holdover from when we had to defend the position as top banana in the group. it's a mating thing I think. This isn't to suggest some of us (me) have risen above it, because when it comes right down to brass tacks I think most men will tap into that prehistoric voilent defense mechanism to defend themselves or the territory they perceive as theirs. Me included.

4. Why has constant sex replaced the value of loving relationships?

Hasn't. The media makes you think it has, but it hasn't in my estimation. If that were the case we'd see a vaaaaaaast dropoff of Marriage rates. I realize that divorce is in high percentage too, but that is not always tracable to an insaitable desire for sex. I think it has much more to do with stress be it financial or environmental.

5. Movies today sell to the lowest common male denominator, sex and violence, why?

It's easy and plays into our relatively low educational level. I think some of it is also a catharsis. I LOVE horror movies, the more voilent and gore soaked the better, but I'm a nice person. When I watch horror films it taps into those buried foundational emotions I have and lets them relish the mayhem. Plus, working out the old fear triggers is good honing for the instincts. Do I want to see actual people hurt? Never.

Hope this helps.