• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

ManGAF:The Art of Manliness

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Truth101

Banned


Read it. Learn it. Be it.

How to rise in the World: Advice on Hustling from Andrew Carnegie

“The question now is how to rise from the subordinate position we have imagined you in, through the successive grades to the position for which you are, in my opinion, and, I trust, in your own, evidently intended. I can give you the secret. It lies mainly in this. Instead of the question, “What must I do for my employer?” substitute “What can I do?”
Click to expand...

16 Manly Last Words

"I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis"
Click to expand...


Unsung Manly Movie Quotes for Every Occasion


I’d hold you up to say to your mother, “this kid’s gonna be the best kid in the world. This kid’s gonna be somebody better than anybody I ever knew.” And you grew up good and wonderful. It was great just watching you, every day was like a privilege. Then the time come for you to be your own man and take on the world, and you did. But somewhere along the line, you changed. You stopped being you. You let people stick a finger in your face and tell you you’re no good. And when things got hard, you started looking for something to blame, like a big shadow. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get it and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that! I’m always gonna love you no matter what. No matter what happens. You’re my son and you’re my blood. You’re the best thing in my life. But until you start believing in yourself, ya ain’t gonna have a life. Don’t forget to visit your mother.
Click to expand...




Hopefully ManGAF is allowed.
 
S

Salazar

Member
I'm not sure I see overwhelmingly positive directions in which the concept might travel. Flashman, GQ, 19th century tycoon bravado, and a tincture of Henry David Thoreau is what I get from the OP.

These are or can be, independently, amusing and admirable. But nature abhors a mélange.
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
Definitely not what I think of when I think of my masculinity.
 
T

Truth101

Banned
Salazar said:
I'm not sure I see overwhelmingly positive directions in which the concept might travel. Flashman, GQ, 19th century tycoon bravado, and a tincture of Henry David Thoreau is what I get from the OP.

These are or can be, independently, amusing and admirable. But nature abhors a mélange.
Click to expand...

But just because making eye contact doesn’t come naturally to us men, doesn’t mean you should just shrug your shoulders and accept this predisposition. The ability to make high-level eye contact is a skill every man should work on, as it has been shown to create some incredible benefits for the gazer. Numerous studies have shown that people who make higher-levels of eye contact with others are perceived as being:

More dominant and powerful

More warm and personable

More attractive and likeable

More qualified, skilled, competent, and valuable

More trustworthy, honest, and sincere

More confident and emotionally stable

And not only does increased eye contact make you seem more appealing in pretty much every way to those you interact with, it also improves the quality of that interaction. Eye contact imparts a sense of intimacy to your exchanges, and leaves the receiver of your gaze feeling more positive about your interaction and connected to you.
Click to expand...

It is an awesome blog.
 
B

BrokenEchelon

Banned
blind51de said:
I'd recommend the hat articles, for anyone senseless enough to try wearing hats without a matching suit.
Click to expand...

Fedora-What-you-think-you-look-like-570x303.jpg


If you aren't a carbon copy of Humphrey Bogart, spend that $15 elsewhere.
 
L

lush

Member
Ive always just pissed in the center of the toilet bowl to assert my dominance and figured that was enough.
 
C

clearacell

Member
So is this where we talk about beards, hats, and general itchiness of places on the body?

lush said:
Ive always just pissed in the center of the toilet bowl to assert my dominance and figured that was enough.
Click to expand...


I like to piss in the middle of the toilet because it makes a much deeper sound, makes me sound like a big shot.
 
T

Truth101

Banned
Fritz said:
Taking advice from others on how to be manly? Leave your man card right at the door.
Click to expand...

Just for you

Manliness Can Be Taught. And It Must Be.

“Anyone who has practiced what is good is ashamed to turn out badly. Manliness is teachable.” -Euripides, 423 BC

As we’ve highlighted countless times on the site, in almost every culture, in almost every time, societies have spent a great deal of time “worrying” about what it means to be a man. For thousands of years, men around the world had rites of passages that initiated them into manhood. Elders would take young men underneath their wings to ensure that they were properly taught how to perform the duties and responsibilities of a man. And once boys became men, maintaining their manhood was a lifelong preoccupation.

