I read a really long and good essay on why white American men are in trouble. Some I agreed with and some I didn't...here is something I am chewing over.
The essay says you are talking about the two types of white men our society produces.
Some men are more one than the other, some are a mix. (But you can tell by a man's choices and actions which he mostly is...)
The two types described in this essay were "warriors" motivated by honor, and the "businessman" motivated by profit.
I won't go into all of it but the warrior is the kind of man who conquers and sets up nations, then defends them. The businessman is more effeminate. The businessman lets the warrior take all the hits, then moves in and starts running things for profit. All the while convinced he is better and smarter for not putting himself in harms way. And then later, once in control, makes life hard on the warrior for being so different.
The two clash because the warrior wants to do the honorable thing, the businessman wants to do the profitable thing and keep his power. And sometimes the honorable thing and the profitable thing are not the SAME.
However, the essay's author suggested the reason white men in America are becoming less like men and more like women, (ex: he used a crime where 3 white men and 2 white women were beaten and raped, and made to do all sorts of disgusting things to each other before watching as each one's throat was slit. Their tormentors were TWO black guys with tough talk and knives. His point was, what kind of men are we producing that would let their women be raped and their throats slit right in front of them without even fighting? When they obviously had the numbers to stop it. And I have also written a post about such behavior from personal experience.)
I will see if I can link the essay, right now I can't find it. I was gonna write an article about it but now I can't find it! Grrr.
Men who are warriors (and they don't have to be in the military, I consider MM a warrior) in this society, are often laughed at and made fun of (though usually not to their face), mainly because their services are no longer needed. The warriors before them have paved the way for peace, allowing the businessman to come to power. And allowing the businessman to focus solely on the bottom line.
Look at the ideology of most 25 year old men. (A very broad stroke here.) Think of the ones just getting out of college compared to the ones who are in the military and the same age. I used to think it was the training that made them so different. But now I'm not so sure.
The men who join the military may have different reasons for doing so, but I would submit that unless they have a warriors heart, they will not succeed in the military. Honor. (Lets face it, they didn't join to get rich!)
The essay suggests men who are warriors at heart find occupations that support that, even cherish it. OR else they are very angry men. But these occupations are not usually high paying because the businessman is setting the bar so to speak on what is valuable and what is not during peace time.
The other kind of man, the one that our society produces is more effeminate. Profit is his bottom line. And right now in this country, imo, that is whose running the show. Not just in government but across all levels of society. And since it has been un-pc for a long time to be a man who takes charge, a man others can depend on when in trouble, both PHYSICALLY and mentally, a man who keeps his body strong "just in case"...a man who would protect his woman with his life (whether she thinks she needs it or not).....well you see what I mean.
Lets face it. If we were invaded tomorrow, and this country was thrown into chaos with invading forces, who would you want in your corner? But since we are in relative peace, profit rules.
Therefore the effeminate businessman, with profit as his bottom line, can make the warriors in this country have a hard road. Sometimes when I see warriors getting a bad wrap, I look at who is saying it. Guess what? It's generally not other warriors.
This is a VERY BROAD summary of a few points of it. Of course I know not every businessman is effeminate or every warrior in the military...he used those as examples, so I am hoping that the gist is coming across and you won't get sidetracked on the labels.
Like I said, I am still chewing on it and paying close attention to all the men I encounter in my daily life.
So all that to say this. "Come home bearing your shield, or on it." Is something people who value honor would say, and YES they are still around. Don't think they aren't..and don't lose hope. They aren't grabbing headlines because peace rules at the moment.
A "businessman" would scoff at this mentality, and then go have a manicure....hehe...sorry couldn't help myself.
Guess you can tell which I respect more.
