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That settled. Yes, those are great qualities for any man to have but have nothing to do with actual tasks or skills.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NVplumber
Picking up the gauntlet, I see. Lol. Well, there's plenty of insulting rhetoric flying about, demeaning the specific types of male humans that are the subject of this thread. From your tone, one might gather you are the "soft" type of modern male, with a slew of knuckle draggers working under your auspices? At any rate, those "manly" abilities you mentioned, straight punches, mechanical aptitude and such, are not "manly", but they are abilities.
Ability at specific tasks do not define a man in either world in discussion here. I know plenty of women who pack a mean right hook and can change their own oil. Being a man is not defined by task skill sets, it's an attitude. Not a look or physical ability. I have to take issue with the caste system you describe, however. While it may be true that management types hold with the "metrosexual" characteristics you describe, hold a type of executive authority, us guys down in the boiler room are hardly owned by them, or owe our existence to their "educated" whims. The relationship is symbiotic, at least in situations that actually work, not antagonistic or authoritative.
This brings us to the reality of things. The commonality of what being the "man" actually is. The man holds it together when the rest of his family is coming apart. In times of great stress and emotional hardship, such as the death of a loved one, he must be strong enough to be the anchor. He is the one who takes the dirty jobs, so as to spare his loved ones the pain. He is willing and ready to take his loved ones pain on himself, even though his own is a heavy load. He will always place himself between those he cares about and any danger that threatens them. He will sacrifice his own comfort and happiness so that his loved ones can have theirs, and he will NEVER think of possesions or or personal status over the safety , security, health and well being of his loved ones. At the core of himself, a REAL man is rock hard , rough and ready, regardless of his exterior appearance. He gives his love unconditionally and will always stand with his loved ones through it all.
These are a few defining characteristics of a man. Regardless of who he works for, what he does, how he looks and dresses and what his educational level might be, these are traits REAL men have in common. Leastways, that's how I see it.
I look all around me, in my college town, and on TV, and see pretty boys who think that they have to dress like a fashion model, shave their chest and sport a six pack to get female attention. The mass media as a whole shoves this culture down the throat of the American male. Men were Connery, Stallone, the Duke, Willis not that long ago. Now Efron, Patterson, Beckham and DiCaprio are supposed to be masculine examples? Hell NO. Every time I see men in TV ads, I want to throw up. If you want a microcosm of how men have become less than men, TV ads denigrating men and glorifying women are the perfect example. Daddy or Hubby is always so clueless and dumb needing the woman to tell him what to do.
The indoctrination to woosie boy begins young. Primary education does everything in its power to turn boys into neuters. Boys are given Ritalin so that their natural aggressiveness, curiosity and restlessness can be controlled, instead of nurtured and directed. In college, female values such as sensitivity, socialization, and cooperation, are fostered and put up on a pedestal instead of teaching hard facts and critical thinking.
Do young women really want these woosie men? Why are men falling for this garbage?
Don't worry-
Both of my boys hunt, can take an AR-15 or AK down and back together in two minutes, drive manual transmission cars, lift weights, prefer cowboy work boots for "casual", can drive a tractor and handle a chain saw well, and are both in college.
The American male is alive and well in the Midwest. I would assume that this is true in the South as well.
My first thought upon reading the thread title was a picture I stumbled across a couple of years ago of
Barney Frank in a snug Hello Kitty t-shirt. It was a disturbing sight.
Ok folks, I have had it. I've taken all I can stand and I can't stand no more. Every time my TV is on, all that can be seen is effeminate men prancing about redecorating houses and talking about foreign concepts like "style" and "feng shui". Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, trans-sexual, metrosexual, non-sexual; blue, green, and purple-sexual - bogus definitions have taken over the urban and suburban world!
Real men of the world, stand up, scratch your butt, belch, spit, and yell "ENOUGH!" I hereby announce the start of a new offensive in the culture wars: the Retrosexual movement.
The Code:
A Retrosexual, no matter what the woman insists, PAYS FOR THE DATE.
A Retrosexual opens doors for a lady. Even for the ones that fit that term only because they are female.
A Retrosexual DEALS with IT. Be it a flat tire, break-in into your home, or a natural disaster, you DEAL WITH IT.
A Retrosexual does not use more hair or skin products than a woman. Women have several supermarket aisles of stuff. Retrosexuals need an endcap (possibly 2 endcaps if you include shaving goods.)
A Retrosexual does not dress in clothes from Hot Topic when he's 30 years old.
A Retrosexual watches no TV show with "*****" in the title.
A Retrosexual does not let neighbors screw up rooms in his house on national TV.
A Retrosexual should not give up excessive amounts of manliness for women. Some is inevitable, but major re-invention of yourself will only lead to you becoming a foo-foo little puss, and in the long run, she ain't worth it.
A Retrosexual is allowed to seek professional help for major mental stress such as drug/alcohol addiction, death of your entire family in a freak tree chipper accident, favorite sports team being moved to a different city, favorite bird dog expiring, etc. You are NOT allowed to see a shrink because Daddy didn't pay you enough attention. Daddy was busy DEALING WITH IT. When you screwed up, he DEALT with you.
A Retrosexual will have at least one outfit in his wardrobe designed to conceal himself from prey.
A Retrosexual knows how to tie a Windsor knot when wearing a tie - and ONLY a Windsor knot.
A Retrosexual should have at least one good wound he can brag about getting.
