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ManGAF:The Art of Manliness

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It really does seem like people are taking this much too literal
KuGsj.gif
 

Mumei

Member
I'm disappointed to see the pushback from this sort of thread. I'm a crossdressing, feminist gay guy with a pony avatar, and I like blogs like this one. They're not for me, but I think it's a real shame that social conventions of masculinity have strayed from being dependable and useful to being as boorish and misogynistic as possible. Figuring out what to aspire to as a straight guy can be a little tough in today's world; I'm glad of the effort some are putting in to swim against the current.

On that note, I really love The Good Men Project (nee No Seriously What About Teh Menz!?)

http://goodmenproject.com/

I really enjoyed the The Good Men Project, though I stopped reading them as I noticed more of their articles being sort of... MRA-y. I did appreciate the sentiment that site had (and maybe has, and I've misjudged them), though.
 

entremet

Member
It's not about it being a threat to the other gender (women?) or anything, this dialogue "men do this, men do that" - is manipulative and meaningless. Who decides when a boy turns into a man? Isn't the criteria different for every person? Why bother trying to meet anyone else's definition of a man, other than your own? At that point, why even create this archetype of a man in the first place? It's just a sinkhole I'd rather not see other people fall into.

Not to get all sappy, but I didn't have a dad around either for most of my childhood, and I turned out great. There is nothing he could have taught me that I couldn't have learned from my mother or from my own person experiences, the only special thing about him was that he was my father, not that he was a man.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the blog in the first link, and it has some very solid advice - I just think it's dangerous to fall into the 'what is a man' argument, which happens sooooo damn often when these sorts of discussions occur. Why not forget that entirely made-up narrative and just focus on being a healthy, happy, well rounded person - your gender being something entirely personal.



On a scale from 1 to 10, how serious is this thread, and how serious should the responses be?
Whatever makes you happy, brother.

I don't think its that serious. We've become way too sensitive.
 

Esch

Banned
It really does seem like people are taking this much too literal
KuGsj.gif

well if the topic is anything it shows how uncomfortable and insecure everyone has gotten when it comes to even addressing the idea of masculinity. too bad really. I agree that the 'you're not a real man unless you _____" shit is stupid but its like we cant even have what essentially equates to discussion on a gag version equivalent of a man Cosmo magazine without everyone going all sweatypalms
 

entremet

Member
I'm not upset or anything, I mean... I came in this thread to discuss the topic at hand... was I not supposed to?

I just don't see how different this is from GQ or Esquire, which have similar content and aims. It's just audience. The blog is written for a specific audience, which has specific interests and needs. How it is different from women's centered blogs and publications?
 

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
well if the topic is anything it shows how uncomfortable and insecure everyone has gotten when it comes to even addressing the idea of masculinity. too bad really. I agree that the 'you're not a real man unless you _____" shit is stupid but its like we cant even have what essentially equates to discussion on a gag version equivalent of a man Cosmo magazine without everyone going all sweatypalms

People are addressing the idea of masculinity - they are discussing it and weighing in. When you dismiss their opinions as sweaty palmed insecurities or whatever, the discussion really isn't being moved forward.

I would love it if someone wanted to discuss my opinions on masculinity, and manliness or whatever - I think I've made them clear, I'd much prefer it to people assuming I'm throwing some oversensitive tempter tantrum or something.

I just don't see how different this is from GQ or Esquire, which have similar content and aims. It's just audience. The blog is written for a specific audience, which has specific interests and needs. How it is different from women's centered blogs and publications?
Well I've mentioned a few times that I really don't have a single problem with that blog in the first link of the OP - however I assumed this thread was about manliness and masculinity in general, and other posts in the thread spurred me into commenting. If this thread is just about the blog, then I don't think anyone else would really have an issue either, especially not after reading it.

Is that what this thread is, or are we allowed to discuss manliness/masculinity on a broader scale? No snark, real question
 

Esch

Banned
People are addressing the idea of masculinity - they are discussing it and weighing in. When you dismiss their opinions as sweaty palmed insecurities or whatever, the discussion really isn't being moved forward.

I would love it if someone wanted to discuss my opinions on masculinity, and manliness or whatever - I think I've made them clear, I'd much prefer it to people assuming I'm throwing some oversensitive tempter tantrum or something.

I am not saying that you are insecure. I am saying that the topic itself obviously makes people nervous and defensive no matter what their conceptualization of "being a man" actually is. You have people reading a couple of things and saying "THATS NOT ME AND IM A MAN", but the point of the blog's content is that a man is a lot of different things with different interests.

Its way too serious of reaction to something so essentially casual.

Here's a tip - put a pinch of sage in your boots, and all day long a spicy scent is your reward.

I really want a pair of boots. but im not sure what kind.
 

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
I am not saying that you are insecure. I am saying that the topic itself obviously makes people nervous and defensive no matter what their conceptualization of "being a man" actually is. You have people reading a couple of things and saying "THATS NOT ME AND IM A MAN", but the point of the blog's content is that a man is a lot of different things with different interests.