But in the past 50 years or so, we turned our back on that tradition. We stopped worrying about what it means to be a man. We no longer celebrate rites of passage into manhood. The books and speeches frequently given in times past on the topic of manliness and manhood have ceased. Mentors have disappeared. Society refuses to offer any concrete ideals of what it means to be a man lest we offend people and make others feel left out. So we let boys create their own idea of manhood and just expect them to figure out what it means to be a man on their own.

Without any clear guidance on what it means to be man, we shouldn’t be surprised that we have so many young men today coasting along in life stuck between adolescence and adulthood without any direction. That’s what you get when you don’t take the time to contemplate and study what it means to be a man.

One of the most important things that our ancestors understood, and we have forgotten, is that left to our own devices, humans will take the path of least resistance. Every time. In life we are constantly swimming against a great current–once we stop making an effort, the current pushes us downstream. Real life long-distance swimmers must consume a great deal of calories to fuel their progress. We too need fuel to drive our manliness–we must constantly be filling our tank with the best advice out there, writings from websites and books, advice from friends and family, to fuel our actions.
Click to expand...
 
S

Salazar

Member
For thousands of years, men around the world had rites of passages that initiated them into manhood. Elders would take young men underneath their wings to ensure that they were properly taught how to perform the duties and responsibilities of a man. And once boys became men, maintaining their manhood was a lifelong preoccupation.
Click to expand...

Duties and responsibilities that involved largely, it should be noted, lounging and conversing at gymnasia. And it was feasible to make a lifelong occupation of the aesthetically-toned arts of man because slaves were doing the rest.

For a number of reasons, classical paideia is not a concept you can unproblematically idealise.

And the pompous offence at "boys creating their own concept of manhood" is cringeworthy. I don't know what lends the author's concept priority over anybody else's. Historical lustre (see above) certainly won't do it.
 
T

Truth101

Banned
FelixOrion said:
While I agree that one needs mentors and advice for better living are essential and supremely beneficial, I disagree that there is only one way or a set box in which one should be considered manly.
Click to expand...
Your Act Like a Man to Feel Like a Man Roadmap

If you’re ready to start feeling like the man you’ve always wanted to be, today’s the day you begin that journey. Like any journey, it’s nice to have a map:

1. Figure out what sort of man you want to be. Please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying that contemplating manliness is a waste of time. Far from it. As we argued in Manliness Doesn’t Just Happen, contemplating masculinity and manliness is an essential step in becoming an honorable man. It’s not enough to know you need to act, you also need to know what actions to take. What should we start doing? Where do we hope our actions will lead us? So begin at the end. What sort of man do you want to become? Maybe you have a personal hero or a grandfather or a mentor who personifies your ideal version of manhood. Once you know what kind of man you want to be, study and contemplate how that sort of man would live his life. What would he do when facing adversity? What would his daily routine be like? How would he dress? How does he treat his significant other? Form a Cabinet of Invisible Counselors to guide you on your journey.

2. Start doing the things that sort of man would do. Even if you don’t feel like it. Once you know what sort of things your ideal man would do, start doing them, and here’s the most important part, do them even if you don’t feel like it. Some of the stuff you’ll have to do will be hard, some it may make you feel uncomfortable, and some of it will make you feel like a phony. Ignore those feelings. That’s just the Resistance, as Steven Pressfield would say. Know that with time, your new manful actions will transform the way you feel about yourself. You will begin to see yourself as a man.

3. Virile agitur for the rest of your life. Even when you go through a rite of passage that really transforms you and puts you on the right path, you can’t rest on your laurels. Becoming a man is not a one time decision or event: it’s something you have to choose every day. It’s like shaving; just because you do it once doesn’t mean you’re done; you still have to wake up and do it again in the morning. Virile agitur is a Latin phrase which means, “The manly thing is being done.” Is being done. Always and forever ongoing. Take that as your motto for manhood.
Click to expand...

There are many paths to becoming a man, it all depends on what type of man you wish to be.
 
F

Fritz

Member
Truth101 said:
Just for you
Click to expand...

