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You're right, masculinity is not...Originally Posted by Galant
But the definition of what a man is in today's world, and how one goes about being one, is outdated... and has been since at least 2003, given that the Psychology department next door to us were already running courses, to help men understand how society had changed, how to adapt and embrace said changes, etc.
It's not a new concept, or anything.
Yep.
A friend of mine noted recently on his blog that in the old days (50+ years ago when he began his apprenticeship) it was always the mature men you worked with that you learned from, both the trade you were in and how to be A Man. These days students grow up around other students, with notably fewer having much in the way of father figures... and the topic of this whole blog mini-series was actually inspired by one of my friend's own former-apprentices, who first brought up this very issue which he himself felt he had lacked in his life. Said apprentice was in his mid-20s.
Furthermore, there are various groups trying to supply this exact kind of support.
For example: http://abandofbrothers.org.uk/
Does it?
I thought the whole idea of those few blokes who step in to sort things out destroys the normalisation.
Because until recently, that is what we've generally done.
There have always been certain things that "You just don't do", things drilled into you by your dad, or uncle, or your older brother, or someone considered an elder that you had some measure of respect for. Nowadays we see criminals doing things that we were taught were 'unthinkable'. I remember an interview with some criminals who were around during the Kray's time, as it was universally agreed that there was a line you didn't cross - You don't batter someone's granny, or murder kids, and stuff like that. Even today, there are certain crimes for which most convicts will batter the living daylights out of you, because they cross that line... It's all part of and derived from that 'watching over your fellow men' thing.
Changes are being striven for in that arena too, although they're up against a MUCH bigger cash cow in that industry.
I'd assume the definition from the dictionary meaning of Toxic, ie that it poisons those around.
In this case, the less admirable examples of masculine behaviour that then infect, and spread to, other men resulting in the whole situation getting worse. That is to say, men are allowed to get away with behaving like [heavily censored] and so it continues, because the rest of us aren't stopping it.
OK, who is, then?
The very nature of laws are based on morals, which are simply what the vast majority of society has agreed is acceptable. We decided, so we are responsible. Moreover, we are the ones raising people with such morality, so twice in as many sentences, we are responsible.
