Masculinity's Fork in the Road

Masculinity is at a fork in the road. One path leads towards a deeper sense of meaning and purpose and the other is a steep decline into a hollow, addictive aesthetic.

What it Means to be a Man

When we study the stories and feats of the civilizations and cultures before us we envision valiant men, armed with courage and capability. We find tales of heroism and displays of vitality. We read accounts of men who dream of glory, who raise civilizations, and drive innovation. We also find intimate men, with a love for their people and nature.

And, sometimes, there among the stained parchment and dusty scrolls are wielders of power who lose sight of their humanity and climb into bed with corruption, vengeance, and hate.

What are we to make of the threads spun of the masculine?

Masculinity and femininity are lenses for the human spirit based on specific beliefs, behaviors and qualities, cultural, biological or moral. Each individual exhibits these energies, to different degrees.

The modern male, as the arbiter of masculinity has found himself at the threshold for a new understanding of what it means to be a man. Upon reflection, he has found two camps: The Rooted Path and The Flashy Path.

The Rooted

We hear so often of the extremes of masculinity that we forget how most cultures throughout history viewed man. The near-universal consensus through story and myth is men as courageous, protectors, and providers. Men who braved the wilds to pave a path for their people and men who warred to defend their way of life. These timeless aspects of masculinity create the foundation for manliness that never fades.

The Flashy

But, what happens when we take the extremes and try to envelope them in a palatable package suited for modernity? You get a view of masculinity that aims to be evocative, intoxicating, materialistic, and dogmatic. Men who flaunt status and wealth. Men who care less about legacy and more about likes. Modernity has shaped the darker aspects of masculinity, like aggression and dominance, into some kind of spectacle.

The Choice

What is seen as a reclamation of masculinity is really just hedonistic fervor and a cult-like itch for belonging. Instead, dare to:

• Seek glory.

• Be honorable.

• Reject isolation.

• Become powerful.

• Protect your tribe.

• Defend humanity.

• Encourage growth.

• Seek knowledge and beauty.

• Find a deep connection with nature.

The dark drapery around masculinity is an addictive aesthetic, but it serves only to denigrate the spirit of what men can become.

The painting is "Vision of a Knight" by Raphael 1503-1504. It shows a knight surrounded by two women, one who offers a sword and book and the other who offers a flower. What do you think those offerings mean?