Our Premium Members imagine the changes we aspire to create in the world; together, we authored The #ChangeMaker Manifesto.
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At the Good Men Project, we are hosting an ongoing conversation on what it means to be a good man in the modern world. But we’re not just talking about it; by growing our community and pushing forward with an open dialogue, we are forging connections and we are creating a new normal. That’s how social change happens. With a strong foundation that demands it.
In a recent conversation in our exclusive Facebook Group for Premium Member Community, we asked our community of #changemakers to share one change each person would want to see in this world.
Our community’s answers provide the planks of a the GMP platform, an aspirational manifesto on social change for our community. Seeing these hopes and ideas, and discussing them out loud on our Friday Call with the Publisher was very powerful. The platform is visionary and imagines a beautifully imagined future. And its a future that is achievable.
You don’t have to “fight” for change. You can make it a part of your life, and live the way you want the world to be. Speaking it. Imagining it. It’s the first step. Below is our first Changemaker Manifesto. But this is by no means a static list; it is a living document forged by where we, as a community, take this project going forward.
The Changemaker Manifesto
- “The biggest change I’d like to see is change that proves my [own and society’s] dim view of men wrong.” (Christopher Budd)
- “I would like to be the best possible person for my friends, family, partner and tear down the misconceptions and stigmas that I had to face that held me back from becoming an example of a good man.” (Zachary Wenta)
- And also, GMP t-shirts! → Done!! (Zachary Wenta)
- “The difference I want to see in me, is to change from a man-child into something of a measure of a good man.” (Francis Dylan)
- “Self-responsibility and taking ownership of one’s life and improving life circumstances rather than relying on politicians to either a) “Make America Great Great Again” by isolationism and economic nationalism, or b) turning us all into infants and forcing other people to be financially responsible for our lives.” (Stephan Anemaat)
- “I’d like to completely reshape how so many men (and women) just drift through life and let life pass by without intention.” (Jim Woods)
- “So, with my wife’s hand in mine, we’re on this journey of self-discovery, breaking down the hard-outer shells we’ve developed over the years to protect ourselves from the “slings and arrows” of this world. I want to be vulnerable. I want to feel comfortable expressing myself. I want to really feel and experience what it is to be alive. And I want to write about and see if there’s any universality in my own personal experiences and if that will help me connect to others.” (Ken Ward)
- “I would like to see men find new and constructive outlets for using our inherent male traits/characteristics; a man without direction and purpose is a man who is anxious, frustrated and angry.”(Tam Curtis)
- “Exploding stereotypes would be a great thing, though probably not realistic, at least not for all people all the time.” (Jeff Jackson)
- “I was tired of hearing stereotypes about men while also desiring to be part of a change in how men are perceived and what’s considered normal male behavior.” (Joey Sienkiewicz)
- “More conversation to work towards common ground and less entrenched polarization. This can be applied to pretty much any issue – from guns to women’s reproductive rights.” (Mike Kasdan)
- “For people to stop sizing each other up and accept each other as we are.” (Wilhelm Cortez)
- “If there were one change I would like to see it would be to reduce our growing dependence on technology and the information explosion.” (Jeff Jackson)
- “If we can make our relationships healthy and passionate, I wholeheartedly believe we can not only change the quality of our own life, but change the quality of humanity.” (Kyle Benson)
- “I would like to see us embrace the purity of true love again. There’s an innocence that is escaping our children because they are being forced to grow up too soon. In male speak, I would like to see young boys be given the opportunity to purely search their hearts for their true destiny. It all begins with self-love. I think if we teach them to love themselves from a good place that is centered on real (relevant, expressive, action-oriented, and legitimate) love, then self-discovery is the next step.” (Sharon Jenkins)
- “The change I’d most like to see in our world is kindness. There’s a lot of it out there and I’d still like more for myself, everyone, our environment, our hearts, our minds, our interactions”. (Sherilyn Lee)
- “I would like to see us love each other better and help build a community where humanity regards itself as precious and valuable.” (Sharon Jenkins)
- “Changing culture among males – that it is okay to show affection through platonic touch towards your friends.” (James Blakely)
- “Helping survivors of sexual abuse open up about their trauma, especially men.” (Matthew Eaton)
- “My desire is to encourage and equip people to actually live it forward into their dream life and calling.” (Kent Julian)
