Recently, Harry Styles caused quite a stir within conservative circles. He donned a dress for a Vogue photoshoot. The initial reception was expected from liberals and leftists alike. They praised Styles for challenging “gender norms” and not being afraid to be who he is. They talked about how brave he was and how we should do away with gender norms. Conservatives like Candace Owens and Ben Shapiro chimed in to give their opinion about the fall of western society and the lack of strong men being one of the most significant factors.
Let me be clear; what Harry Styles did was not brave or revolutionary. He is one of the world’s biggest pop stars, with millions of adoring young fans, so he was in no danger of losing any influence. Had he come out as a Trump supporter or a supporter of the police, that would have been brave because it would have gone against the hivemind that is currently the Left.
However, Shapiro and Owens missed the mark as well on their critique of Styles and western society. There seems to be this growing belief that the lack of masculinity is what is killing our society. I believe that it is not the lack of masculinity but the lack of actual men.
Let me explain when you think of a man, what comes to mind? Someone whose 6 ft, has broad shoulders and maybe some stubble? He may work as a plumber or a businessman. The image of man varies depending on whom you ask, but one thing is for sure, there is not a baseline of masculinity.
Someone who works construction can be just as much of a man as someone who works as a professor. The perception of these two men may be different. Blue-collar work is always viewed as more masculine, but they are both men at the end of the day.
The definition of a man can be tricky these days. I believe what makes a man is simple. Someone willing to provide for their family, be the protector, take care of their responsibilities, and stand firm in their beliefs. These baseline traits are up for interpretation, and they can be debated for hours, but here is my interpretation of these traits.
A man needs to be willing to provide for his family. It does not mean that he must be the sole provider for his family. The cost of living has increased dramatically over the last few decades, and there are instances where one paycheck will not be enough. It does mean that he needs to be there for his family and help manage the household. This extends to stay at home dads as well. Even though he is not working, he still provides a useful role for his children.
A man must protect his family. That is it. The world is a cruel and cold place, and man must make sure that no one can harm the ones he loves. It is a part of his responsibilities. Taking care of one’s responsibilities does not just extend to a family man but also a single man. Do not procrastinate your duties, or you will find yourself climbing an insurmountable mountain of tasks.
Standing firm in your beliefs is one that many do not like. The problem with someone standing firm in their beliefs is that they may disagree with you. That is ok. You cannot go around changing everyone’s mind.
The issue here is that many “men” do not subscribe to these beliefs. America has the highest single motherhood rate in the developed world. That fact alone diminishes the first three traits. We can not have a healthy society without strong family units. Children who grow up in broken homes will become broken adults, and broken adults create broken societies. We see this issue in full effect nowadays.
Men also no longer stand up for what they believe; instead, they cower and follow the crowd lest they be canceled. We no longer are brave enough to declare what is right. As a result, we lose ourselves in the process. We are always trying to redefine masculinity or what it means to be a man.
If we want to bring back men, we need to look at the four traits I mentioned. Without those, masculinity is a husk set upon a being; and that husk without guidance will do more harm than good.
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Douglass Times 