Grakl said:
Did your father never teach you anything? A little advice can go a long way.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with having a role model. But my father certainly never gave me lectures on "the Art of Manliness". lol.

This is more akin to a support group. Stupid hyper reality. But keep on deluding yourselves with this processed BS instead of - you know - being a man by being your own man first.

Or to put it in their words: My ideal man wouldn't read blogs on being manly.
 
T

Trent Strong

Banned
FelixOrion said:
While I agree that one needs mentors and advice for better living are essential and supremely beneficial, I disagree that there is only one way or a set box in which one should be considered manly.
Click to expand...

Why are people so opposed to "manliness" having a concrete definition?
 
T

Truth101

Banned
Fritz said:
Nothing wrong with having a role model. But my father certainly never gave me lectures on "the Art of Manliness". lol.

This is more akin to a support group. Stupid hyper reality. But keep on deluding yourselves with this processed BS instead of - you know - being a man by being your own man first.

Or to put it in their words: My ideal man wouldn't read blogs on being manly.
Click to expand...

Why are you getting so defensive? Continue though, your meltdown is amusing.

You didn't look at any of the topics on the blog did you? It has a lot of topics; good ways to dress, Movember, home maintenance, electronic modifications, throwing knives and tomahawks, information on different careers,cooking,traveling,taxes,interior decorating,workout methods.

I could go on, but I'll let you bitch about something you haven't checked out.
 
T

Trent Strong

Banned
Salazar said:
It's not necessarily a failing of or problem for a concept for it to be nebulous.
Click to expand...

I guess it's more nebulous now than it used to be, because of...uh...feminism...gender role issues and...other subjects not suitable for discussion, or something. Anywho, I don't want to touch this subject with a ten inch pole, so it's probably better I just leave this thread now.
 
F

FelixOrion

Poet Centuriate
Truth101 said:
Why are you getting so defensive? Continue though your meltdown is amusing.

You didn't look at any of the topics on the blog did you? It has a lot of topics; good ways to dress, Movember, home maintenance, electronic modifications, throwing knives and tomahawks, information on different careers,cooking,traveling,taxes,interior decorating,workout methods.

I could go on, but I'll let you bitch about something you haven't checked out.
Click to expand...

Taxes and interior decorating are "manly" as shit, yo.
 
A

abstract alien

Member
I usually have people question my "manliness" more than one would think. You look at me and probably assume I watch sports, only eat nails for breakfast, and don't wash my cloths often. Then when people find out that I don't watch sports, I love to cook, like bright colors, I'm both a bit of a nerd as well as a dork, and I keep a clean home...I'm labeled as anything but manly lol

Strafer said:
This is the art of manliness, hehe.

jblWkvareCNuxP.jpg
Click to expand...

kOCK2.jpg
 
D

Deacan

9/10 NeoGAFfers don't understand statistics. The other 3/10 don't care.
Great chance to use a quote from Breaking Bad.

"When you have children, you always have family. They will always be your priority, your responsibility. And a man, a man provides. And he does it even when he's not appreciated or respected or even loved. He simply bears up and he does it. Because he's a man."
 
A

abstract alien

Member
A few things I found from some random article:

A man can look you up and down and figure some things out. Before you say a word, he makes you. From your suitcase, from your watch, from your posture. A man infers.

A man owns up. That's why Mark McGwire is not a man. A man grasps his mistakes. He lays claim to who he is, and what he was, whether he likes them or not.

Some mistakes, though, he lets pass if no one notices. Like dropping the steak in the dirt.

A man loves the human body, the revelation of nakedness. He loves the sight of the pale breast, the physics of the human skeleton, the alternating current of the flesh. He is thrilled by the snatch, by the wrist, the sight of a bare shoulder. He likes the crease of a bent knee. When his woman bends to pick up her underwear, he feels that thrum that only a man can feel.

A man doesn't point out that he did the dishes.

A man looks out for children. Makes them stand behind him.

A man knows how to bust balls.

A man has had liquor enough in his life that he can order a drink without sounding breathless, clueless, or obtuse. When he doesn't want to think, he orders bourbon or something on tap.

