There is a meme out in the memosphere that men these days do not know how to be “real men”. Every generation has their own definition of what it means to be a man, and I like to think that some of the progress we’ve made since the days of Mad Men are a good thing. But there is no denying that there is a general feeling that the days of “manly” men are a thing of the past.
Unfortunately many equate being “manly” to chasing skirts, being opinionated to the point of obnoxiousness, or other boorish behavior that are caricatures of male strength. This, of course, is fed by the media where way too many of men’s interest magazines, websites, and TV shows focus on sex, cars, tech, sex, girls, expensive toys, and, did I say sex?
To fill this gap a number of websites of arisen to show the men and fathers of today what it means to be classy, to be honorable, to be in a word, a man of substance and style. I mentioned one of these in a previous recommendation – fatherly.com – where the emphasis was on being good fathers. Today I have a recommendation for one of the earliest of these sites that tackled this trend – The Art of Manliness.
The site is the brainchild of Brett and Kate McKay. Brett started the site back in 2008 as a way of writing about topics that he felt were relevant to those of his generation who yearned for some of the class and style of an older, “greater” generation. Here’s an excerpt from their About page:
“Many men today feel adrift and have lost the confidence, focus, skills, and virtues that men of the past embodied. In an increasingly androgynous society, modern men are confused about their role and what it means to be an honorable, well-rounded man.
The causes of this male malaise are many — from the cultural to the technological. One factor is simply the lack of direction offered men in the popular culture. Men’s magazines today are largely about sex, sports cars, and getting six-pack abs.
The Art of Manliness seeks to fill this void and offer an alternative to those who believe there’s more to being a man than expensive clothes and the hot babe of the month.
AoM is a blog about growing up well, aimed at men and their unique challenges and interests. We explore all things manly — from the serious and philosophical to the practical and fun. We seek to uncover how to live with grandpa’s swagger, virtue, and know-how in the present age by wedding the best of the past to the best of the present. The end goal is to create a synergy of tradition and modernity that offers men a way forward and signposts on how to live an excellent, flourishing life.“
There are many posts on the “lost manly arts” – from how to properly groom and style yourselves, things men as fathers should teach and model to our children, and stories and tales from great men in history ranging from Cicero to Teddy Roosevelt. There are numerous guest posts from a variety of writers, ranging from grooming tips from experts in men’s style, fitness tips from former US Navy SEALs, to money wisdom from Wall Street veterans. All in all, the site is a treasure trove of many amazing articles that will surely inform, definitely interest, and hopefully inspire you to be a more awesome human being.
