Manhood in America

The Definition of Manhood

So far this term we have taken a few different looks at the definition of American women, but very few concerning the definitions of manhood. So what does it mean to be an American man? Tocqueville offers a few different ideas, while old rules of chivalry also shape our definition of manhood. But as journalists like Susan Faludi point out, often our definitions of manhood are merely myths that have little truth in modern reality.

In the later chapters of book 3 of "Democracy in America", Tocqueville asserts his observations on the ambition of American men. The destiny of sons in America differs quite sharply from their counterparts in aristocratic nations. In an aristocratic nation the first born son inherits all the property from the father. Upon his father's death, he assumes the mantle of patriarch and leads the family in all of its affairs. Fate condemns the subsequent sons to a much more harsh life. These sons inherit no property and are left to either make their way in the military or to serve the eldest brother. But in America there are no such predetermined fates. A son can always throw off the shackles of his father's class and make his way in the world. Tocqueville asserts that the ability to become more successful than one's father and the freedom delivered by revolution drive this incredible ambition of men found in America.

Chivalry also impacts our view of manliness. The concept of an honor-bound knight has been immortalized in countless tales. In these legends, a man is someone who serves with the utmost loyalty and fights bravely even in the face of uncertainty and death. He always saves the helpless damsel and slays the dragon.

But Susan Faludi points out many flaws in the media's attempt to overlay these chivalric, macho ideals on top of real stories. In the frantic search for any stories to fit their myths, magazines all across America hailed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield as the new ideal of masculinity. Having very few actual examples of bold, male rescuers saving distraught women, magazines forced Rumsfield and Bush to fit this revived mold of "the cowboy of yesterday". The media hailed fireman as the most desirable men in the country, while the government hosted banquet after banquet. But in this aftermath many firemen grew to resent all of this attention, while the strides made in previous decades by firewomen were cut back.

So what do the societal forces in America have to say about being a man in modern times? Is it defined by one's ambition and individuality as it had been in America during the 1800's? Or is it this revived definition of male strength and honor that harkens back to the days of knights. As Faludi argues, the post 9/11 media believe the latter.

Works Cited:

Susan Faludi's "The Terror Dream"

Alexis Tocqueville's "Democracy in America"

http://toxicculture.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/rumsfeld.jpg