Christmas is the most fitting occasion to talk about the transition — or lack thereof — from boyhood to manhood. Despite working long hours, paying bills, supporting kids, and all the other responsibilities that usually come with manhood, men often remain children at heart.
To give one example, more than half of all men between the ages of 30 and 49 (still) play video games. I admit that I spent an unholy amount of time gaming as a kid, but my gaming declined precipitously once I hit college and never rebounded except on rare and special occasions. At age 32, I do not own a single console or gaming device and do not have any games downloaded on my cell phone other than Duolingo, which is hardly a game. I do not say this to be insulting, but to me, video games are nothing more than virtual child’s play. Even if you’re designing video games, you are still reliving your formative years.
Speaking of games, I don’t care how much we idolize or compensate athletes, their “career” is predicated on having fun. They play games the way I played them with my friends in the neighborhood after school. Sure, they use more equipment, play on bigger and better fields, and compete in front of an audience. Of course, they also run a lot faster, jump a lot higher, don’t need so many water breaks, and so on — but the basic idea is the same. They play a game.
Yes, women are athletes too, but the origins of competitive sports are decidedly phallic. Just think of the Ancient Greek Olympics.
Then there is the inherent childishness of other stereotypical male behavior — namely that we don’t do practical things like cook or do laundry. We either leave these mundane-but-important tasks to our mothers, female partners, or maturer male roommates. I admit that I have been guilty of this myself, and, even though it is often associated with privilege and a sense of entitlement, it can just as easily be associated with immaturity. I could go on and talk about the immaturity of a man avoiding commitment in a relationship or hiding his feelings because he doesn’t want to come off as weak. But that would turn this into an essay, and no one has time for that on Christmas — especially all those men out there who have new toys (and video games) to unwrap.
As much as I hate to give him the gift of more attention — he’s been on my naughty list for a very long time — I would be remiss if I did not close with a dig at the oldest, most famous child in the United States: Donald J. Trump. To quote Nancy Pelosi: “As if manhood could ever be associated with him.”
My gravest concern is that it already is.
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Male Stereotype Number One: Men Don’t Cry
Male Stereotype Number Two: Men Don’t Ask for Directions
Male Stereotype Number Three: Men are Competitive
Male Stereotype Number Four: Men Don’t Cook
Male Stereotype Number Five: Men are Warriors
Male Stereotype Number Six: Men Are Clumsy
Male Stereotype Number Seven: Men Are Aggressive
Male Stereotype Number Eight: Men are Either Good or Evil
Male Stereotype Number Nine: Men Can’t Be Friends with Women
Male Stereotype Number Ten: Men are Strong
Male Stereotype Number 11: Men are Breadwinners
Male Stereotype Number 12: Men Don’t Refuse Sex
Male Stereotype Number 13: Men ‘Manspread’
Male Stereotype Number 14: Men ‘Mansplain’
Male Stereotype Number 15: Men Don’t Listen
Male Stereotype Number 16: Men Are Better Drivers
Male Stereotype Number 17: Men Like Porn
Male Stereotype Number 18: Men Don’t Do Therapy
Male Stereotype Number 19: Men Can’t Handle Commitment
Male Stereotype Number 20: Men Aren’t Feminists
Male Stereotype Number 21: Men Like Guns
Male Stereotype Number 22: Men Don’t Have Feelings
Male Stereotype Number 23: Men Don’t Shop
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https://pixabay.com/en/symbolic-the-child-in-the-manne-2065442/