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- Emotional Shut-down
- Two-dimensional Men
- Difference = Fear = Aggression = Violence
- Why is the Military Male?
- Socialized into Aggression
- The Hero
- Stoicism – the Endurance of Pain
- Tough Enough
- The ‘Patriot’ who Must Win No Matter What
- The Disciplined Man
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Category Archives: Parents
The ‘Patriot’ who Must Win No Matter What.
Competitiveness has both positive and negative qualities. Competitiveness is not negative in essence. It is an important natural part of human behaviour and is necessary for progress. But on the negative side, it can be warped into aggression and repugnant … Continue reading
Posted in Boys, Masculinity, Parents, War
Tagged affirmation of masculinity, aggression, better than the enemy, brutality, Bush, Competitiveness, dehumanises, fallacy of patriotism., fear, ignore ethical rules, instability of masculinity, masculine dominance, patriotism, shame, sons, sport, torture, Vietnam, water-boarding
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Stoicism – the Endurance of Pain
The military values stoicism – the silent endurance of pain (both physical and emotional). Soldiers are asked to be stoical and resilient in the face of all hardship. They must be mentally strong. They must be controlled enough to endure … Continue reading
Posted in Boys, Masculinity, Parents, War
Tagged badge of honour, communication, competitive sport, endure pain, military prevent emasculation of nation and men, non-masculine, prefects assert power, primitive initiation rites, psychologically crippled, relationships, sexual abuse, soldiers, stoical, suffer stoically and silently, unhealthy, weak
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The Hero
One of the ways that society seduces men into becoming soldiers (for the benefit of the military) is by linking ‘real’ masculinity, patriotism and heroism together. From early childhood, boys are indoctrinated into thinking that the highest proof of masculinity … Continue reading
Posted in Boys, Masculinity, Parents, War
Tagged bullied, conscientious objectors, corrupted by violence, defend, different, different heroes, heroism, heroism romanticised, make society moral, masculinity, patriotism, peace activists, proof of masculinity, safe and free., war, weaker
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Why is the Military Male?
Why are the armed forces predominantly male? Is aggression simply a biological or genetic element of masculinity? Or do we train boys to become aggressive so that they are useful for war? It seems to me that it is difficult, … Continue reading
Posted in Boys, Masculinity, Parents, War
Tagged arena for display of masculinity, competitive situations, complex, contradictions, male ego, military, protection of women, strength less relevant to modern warfare, testosterone and aggression, testosterone research, war predominantly male
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Difference = Fear = Aggression = Violence
The fantasy of perfect masculinity – symbolized by the ideal soldier – ensures men will fight in wars, seduces them to be and live the fantasy. In a previous post, I wrote about the unemotional soldier*. Now I want to … Continue reading
Posted in Boys, Masculinity, Parents, War
Tagged aggression, anger, annihilate, cultural racial religious prejudice, defending, enemy, greed, heroic, illogical, moral to kill, no compassion empathy or care, patriotic, patriotism, power, soft and unpatriotic, soldier, those who are ‘different’, useful myths, violence
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Two-dimensional Men
In my last blog, I wrote about how boys are shamed into either hiding or suppressing some of their natural human emotions. And I asked the question: Do we raise our sons to be unemotional in order for them to … Continue reading
Posted in Boys, Masculinity, Parents, War
Tagged ‘real’ men, detached marginalised father, emotional control, emotional disability, emotional self-protection, fantasy of perfect masculinity, ideal soldier, insecure masculinity, presentation of masculinity, self- protection, shame, taboo emotions, two-dimensional men
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