What is the purpose of men today? What is their place in society, culture, relationships? Do men even have a purpose?
Simply put, what are men for?
The readers of The Good Men Project are uniquely qualified to answer this question and to share it far and wide. That’s why I need you to help in an ongoing project to compile the most insightful, sarcastic, thought provoking, funny, heartfelt, ironic, etc. answers for an upcoming article that will try to answer this one, essential question or, at the very least, spark a significant and ongoing conversation. But we need your input to make this project a success.
And whether or not you have ever considered the question, you do have an answer lurking inside you.
Women and men, we need your answers. There are no rules or guidelines in how you phrase your answer – we only need your honest opinion.
What are men for? Just contribute your answer in the comment section below or go to the special Facebook page that has been established and post your answer there.
Please don’t let this unique opportunity pass you by. Take a few moments and tell us what men are for. We truly need to know!
I don’t know. I am a single mother without child support. My daughter asked me, “You do everything, Mom. What are daddies for?” I thought for a long time, but told her, “I don’t know.” I’m sorry, I couldn’t think of anything.
“What are men for?” … well, I could ask, “What are women for?” My answer is simple: We (all inclusively) are “for” whatever we want to be. Gender should always come second to that of being a person. We are all people. Humans. And we are “for” that which we choose to be “for”. If we could all stop thinking in terms of “men” and “women” and starting thinking in terms of “human”, there would be no worry in terms of fulfilling any gender requirements, abiding by commonly held stereotypes, so on and so forth. All that just causes unneeded… Read more »
Objects have a function, people have free will.
Mr. Bechard, Respectfully, just the fact that you have to ask this question speak volumes. I see it as part of the whole “what is the future of maleness” meme currently fashionable in insular, reality-challenged metrosexual/feminist circles.
As the Who once sang, “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”
@Mark Goblowsky: ““what is the future of maleness” meme currently fashionable in insular, reality-challenged metrosexual/feminist circles.”
Care to elaborate?
Kaleb, Just the fact that you are on this site puts you at ground zero for the debate. Before I became associated with the Good Men Project, I had no idea that masculinity was in crisis, because the vast majority of men that I know aren’t. (Sure, we’ve all got our challenges.) I quickly gathered that Amanda Marcotte (sp?) with her laughable “end of men” trope was one of the feminist thinkers and writers that put the debate on radar. Again, and admittedly this is just based on my own perspective, I don’t find maleness, and the masculine role in… Read more »
Each man defines his own purpose. I can only speak for myself.
I’m right there with SamLL–this question is very insulting, and quite frankly, pointless.
The only thing men are *for* is to grow to be responsible adults, mentors, and parents–however that looks like. Obviously, I can say the same about other genders…so this question, to me at least, does nothing but provoke answers tied into essentialist garbage.
Yeah but, Kaleb aren’t Men in general asking that “very insulting” question anyway? It’s ironic that such a prevalent internal dialog can be so verboten.
Sure, maybe some men are asking themselves that question. I personally think it’s such a waste of time and incredibly counter productive. Why would I waste time asking myself what men are “for” (and I use “for” begrudgingly because it adds a sense of “men are only good for” mentality, like we exist solely for a primary job function) when there’s no end-all be-all answer? My main point is that we can all sit here and discuss what men are “for”, but we’d be prividing answer that seek to essestentially define all men. We’re not going to find one answer,… Read more »
I used to believe men were utterly useless, but I realize that was because I was very successful in being self-sufficient, being my own man/woman, needing neither emotional nor financial support from anyone. I was living on the assumption that we are all the same, confusing sameness with equality, an assumption I had to recognize as false before realizing the value of men. When I found the courage to let go of my toughness and open my heart, I discovered that we are indeed, different. Now I no longer see men dedicating themselves to their work or art, rather then… Read more »
Men and women aren’t *for* anything. We are moral ends, not means to an end. Kant would throw up his hands in despair at this question.
Men are needed to be fathers, brothers, uncles and husbands and partners. They are needed to be breadwinners and stay at home parents. Men are needed to be leaders, to be followers. Men are needed to be role models, to teach, to be taught. In other words , men are needed for all the same things they have always been needed for.
Personally I find the question, insulting, it makes me feel like i have to justify my very existence just because I am a man.