I love steak, pizza, and beer as much as anybody, but does anybody find it troubling that in our modern time manhood is still associated with destructive behavior? Eating fatty food, indulging in mindless pleasures, and irrational aggression are still some of the hallmarks of masculinity. A man who eats right, prefers to solve problems through reason or negotiation rather than aggression, and who would rather read Tolstoy than watch sports is likely to be seen as more feminine.
Why is that? The behaviors we associate with masculinity are actually more descriptive of animal behavior. Perhaps we should begin to think of "manhood" in terms of our relationship with other animals, rather than in terms of making sure we differential ourselves from women.
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