“Manliness is confidence in the face of risk,” writes Henry Mansfield, a Harvard professor in his new book, Manliness. This book has caused great anxiety throughout the United States, as it calls for men to exhibit more manliness.
Some see this as a call to turn back the clock on women’s rights, while others see it as a call to rein in those suggesting that men and women are not only equal, but the same.
What cannot be denied is that too many guys are stepping away from the plate-that the traditional family, with the traditional role of men as providers and protectors, is being eroded. Some consider that a positive thing, some a negative thing.
Let’s not forget-men and women are different, not only in gender but also in mindset. We literally think differently! We should be treated differently-but that doesn’t mean unequally.
Henry Mansfield’s book suggests that we need more manliness in the world. While he does give the example of Margaret Thatcher as a woman who possesses what he defines as “manliness,” he mostly believes these desirable characteristics are possessed by only one gender.
While Mansfield goes too far in the way of male supremacy, he does give us something to think about. He also makes some exceptional points-such as, where are the Teddy Roosevelts or George Washingtons of today? Additionally, he asks whether trying to make a gender-neutral society is really a good idea.
I ask-where are the gentlemen of yesterday, the ones who were brave and kind, but stuck to their guns? Did they even exist? Yes, they did!
I believe, like Mansfield, that society is beginning to suffer from a lack of manly men.
Where are the confident, exemplary men? Not guys who are so macho that they belittle women, but the men who stand up for what they believe in regardless of whether it will cause conflict.
Guys are taking the backseat to women who think that they can, and should, do things better. This is not, however, only because of guys: Women stopped allowing men to be men when we stopped allowing them to open the car door.
There is nothing wrong with allowing a guy to hold open a door for a woman. There is nothing wrong with allowing a man to step into the position of protector and provider. And there is nothing wrong with women who want to stay at home with their kids!
We all know that children who have a solid family base are less likely to get into trouble, especially at young ages. Society laments gangs and problem children, but promotes both parents’ having their own separate lives away from their family.
We could solve so many of society’s ills if someone would take the position of caring about the family-and why not women? It isn’t a horrible place to be-it’s an honor to get to teach children what to believe and who they are.
We need a return to men being gentlemen-not egotistical, oppressive jerks, but real gentlemen who stand for something. And we need a return to women realizing who they are, and how important their traditional role is.