I was perusing The Rebelution Blog this morning, and was struck by this post called If Boys Would Be Men, Would Girls Be Ladies? I can't say how impressed I am by the young male authors of this blog.
This post strikes me for a few reasons. The first is that feminism has been on my brain for the past few weeks, even though I have yet to finish posting my thoughts. Then, just yesterday, my sister mentioned a discussion she had in the high school teacher's lounge of a recent article in Newsweek on schools failing boys. The topic of "boys in education" is one very near and dear to my soul, and the idea that institutional schools aren't set up for boys to succeed was the first thing that drew my husband and me to consider homeschooling. And, over the past few years, I have had a paradigm-shift in my way of viewing men -- I now see how important it is to us as The Church and as a country to have REAL, godly, strong men leading us to victorious moral living. (I am so honored that God put three little men into our home, not because boys are any better than girls -- I am not swinging clear to the other side of the spectrum -- but because our society has an absolute lack of godly men and the thought that God could use our seed to replenish this lack excites me. Godly women just seem easier to find than godly men, and I am of the opinion that godly men will only make life more wonderful for women in general. I only ask the Lord to lead Ron and I in raising these little guys to be true men of faith -- manly and godly world-changers -- :) that's all I ask, Lord!)
I hope you'll take a moment to read the Rebelution post - and remember, these boys are only 17 years old!!
A few excerpts from the posting:
"The problem is not that women have risen, that's not even an issue here. The problem is that men have fallen."
"The truth is that young men today possess little incentive, whether archaic or otherwise, to pursue excellence in career, marriage or family. True men are not only disapearing from our universities, they're disapearing from society's most fundamental institution, the family. Unless men, as the heads of their families, return to the historic call of biblical manhood, the family will continue to decay. This is a battle our generation must fight."
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5 comments:
Gone to graveyards, every one.
There are a few good men.
The crisis is institutional. Schools. A PC orthodoxy which tells boys that their masculine impulses are "inappropriate." ("Goddess forbid that we name something 'morally wrong,' or 'wicked,' even if that is exactly what we mean.")
A state-school PC orthodoxy which represses / censors / stigmatizes healthy masculinity, and lifts up a limp-wristed pettiness in its place.
I liked the posting. Amazing for 17 year olds! I wonder where all the gifted boys go? They by far outnumber the girls in elementary schools. I wonder what happens to them.
Dad
It starts with the fathers.They need to be fathers to their sons. Boys have a hard time being men when they do not have their dads around.Since the Industrial Revolution men and their children have been lured away from each other by "better living" Fathers need to find a way to be home more-whether it be changing their shift to be home during the more important hours of the day or bring their jobs home...
Anonymous said: >Boys have a hard time being men when they do not have their dads around. Since the Industrial Revolution men and their children have been lured away from each other<
Time with Dad.
I had a unique situation in that regard. During my childhood, Dad, being a freelance commercial artist, would rent studio space in various places. Working freelance, he was free from having to kowtow to a boss. Dad eschewed traditional masculine clichés: no home improvement projects, no sports, no driving motor vehicles, no macho. He worked at his easel in his studio. And he enjoyed reading: at home, he always had his nose in some book or magazine.
Dad rented studio space for a little while in five different places before he took a five year lease on the vacated dance studio in the village, followed by another five year lease in the vacated dental office in the center of the village. Sparkill. I was in junior high by then.
I was four or five when I discovered I could drop in on him at work when he was at his easel, and he took time out for me. He was next door in those days. That was when he taught me how to make a paper airplane, using his heavy art paper.
I began dropping by his new studio as I got older, pedaled my bike down to Sparkill. The routine: buy comic books at Gallucci's, get some junk food, visit Dad's studio, wander around the place while he worked at his easel, read comic books. Sometimes he'd chat a little as he was bent over his easel. Or, "Run over to the deli across the street, get me a sandwich," something like that.
Dad's studio became even more of a regular refuge after I got a paper-route when I was twelve. The paper route ran through three towns, then ended in Sparkill. I'd hang out at the studio. Sometimes Dad would take a break and just hang out with me.
It was a whole separate world from the Other.
In his studio, Dad was calm, agreeable, a philosopher, a friend. It was a different relationship from that at home.
Years later, Mom was surprised to discover I had this whole other life with Dad. She knew only the strife between us at home. She never knew of the good times, because they had been in Dad's separate little domain, away from the house, and its burdens. Mom had the house, with Dad. Dad had the studio to himself.
The studio. That was where I went to spend time with Dad. It was his workplace. I was fortunate. Most kids don't have that access.
Thank you for sharing this story about your dad, David! I'd love to hear more about this at our next family get-together.
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