- “People living lives authentically, happily and fulfilled. I think it would do wonders for the world. And I think we’d see far less anger, stress, violence and frustration.” (Mike DiLeone)
- This may be nebulous, but I see a theme in some of these yearnings: A desire to retain our human-ness. The world changing so fast that we are in danger of completely redefining it (and thereby losing it). Our children’s experiences are so different than ours and the next generation, exponentially more so. I think we need to be deliberate about being human and not evolving too fast. What that means in action, needs to be broken down more but I think it’s my main concern, especially for future generations. (Les Smith)
- The change I’d like to see is dads beginning to be more purposeful, specific and intentional in teaching, and training our children and being the leaders we are called to be in our homes. I believe once we reject passivity and step up to become dads of purpose, great revival can break out in our homes that will effect positive change in our communities and nation. (Shaun Herring)
- “I would like to see change in myself to cope with the role of being a stay at home dad, before I can expect the world to adapt. I am working on it.” (Hans Schmidt)
- I don’t have anything I can add since I know there is no change I want. Life is happening as it should. Perhaps one thing we could change is to slow down the rate of change! Some things are just good the way they are. (Matthew Eaton)
- I would like to see guys coming forward to discuss things with professionals, be it GP’s, counselors, or coaches. We men also have emotional needs and complexities and I have been so enlightened on a personal journey to windows on feelings that I never even knew I had – the outcome is I’m a MUCH better, happier, relaxed man and much better father and husband. (Chris Orrick)
- Boys being granted permission to explore the full range of emotional expression and thereby learn the powerful emotional capacities and connection that process will bring. (Mark Greene)
- People who are being seduced, exploited, and manipulated by chronically difficult people would be strong enough to imagine that what’s going on is not their fault. They would have compassion for both the difficult person and for themselves and their children, yet no longer condone or enable the behaviors. (Rhoberta Shaler)
- The change I’d like to see in the world is the adoption and acceptance of the philosophy and practice of a more integral education and growth model beginning with the birth of our children and all the way to the end of life. I believe that’s a “big missing” in our Modern subculture. The time is now. (Dixon de Leña)
- “Men are conditioned to be stoic and resolute, the strong silent type, a stereotype I readily accepted and adhered to. The contradiction is that I am a very emotional person, with strong feelings and sensitivity.” Creating a more diverse vision of manhood would be a thing I would change the world. (Dan Ramsey)
- “I think it’s important for people who are advocating for change to understand the reasons why change is sometimes difficult to accomplish. Any sort of change involves some sort of loss, and if we don’t acknowledge and address those issues, we can’t have true and inclusive progress.” (Baly Cooley)
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This manifesto of change was created solely from the comments of members of our Premium Member Community, on the exclusive Facebook Group that hosts an ongoing moderated conversation among those members.
We want to hear from YOU.
The bigger and more diverse that community, the stronger we become, and the more influence we have to create the change that we are talking about.
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“Here’s the thing about The Good Men Project. We are trying to create big, sweeping, societal changes—–overturn stereotypes, eliminate racism, sexism, homophobia, be a positive force for good for things like education reform and the environment. And we’re also giving individuals the tools they need to make individual change—-with their own relationships, with the way they parent, with their ability to be more conscious, more mindful, and more insightful. For some people, that could get overwhelming. But for those of us here at The Good Men Project, it is not overwhelming. It is simply something we do—–every day. We do it with teamwork, with compassion, with an understanding of systems and how they work, and with shared insights from a diversity of viewpoints.” —– Lisa Hickey, Publisher of The Good Men Project and CEO of Good Men Media Inc.
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Photo Credit: Living with God
11.“More conversation to work towards common ground and less entrenched polarization. This can be applied to pretty much any issue – from guns to women’s reproductive rights.” (Mike Kasdan)
Beautiful. Thanks Mike!
Who are PROMOTERS of this web site ……..their past background …..nationality ………..mission ………..achievements in recent past ….country wise memberships as on date ………….I may have interest for JOINING …
The promoters are usually women and hipsters, wanting to wussify men. On occasion you will find a decent article, but most of them are about being a white man is wrong.