Masculinity is not a race to act more like a little boy. It’s about being a mature, responsible man. After all, that’s what younger women crave. Okay, let’s get real…it’s what all women crave.
Unfortunately, there’s a huge movement out there to double-down on “toxic masculinity”.
I understand the backlash against cancel culture and the promotion of an image of personal power as a middle finger to the whole movement.
I also get that there’s a mindset that complains about douchebags, all the while secretly wishing to BE one rather than sneering from the sidelines. That phenomenon is not to be underestimated. We’ve all seen employees get promoted and become the previously despised a-hole boss overnight.
Many people rise up above oppression, only to stick it to someone else. But all of this only feeds the “toxic masculinity” narrative. It doesn’t counter it. What’s more, the sense of “empowerment” brought about by it is fleeting. It’s very much a Pyrrhic victory.
That which is both valuable and lasting is hard fought. As a result, there is practically zero focus on virtuous masculinity. When was the last time you heard that term?
In order for there to be toxicity-ridden vice, there has to have first been a virtue to corrupt. Masculinity–and femininity, for that matter–are designed to be virtuous.
We as men are designed to stand in the gap…as protectors, providers and leaders. The virtue is rooted in acting in the best interest of others.
Welcome to why women love “men in uniform”.
Ironically then, the idea of embracing “toxic masculinity” out of spite for the narrative isn’t leadership at all. It’s simply a reaction to a cultural trend. that’s biased against virtuous masculinity and the family unit it’s designed to preserve.
Reaction rather than pro-action is anti-masculine. If you want to refocus on reality, stand for masculine virtue. Be a man who takes firm, decisive action in the best interest of others. Be an agent for calmness and order in a world fraught with chaos. Be someone’s hero.
I’ve long claimed that compassion is a masculine trait. If that’s true, who better than we as men to prove it? By standing up for virtuous masculinity and living it, we make our contribution toward reclaiming the ideal of “the land of the brave and the home of the free”.
We clear our conscience of immature bad decisions. We refresh and overhaul our mindset. And yes, we finally start attracting the kind of women who have been cheering for us to get this right.
We’re all familiar with the phrase, “lead, follow, or get out of the way”. We as men had better step up and lead, because the followers aren’t going to get out of the way.
Be Good,
Scot McKay
P.S. It’s time to be a MAN when meeting and interacting with women again. What if women absolutely adored you from now on? This is for you.
P.P.S. More discussions like these happen all the time at The Mountain Top Summit group on Facebook. Join here and I’ll personally welcome you into our thriving community of high-character “big four” men.
The term “toxic masculinity” has become so overused, it is pretty much a Humpty Dumpty word at this point. It means whatever the person using it wants it to mean.
How about calling out bad behavior for what it is; to wit, bad behavior? At least then we might have a rational discussion of what is/isn’t good behavior as opposed to implying that masculinity is inherently “toxic”