If you want to know one of the primary reasons why genuine manliness is disappearing from our culture, look no farther than the media images of manliness that are being directed at us a million times a day. From commercials and movies, to the attitudes and behaviors of male celebrities, "rank and file" men are constantly flooded with impressions of what our culture deems as acceptable conduct for men. However, most of these images are completely contrary to the biblical duties and responsibilities of men.
Men are presented by media in a number of different ways.
#1 The slob. Typically, you see this type of man on fast food and beer commercials. Unruly hair, slouched on the sofa, wearing dirty clothes, staring into a TV set. They are also very common in modern comedy films, particularly those of the Judd Apatow / Jack Black / Will Ferrell variety. These men are clearly portrayed as being useless, aimless, unintelligent, wasteful, immature boozers and party animals. They wish only to have fun, do whatever they want, and never grow up.
#2 The dorky dad. I have been seeing this manifestation in commercials for cell phones and other portable devices, where dads are either out of touch, or even more obsessive then their teenagers. I've also seen a few fast food, pizza delivery, and TV dinner commercials where the kids are disgusted with their dad not bringing home something "cool." In any case, Dad gets plenty of eye-rolls. They have also been present in virtually every kids movie in the last 20 years. They are weak, bumbling, ineffective leaders, who usually end up apologizing to their bratty kids (always the stars of the film) for being too hard on them.
#3 The jerk boyfriend/husband. He is insensitive, distant, unfaithful, shirks responsibility, and is usually either overly macho or a slob. He is usually contrasted with his female partner, who is successful, refined, and in general, better than he is at everything. This portrayal places both men and women in an improper light.
#4 The ladies man. This is why I refuse to buy AXE products. Everything this company puts out, from their commercials to the wording on their labels says one thing: use it and they will come... all the way to the bedroom. A real man understands that God ordained for intimacy to occur only within the context of marriage, and is not only content to wait for the wife God has prepared for him, but strives to keep his heart pure until he is wed. Of course, AXE is not the only guilty party here. Sex has been used to entice men into buying a product for decades. Add this of course to the multitude of movies and songs that portray suave, handsome men wooing the ladies. Isn't this why even men admire guys like Brad Pitt? They're thinking, "Man I wish had his looks and his luck." This is not where the thoughts of a godly man should be directed.
#5 The rebel. This is the sort of man who ditches his responsibilities and rejects all authority, in order to forge his own (deviant) path. In generations past, such a reckless and lazy man would have been scorned. But ever since Marlon Brando and James Dean donned their leather jackets, white t-shirts, blue jeanss, and boots and hopped on their respective motorcycles and cars, we have turned them into idols. All men are under the headship of Christ and the leadership of other men He appoints over us. We are also commanded to be the heads of families ourselves. Such a noble calling is incompatible with the seemingly glamorous, but always empty life of the rebel.
#6 The dreamer. The grown man who ignores the needs and affections of his wife and children in order to relive his glory days, find himself in the midst of a mid-life crisis, or pursue some idealistic goal. The young man who rebels against his overbearing, old-fashioned, dream-squashing father and recklessly runs after sports and fame at the expense of a stable career (with the help of some other adult man who, unlike his father, sympathizes with him). Of course, in the end, the man will succeed, his family will apologize for not understanding him (typically found in the latter case), and he will walk away the hero. One of the most despicable, yet ubiquitous, types of men in cinema.
#7 The macho man. Somewhere along the way, we got the idea that the bigger your guns, the bigger your muscles, and the badder your attitude, the more manly you become. This is certainly not a concept you will find in Scripture, and is actually one of the more prevalent and harmful false images of manliness.
#8 The loner. While some of the manliest lines in film history have no doubt been uttered from the mouth of Clint Eastwood ("Are you gonna pull those pistols, or whistle Dixie?), portrayals of men of this type have contributed to the isolationist attitude of many males. Men influenced by the loner mentality believe they do not need anyone (especially family, friends, and God) to succeed and be happy in life. They miss out on rich friendships and other vital relationships, and end up miserable, depressed, and, well, lonely.
#9 The adventurer. It was once well said that men cannot live on bread alone. Yet while all men crave and need excitement in their lives, it has long been popular to portray men whose entire existence is built to thrive on the satisfaction of adventure. This unrealistic life of bravado and daring escapades makes male viewers discontent with their "boring" lives. Furthermore, it seems that spies, secret agents, gunmen, and the like inevitably have multiple girlfriends, use excessive foul language, and drink or smoke prolifically.
There are no doubt other types of men that I have not thought to categorize, but these nine should give you some idea of what I am talking about. Men like these are the rule, not the exception, when it comes to how men are portrayed in modern media.
But even in movies, music, and advertising, there are still vestiges of genuine manliness. In fact, it actually seems to me that in some circles manliness is making a comeback. It's almost as if some advertisers have realized that men are tired of these images, and that inside all of us is the faint cognizance that there is something better than the life we have been told to accept. Tradition is once again becoming cool. Though it used to be far more common in the early days of Hollywood, even many modern movies are featuring real men who are made to heroically embody the virtues of the strenuous life. And yes, there are even still songs that exalt the working man, and there are still musicians who have not forgotten how to be gentlemen. Beyond these, there are pictures. Photographs and paintings alike that have captured manliness at its greatest. Many of these images were treasured and seen by thousands or millions of boys in generations past, who found in them inspiration to become better men. There are also books, some of old and some of today, that praise the virtues of manliness and should be read by any boy who can get his hands on them.
From this day forward, one of the key purposes of the Repairers of the Breach blog will be to highlight these images of manliness. You will find posts that provide reviews on manly movies, books, and music; pictures of manliness and the stories behind them, and examples of manliness in advertising. The Manly Man of the Month will also be incorporated into this new initiative, for their biographies (not to mention their manly portraits) will be another source of rediscovering the lost art of manliness. I actually foresee posts of this nature representing the majority of my future posts. For years, I have been disgusted by unmanly portrayals, particularly in movies and advertising. It is high time to bring manliness back. I hope that the men and young men who read this blog will find these images of manliness instructive and encouraging to that end
