Top Attributes of being a Man

[Agathon]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Leadership, by example.

Are you deliberately trying to Godwin the thread?

[LordShiva]

[Aeson]

Nothing says a man can't be a homicidal megalomaniac

(More common than a boy being such...)

[Grandpa Troll]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Top Attributes of being a Man

Originally posted by Agathon


OK, sorry. I found it hard to place your reply. The fact that there was no lolcat attached to your post made it hard to understand.

Thats just my way of allowing (No I am not saying I "Allowed" your response, but at work, when having an open forum with 46 employees, I allow most answers without retribution, as long as they dont break any laws/rules.


Instead of me saying to anyone, "What do you think about....??" and when they answer If I would say "Thats stupid or thats wrong" then I have effectivbely shut down the purpose of the open forum.

If I ask open ended questions as this, then I need to allow answer varying, but if I asked a direct question pertaining to set standards or policies then I would respond accordingly.


I enjoy peoples opinions when they are thought out and not in and of themselves, "trolls"

I enjoy joking and having a good time, but also enjoy deeper conversations of stereotypical aocial standards.

It never ceases to amaze me often, when one person wants equal rights or more fair rights, they dont allways see this when dishing out advice or criticism.

You didnt do anytghing that reminded me of that sir, I just was referencing how some people want to be honest, but when honesty is given to them, meh, sometimes, people cant handle honesty

thanks again for your feedback my friend.

Gramps

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by Agathon


Are you deliberately trying to Godwin the thread?

No, silly me. I thought it was a serious question.
Naturally, I should have answered, whomever eats the most bananas.

[Ben Kenobi]

What counts as "a man" or normative standards of male behaviour is a cultural phenomenon. It differs among cultures, and in societies like ours it differs within cultures.

This is true. However, there are going to be some things that appeal across cultures. Same as with morality. There may be some differences, but the core remains the same. If we found a society that said murder was a positive good we would consider that an aberration, and it would raise questions as to how such a society would operate.

So there is really no answer because the cultural norms of masculinity are essentially lies that we live by. They are conventions, and not very useful ones.

I would say men and women are naturally different from one another, in ways that are consistant across cultures, and that many of the conventions we have can be understood as outgrowths from these natural differences.

That's not to say that all social roles have no purpose. A society with no norms of behaviour would cease to function. The problem occurs when people use the norms to hide from reality or to avoid taking responsibility for their own decisions.

How is a man assuming a role not accepting responsibility for his own decisions? I don't see how any of these things are controversial, except the religion part, and I'd debate long and hard that most of these norms are reinforced by Christianity, and that religion has one of the few positive images of men out there today.

[Spiffor]

I fully agree with Agathon.

The objective attributes of being a "man" vs a woman are genitalia ; the objective attribute of being a "man" vs a boy is puberty.

All other attributes one can think of are a social role: Expectations of what one should be or do to be called a "man".

Telling somebdy "be man about it" is reinforcing the social stigma. Personally, I reject those roles. Even though I was born with two balls and a dick, I can:
- like the colour pink
- enjoy flowers
- imagine being a homehusband
- get warmer clothes against cold weather rather than "sucking it up like a man"
- dislike football/soccer (in France, this sport is deemed a sign of manliness - shows how much the definition varies )
- contemplate the idea of having sex with another man

My genitalia don't bar me that. But quite a few "manly men" find me seriously off the hook for having such ideas. Just like, when I was a teenager, my friends didn't understand I was a non-smoker, and thus was much more of a "boy" than they were.


BTW, your poll lacks "circumcision". In Mali, a boy becomes a man once he's circumcized. I got to be laughed at by teenage Malinese when I told them I was uncricumcized (it was as if I told them I was a virgin )

[BeBMan]

Real men drink beer and eat steak.

[Provost Harrison]

"Large monster in the garage"? Is that what they call it now