Never the sauvignon blanc.

A man welcomes the coming of age. It frees him. It allows him to assume the upper hand and teaches him when to step aside.

Maybe he never has, and maybe he never will, but a man figures he can knock someone, somewhere, on his ass.

He does not rely on rationalizations or explanations. He doesn't winnow, winnow, winnow until truths can be humbly categorized, or intellectualized, until behavior can be written off with an explanation. He doesn't see himself lost in some great maw of humanity, some grand sweep. That's the liberal thread; it's why men won't line up as liberals.

A man gets the door. Without thinking.

He stops traffic when he must.

A man resists formulations, questions belief, embraces ambiguity without making a fetish out of it. A man revisits his beliefs. Continually. That's why men won't forever line up with conservatives, either.

A man knows his tools and how to use them — just the ones he needs. Knows which saw is for what, how to find the stud, when to use galvanized nails.

A man listens, and that's how he argues. He crafts opinions. He can pound the table, take the floor. It's not that he must. It's that he can.

A man is comfortable being alone. Loves being alone, actually. He sleeps.

Or he stands watch. He interrupts trouble. This is the state policeman. This is the poet. Men, both of them.

A man loves driving alone most of all.

Style — a man has that. No matter how eccentric that style is, it is uncontrived. It's a set of rules.

He understands the basic mechanics of the planet. Or he can close one eye, look up at the sun, and tell you what time of day it is. Or where north is. He can tell you where you might find something to eat or where the fish run. He understands electricity or the internal-combustion engine, the mechanics of flight or how to figure a pitcher's ERA.

A man does not know everything. He doesn't try. He likes what other men know.

A man can tell you he was wrong. That he did wrong. That he planned to. He can tell you when he is lost. He can apologize, even if sometimes it's just to put an end to the bickering.

A man does not wither at the thought of dancing. But it is generally to be avoided.
Click to expand...

but this one pretty much says I'm not a man.

A man knows how to lose an afternoon. Drinking, playing Grand Theft Auto, driving aimlessly, shooting pool.

He knows how to lose a month, also.
Click to expand...

I don't drink very often, I hate GTA, I would rather walk aimlessly, and I get bored of pool after about 3 shots.
 
A

AlimNassor

Banned
This isn't being manly...it's called being responsible and having a backbone. Though to be far that art of manliness site is helpful. So much better then the stupid ass generic stuff people say. It helps, and they do have good advice on stuff.
 
D

dr3upmushroom

Banned
It's actually a really cool blog, the name makes it sound super cheesy, but there's a lot of interesting articles on outdoorsy stuff, how to properly wear fancy clothes like ties, how to tie knots, etc.

I guess that sounds sort of lame too, but it's definitely not about being macho or whatever.
 
T

Truth101

Banned
CliqWriter said:
People who post those stupid fucking
then and now pictures should be banned.
Click to expand...

Yes they are quite worthless.
EschatonDX said:
tumblr_lmal1itdZZ1qkwc9zo1_500.gif



i love that blog btw
Click to expand...

It is a fun blog.

SquiddyBiscuit said:
Haha, the blog in the OP is basically this blog:

http://www.savvyhousekeeping.com

but with the word "manly" thrown in here and there.
Click to expand...

Watermelon on a stick, mmmm.

dr3upmushroom said:
It's actually a really cool blog, the name makes it sound super cheesy, but there's a lot of interesting articles on outdoorsy stuff, how to properly wear fancy clothes like ties, how to tie knots, etc.

I guess that sounds sort of lame too, but it's definitely not about being macho or whatever.
Click to expand...

I think most people in thread failed to look at the blog... Has a ton of cool posts.


I'm gonna update the OP tomorrow.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Silly song lyrics thread.
5
304
INC replied
I Came Back To Neo Gaf To Provide A Solution For Tango Games And This is What I Had Waiting For Me
Account Suicide Live 2 3
127
5K
Hugare replied
Dead Parent(s) Society |OT|
42
2K
OmegaSupreme replied
How do you spend your time?
26
4K
Tams replied
When does losing a pet get easier?
2
79
3K
Blade2.0 replied
Top Bottom