Its way too serious of reaction to something so essentially casual.

I think the mistake you're making is that you think that people (me for example) are upset about the contents of that fancy blog. I think the majority of 'negative' comments about the blog have been "that's nice advice, but it should be good for a man or a woman". There are other things in this thread people are responding too.
 

Esch

Banned
I think the mistake you're making is that you think that people (me for example) are upset about the contents of that fancy blog. I think the majority of 'negative' comments about the blog have been "that's nice advice, but it should be good for a man or a woman". There are other things in this thread people are responding too.

True, I guess I am quick to defend this one since they introduced me to the godliness of wet shaving.
 
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



kOCK2.jpg


Ah, wtf @ Germany.

Japan i don't understand.

I think the mistake you're making is that you think that people (me for example) are upset about the contents of that fancy blog. I think the majority of 'negative' comments about the blog have been "that's nice advice, but it should be good for a man or a woman". There are other things in this thread people are responding too.

Why? It has good advice for all sexes, but, in the end why is it wrong for it to appeal to men more? I don't really read women self improvement guides.
 

Kinitari

Black Canada Mafia
True, I guess I am quick to defend this one since they introduced me to the godliness of wet shaving.

Well I've only read a few things here and there, and it seems mostly harmless - but I mean... there is stuff about the blog I don't agree with either. Like the whole "Society has had man-rituals forever, now that we don't do that anymore - kids are insane!". I mean... is that true? Are young men worse now than they were in the 1800s, or whenever? Worse how? They're less violent, I'm going to guess more supportive of each other and less misogynistic. All in all, I think we're moving down the right path with this no more boyz-to-men ceremonies. I think the elephant in the room is we're better now than we've ever been, so maybe we've been fucking up TILL now.
 
uh, try watching a couple Akira Kurosawa movies. Yojimbo and Seven Samurai are a good start.
Hell, Japanese men are too timid to approach girls nowadays because most are intimidated. I don't have the site on me (I can find them if people call me out though) that something like half of men in Japan did not have a girlfriend; and like a third of young men hadn't even had sex or a girlfriend (or something crazy like that).
 

jtb

Banned
I think the mistake you're making is that you think that people (me for example) are upset about the contents of that fancy blog. I think the majority of 'negative' comments about the blog have been "that's nice advice, but it should be good for a man or a woman". There are other things in this thread people are responding too.

yup, blog has got lots of bits of information/advice that I never knew I needed (learning how to whistle with your fingers ftw!!!), but I do wish it wasn't gendered. Because it really doesn't need to be.
 

Grakl

Member
The criticisms of the blog in this thread are interesting purely because they don't even discuss the content of the blog; rather, they just talk about assumptions to what the blog contains. It has a lot of good advice that people automatically push away because of the title of all things. Oh man, there are some lists that show older men from wars and film noir and the like? How about, there is more content on the site than lists.

It's a blog. Ignore the crap, and just find the good DIY advice as well as the nice information/positive reinforcement pieces. The whole gendered thing is fine, and really isn't a problem. It's not a reason to not visit the site.
 

SmokyDave

Member
I met someone that couldn't wet shave the other weekend and it freaked me out. I always thought it was one of those things that you simply had to be able to do.

I'm buying him a strop and a cut-throat for his birthday.


The question now is: what mustache do you wear?
Handlebar with twirly ends. All day, every day.
 

Salazar

Member
The criticisms of the blog in this thread are interesting purely because they don't even discuss the content of the blog; rather, they just talk about assumptions to what the blog contains.

Nope. I quoted its idealising of thousands of years of classically-toned masculine mentorship (represented as a stunningly continuous ethos) and objected directly to the morally and economically problematic anachronism of it. That kind of bullshit wants to seem historically substantial but it doesn't want to undertake the analytical procedures that constitute historical thinking.

Never mind that the concepts of gentlemanliness that were shuttled along by mentorship, for the vastly larger part of their existence in human thought and affairs, rested emphatically on an effacement or outright evasion of labor. Which is why it seems ludicrous to me to artificially knit them up with what we now imagine as "the duties and responsibilities of man" and think of this highly spurious tapestry as a work of nature - of history itself.
 

EL Beefo

Member
Handlebar with twirly ends. All day, every day.

Used to be. Well maybe not everyday but I didn't trim it for nearly nine months and could get a really nice Dali going. Trimmed it back to the lip about a month ago though, it just made eating way to messy.
 
yup, blog has got lots of bits of information/advice that I never knew I needed (learning how to whistle with your fingers ftw!!!), but I do wish it wasn't gendered. Because it really doesn't need to be.

This is what I don't get... Why doesn't it need to be? I mean, sure a lot of the tips can benefit eithr gender, but is there really any problem having a gendered blog?

