Gentlemen of CF nation. I've been reading a bunch of good poems, books and overall solid inspiring material on motivation, self reliance, willpower, wars, etc. I feel like the modern man has slipped too far from what the model American man was in the times when our nation pushed forward past obstacles and pulled itself up rather than holding itself down. The work ethic, morals and values of the industrial age American man, the things that helped this nation pull through WWI and WWII are in dire need in todays world where minor things ruin our nights and energy drinks fuel our days. I like to always look for reminders and motivational stories to keep the fire burning. I also often read the ArtofManliness blog and recently picked up their book, "Manvotationals" (http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Manliness-Manvotionals-Timeless/dp/1440312001) -- I advise you pick it up if you havent. Solid book. Great excerpts in there from poems by Rudyard Kipling, Wordsworth and others along with war stories, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt stories, stories from concentration camps and just solid solid material to inspire. Anyone else have any good material they look to for inspiration and self growth?
Awesome. But, I don't need to read anything to let me know my manliness. I live this life. God bless. To my athiest peeps, Evolution bless you.
Too many American men have no pride in hard work, supporting their family and household. Too many American men are not self reliant, have no idea how to fix things and are emotionally weak. Too many American men do not helps their wives and are poor fathers. I have noticed it has gotten (other things have gotten better) worse when it comes to young men knowing what it takes to be a man. There is no right of passage and men are absurdly soft. As far as inspirational literature... Just look to older men you admire and learn from them.
Fight Club is basically about men who can't handle the pressures and responsibilities of the real world so they resort to underground fighting and eventually anarchist terrorism.
I have an imaginary friend in the sky who tells me what to do... Well he doesn't actually tell me, but there is this book that says some stuff about being nice and forgiving people, but then it also says an eye for an eye... Bit confusing i know, but trust me you want to believe otherwise bad things will happen. Give me some money.
"Fight Club" is almost the opposite message of what the OP is looking for. Men boldly going out and building society. It is instead about men so frustrated they tear down society. As far as an inspiring message for men this is one of my favorites and one that I frequently quote. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/A-yZNMWFqvM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Many people have forgotten that the number one restriction on their future freedom to do what they want, when they want, and to go where they want isn't the Iraqis, or Iranians, or North Koreans -- it's their mortgage lender." --Sean Olender
Don't tarnish evolution with atheism. Evolution, a process beautifully and miraculously spun from the mind of God, is for everyone.
Wrong. Fight Club is about men brave enough to buck the system that has made them prisoners to consumerism and the pursuit of materials. Fight Club captures what its like growing up in the post war generation. Depression levels at an alll time high. Our was is the war within. Suburbia is a cookie cutter ideal that cannot be sustained by anyone with a free thinking mind.
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I think the picture we see of that era is mostly propaganda... just like all of what the media focuses on now. That's what our kids will see, not reality.
We have more freedom than ever before...you don't have to live in suburbia or be a consumerist if you don't want to. just be happy you aren't a farmer in the feudal ages werkin' on thy lords lands or some ****. Men back in the day definitely worked a lot harder and took more pride in their work than men now.