What Does it Mean to Be a Man?

Very short post today because I think you should spend the time to listen to this excellent episode of Know Your Enemy titled What's Wrong with Men. I'm going to listen to it a second time but here are some initial thoughts.

As the hosts talked about the traditional male "purpose" of providing financially for the family, and how that's really hard now, I couldn't help but think that so many of the conservative political voices lamenting the loss of the provider-man are largely responsible for the outcome they lament. Political policy makes it possible to exploit and not pay workers well. Political policy makes it possible for companies to sue unions for financial losses, in this case, a conservative-led US Supreme Court allowed this to happen.

Late-stage capitalism and the political voices that continue to prop it up are the cause of the problem they win elections saying they'll solve. How do people not catch onto this?

Later in the episode they talk about what it means to be a man, and how the left has little concrete to offer because a core tenant of left political leaning is that you can build your life as you want. I would affirm the hosts in saying that there is some feeling of protection I identify with in manhood, but I don't fall into the traditional role of mostly a physical male protector.

I protect and provide for my family when I watch the kids every night and most of the weekend so that my wife can work her job. In this I model to my children how a man should act as a parent. I protect my girls as I teach them their worth and talk about the types of treatment they should never stand for in any situation. I protect and provide for their future happiness when I talk about misogyny and racism and how it has harmed so many people and what we can do to remove it from our lives. I provide for their future safety when I tell them that they are in control of their own bodies and if they don't want to be touched they don't have to be touched, even when I want a hug and cuddle on Father's day.

Yes, I earn an income. Sure I work out and I'm strong so I could fight for their safety. Both of those are distant in their importance compared to the items above I can teach them.

Once you've listened to it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the episode.