Being a person of faith, I believe that I was crafted by a perfect Creator. If he made me a man, then he had a good reason, and I should be thankful.

This blog entry addresses some of my thoughts on the age-old question: What does it mean to be a man? As we are all aware, there is a strong influence on this belief coming from our modern culture and Hollywood. Hollywood often impresses upon us the idea that men should be macho, that they must look good when women are around and be fearless.

Well, perhaps being a hero isn't a bad thing, although perhaps heroism doesn't have to be something macho. A father can be a hero for his children by taking them to the zoo or taking them to school themselves if there are bullies on the bus. A brother might cover for a brother when he accidentally sends a baseball through the kitchen window or help him with his homework.

As men, it is well-known that we like control. Thus, it would only be logical that a man must first be in control of his own desires, not the other way around. A true man can stand up to himself, and knows when to say no. As men, people also look to us to take charge. If a man is so responsible, he will first take charge of himself and his life, and make sure that it is in a good, healthy course. Only the individual is responsible for their own actions.

As men, people expect us to be strong. Strength can mean many things. It means that men should be able to accept and risk rejection, and that they can still keep their heads held high under humiliation. Strength allows a man to pursue, but also to accept defeat. Strength carries a man on when he is emotionally pained.

And strength also allows a man to cry.

It is okay for a man to cry. Crying is healthy. It does not show weakness; it shows humanity. Weeping in times of distress is nothing to be ashamed of.

In modern times, as much as manliness has been up played into strong stereotypes, the meaning of being a man has also been squandered in the other direction. Because of this stereotype, men have lost a lot of dignity. Some suggest that it can be regained if they become more like women, more "in touch" with their "feminine side". How does that work? How can a man be something that he is not? Here's what has happened: throughout history, men have stopped acting like men. This has all happened because of a belief in a timeless image of masculinity that does not rightfully capture the meaning of being a man. When this happens, men act like boys. There is a difference. In order to regain any dignity, here's a pointer: men should act like men. Real men.

Side notes:

- Technically, since I wrote the first half of this yesterday, this counts as a Father's Day entry.

- Don't ask me about women. Seeing as I am not one, I'm really not qualified to be the philosopher on that subject.

Your Honor,

Emperor Kraggh