WHAT MAKES A MAN A MAN??

[I-khan]

how did I miss this thread?

I'm hearing all sorts of stuff these days on here, about men shouldn't cry, men shouldn't complain and whine, men shouldn't do all sorts of stuff that is not considered "manly". Mostly from people who are not men to begin with.

I would like to know from whence these notions come.

How is manhood defined--especially as it pertains to Black men? And perhaps more importantly, WHO defines it?

Is it a universal premise, or does individuality factor into the equation? Does it very from generation to generation? From nationality to nationality? From culture to culture? From race to race?

I have my own notions about this, and will share them upon request.

But right now, I would like to know what others think about this subject.

Please feel free to share your thoughts.

PEACE

becoming a man is a journey and not a singular destination...

it is not what a man does that makes them 'unmanly' or a 'real man' but on what belief/premise they are operating on...which ties back into identity as aforementioned in the post above...

As a brother on the journey I have learned that becoming a man does not simply mean handling my business the right way,being a 'man of my word',etc...even though those things play a role it is not primary,those actions are only results (ie secondary) to the manifestation of how the 'man' believes they should perform (ie what defines manhood) in whatever society....hence a universal definition does not work because many socieities (especially non-western ones) follow the 'form-function' relationship based on their traditions.....

this is a good topic....since many people have fallen into the 'western view' of manhood....(which in itself still has elements of childishness and as a result of that 'womanhood' does to)....and many of our people have nothing (for the most part) to draw from for our own definition/idea of such a thing...which leaves us floating on whatever blows in our direction like dead leaves in the wind...


my personal suggestion for anyone who wants to 'define' such a thing is this.....leave the 'definition' or capability of manhood in that same potentiality that led to the 'big bang'(ie creation) of the universe and always try to relate things in the world to each other on a natural basis of existence.....that is what I do....and it will suffice until I fill up a bank to draw from.


peace............