A Retrosexual knows how to use a basic set of tools. If you can't hammer a nail, or drill a straight hole, practice in secret until you can - or be rightfully ridiculed for the wuss you are.
A Retrosexual knows that owning a gun is not a sign that you are riddled with fear. Guns are TOOLS and are often essential to DEAL WITH IT. Plus it's just plain fun to shoot.
Crying. There are very few reasons that a retrosexual may cry, and none of them have to do with TV commercials, movies, or soap operas. Sports teams are sometimes a reason to cry, but the preferred method of release is swearing or throwing the remote control. Some reasons a retrosexual can cry include (but are not limited to) death of a loved one, death of a pet ( fish do NOT count as pets in this case), loss of a major body part.
A retrosexual man's favorite movie isn't "Maid in Manhattan" (unless that refers to some foxy French maid sitting in a huge tub of brandy or whiskey), or "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood." Acceptable ones may include any of the Dirty Harry or Nameless Drifter movies (Clint in his better days), Rambo I or II, the Dirty Dozen, The Godfather trilogy, Scarface, The Road Warrior, The Die Hard series, Caddyshack, Rocky I, II, or III, Full Metal Jacket, any James Bond Movie, Raging Bull, Bullitt, any Bruce Lee movie, Apocalypse Now, Goodfellas, Reservoir Dogs, Fight Club, Cool Hand Luke, etc...
When a retrosexual is on a crowded bus or a commuter train, and a pregnant woman, hell, any woman gets on, that retrosexual stands up and offers his seat to that woman, then looks around at the other so called men still in their seats with a disgusted "you punks" look on his face.
A retrosexual knows how to say the Pledge properly, and with the correct emphasis and pronunciation. He also knows the words to the Star Spangled Banner.
A retrosexual will have hobbies and habits his wife and mother do not understand, but that are essential to his manliness, in that they offset the acceptable manliness decline he suffers when married/engaged in a serious healthy relationship - I.E. hunting, boxing, shot putting, shooting, cigars, car maintenance.
A retrosexual knows how to sharpen his own knives and kitchen utensils.
A Retrosexual man can drive in snow (hell, a blizzard) without sliding all over or driving under 20 mph, without anxiety, and without high-centering his ride on a plow berm.
A retrosexual man can chop down a tree and make it land where he wants. Wherever it lands is where he damn well wanted it to land.
A retrosexual will give up his seat on a bus to not only any women but any elderly person or person in military dress (except officers above 2nd Lt .) NOTE: The person in military dress may turn down the offer but the retrosexual man will ALWAYS make the offer to them and thank them for serving their country.
A retrosexual man doesn't need a contract, a handshake is good enough. He will always stand by his word even if circumstances change or the other person deceived him.
A retrosexual man doesn't immediately look to sue someone when he does something stupid and hurts himself. We understand that sometimes in the process of doing things we get hurt and we just DEAL WITH IT.
Author Unknown
Damn right! Let them have their choice of play! Remember the little boy who wanted an Easy-Bake Oven? Peoples' heads exploded. He was shamed, ridiculed and ostracized.
Hasbro is currently making Easy bake ovens for boys now. That's cool.
On the other hand, traditional boy games are being discouraged or even forbidden during recess, at many elementary schools, such as cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, dodge ball or tag.
Why can't both "types" of play be embraced as boy's games, or acceptable play for both genders for that matter?
I don't even know what a "Hello Kitty" is in this context .... What is a "real" man ? Any male that doesn't adhere to this description is what, Gay?
If a lot of the males I grew up around were "real" men, I will take a pass and continue to be the person I am now.
And whatever on assigning sexuality to a concept of manliness.
The most "classically" manly guy I know is gay. Manual laborer. Drives a pickup truck, fixes cars, can do electrical work, drywall work, has a side lawn care business, knows about plants and trees, builds things, lays floors, big dogs, a wardrobe consisting of T-shirts and jeans....always there to help people when something breaks or they need to haul something big... but still, gay.
There are countless others just like him, but you don't realize it because they aren't as open or stereotypically obvious about it.
You also won't catch him on the internet b******* about some bullcrap he heard on talk radio that day. He also abhors guns.
A wardrobe full of camo and enjoying shooting animals doesn't make you a man. Do it with a bow and arrow or use a knife and THEN I'll be a little more impressed.
Though I DO know some avid gun using gays too with concealed weapon permits.
Curmudgeon, YOU ARE DA MAN! And my husband and both my boys are very well adjusted and manly RETROSEXUALS themselves! Great post - and the thing is, even though it's funny, it's pretty much on point.
If it means a more peaceful country I'm all for it. I just see the above as a fashion trend that will phase out or have a counter trend so you ladies or fellas can still get the type of dude that you want.
I grew up around athletes and tough guys so that's why I think some of it is a good thing. There's still plenty of us out there that don't fit the description above.
People confuse "peaceful" and "pacified".
Huge difference....
While society in general may becoming more butt punching friendly and ambiguous by the day....the Military-Industrial Complex still steams along unimpeded.
Both of my boys hunt, can take an AR-15 or AK down and back together in two minutes, drive manual transmission cars, lift weights, prefer cowboy work boots for "casual", can drive a tractor and handle a chain saw well, and are both in college.
The American male is alive and well in the Midwest. I would assume that this is true in the South as well.
Yes sir.
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All Hail the Retrosexual!