You could have a site devoid (please God let this be an ok-ish use of this word) of bias to any one gender but who would read it? The old macho theme is an attractive one to an audience, probably moreso than any other theme for a blog for that audience. By having it not be gndered, these people are missing out on, what is essentially, universal advice and tips.

It's a really interesting blog which is sugarcoated with a 'manly' aestetic of years-gone-by. Sure this one blog won't appeal to everyone but I am equally sure there is another blog out there which appeal to those that this one doesn't.
 

ChiTownBuffalo

Either I made up lies about the Boston Bomber or I fell for someone else's crap. Either way, I have absolutely no credibility and you should never pay any attention to anything I say, no matter what the context. Perm me if I claim to be an insider
This whole "manliness" thing is dumb. Because eventually, someone will disapprove of somoene's elses behavior, call him a bitch, and then open up the misogyny can. And it'll spiral out of control from there.

Most of the time "maniliness" is just being a responsible member of society and a thoughtful human being.
 
This whole "manliness" thing is dumb. Because eventually, someone will disapprove of somoene's elses behavior, call him a bitch, and then open up the misogyny can. And it'll spiral out of control from there.

Most of the time "maniliness" is just being a responsible member of society and a thoughtful human being.

I think of responsibility and thoughtfulness as "good" qualities, but not "manly" qualities. And I've never thought that a manly quality is necessarily a good quality, or a manly man a good man. Bob, who spends his free time doing motocross, hunting, boxing, etc. is more manly than Bill, who spends his free times reading and stamp collecting, even if Bob is a crack dealing bank robber and Bill is a law abiding nice guy.
 

SmokyDave

Member
How do you chaps feel about this advert?

On the one hand, I know I'm being cynically marketed to. On the other hand, unavoidably, I am that guy. I find it really difficult to get angry at a stereotype that I fit to a tee.
 
How do you chaps feel about this advert?

On the one hand, I know I'm being cynically marketed to. On the other hand, unavoidably, I am that guy. I find it really difficult to get angry at a stereotype that I fit to a tee.

Guilty as charged, I always try to carry all the bags in one go while my girlfriend face palms and tells me to just go more than once.

Maybe it is a trait applicable to most men, maybe it's not, but it's applicable to me and thus a pretty funny ad.
 
I think of responsibility and thoughtfulness as "good" qualities, but not "manly" qualities. And I've never thought that a manly quality is necessarily a good quality, or a manly man a good man. Bob, who spends his free time doing motocross, hunting, boxing, etc. is more manly than Bill, who spends his free times reading and stamp collecting, even if Bob is a crack dealing bank robber and Bill is a law abiding nice guy.

Really good example

How do you chaps feel about this advert?

On the one hand, I know I'm being cynically marketed to. On the other hand, unavoidably, I am that guy. I find it really difficult to get angry at a stereotype that I fit to a tee.

I always do this. Always...even with a package of water. There is no second trip.

It's not even about being lazy or working smarter, its just about seeing if you can. Irrational, inefficient, and pointless...but you managed to do it lol
 

Bladenic

Member
Manliness is so subjective that it's impossible to try and give a defined relationship for every person.

That being said, I always roll my eyes when I see guys wearing tight t-shirts that are way too small, v-necks that practically expose half the upper body, ridiculously tight skinny jeans (that can't be good for the little fella), and generally any sort of feminine type clothing. I mean, I try to not be judgmental and a person in question might be a very nice person, but I can't see how it's comfortable/practical, and to me it doesn't look good at all.

Using beauty products I can understand. I don't really do much other than wash my face with a facewash and use a gel cream every now and again. But in today's society with the extreme emphasis on looking good, I can understand the need for guys to feel pressured to using extraneous products to look good. I can't get behind manicures and pedicures though. Nobody really cares about your nails. Facials, eh, not sure.
 

Grakl

Member
Nope. I quoted its idealising of thousands of years of classically-toned masculine mentorship (represented as a stunningly continuous ethos) and objected directly to the morally and economically problematic anachronism of it. That kind of bullshit wants to seem historically substantial but it doesn't want to undertake the analytical procedures that constitute historical thinking.

Never mind that the concepts of gentlemanliness that were shuttled along by mentorship, for the vastly larger part of their existence in human thought and affairs, rested emphatically on an effacement or outright evasion of labor. Which is why it seems ludicrous to me to artificially knit them up with what we now imagine as "the duties and responsibilities of man" and think of this highly spurious tapestry as a work of nature - of history itself.

My comments aren't directed at you, because the specific posts you talked about (especially the admittedly bad ones in the OP) do represent what you state, but you are still falling in to the idea that the blog only represents what a few posts say. As I said in my other post, there are quite a few tutorials that teach people how to do things that others may not consider 'manly' such as sewing; rather, the blog does seem to represent multiple different views of what a man is, even if there is quite a bit of posts and pictures that represent what you are talking about.

I don't think that a person visits a blog like this to learn history; it's obviously for advice and looking at a couple pictures, haha.
 
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