Are There Any More Men Out There?

When Anthony Hope wrote The Prisoner of Zenda in the 1890s there were some cultural understandings of men that had been around for a long time.

That's because people at that time knew what it meant when Rudolf said to Rupert, "Fight like a man!" or to his friends, "We have been men, eh, Sapt and Fritz, old friends?"

Beginning with the 1960's, though, men were
strongly criticized.  Today, because of those criticisms, in Western culture it is confusing to be a man.  What should he be like?  Tough or sensitive?  Competitive or relaxed?  Stoic or emotional?  Should he drink lots of beer?  Should he take responsibility or do what he wants?

This is not just a subject for guys to consider either.  It is in girls' best interest as well to comprehend what a man, an honorable man, looks like so we can recognize them and even, in some cases, raise future sons to be them. (Though, certainly, a worthy endeavor would also be to define what is a "lady")

These two articles argue that something about modern men is missing, and that it is hard to find many Rudolf Rassendyll's in America today.

Read either of the following articles:
"Is America Still Making Men?" by Dennis Prager in The National Review

 "Where Did My Cowboy Go?" by John W. Anderson in The Huffington Post

Then complete the Moodle quiz on your chose article and post an answer to the question on the blog post related to the article.

Is America Still Making Men?

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio host and columnist.  One of his radio shows is dedicated to exploring the differences between men and women called The Male Female Hour.  In fact, my wife and I listen to Prager often.

In this article he explores why America, once a place that prided itself on "making" good men, now has created a society that makes it hard to be one.

Read the article linked below and then answer one of the first three questions and the "Allplay" question in a comment.

"Is America Still Making Men?" by Dennis Prager in The National Review

1. Do you disagree with anything in the article?
2. Dennis Prager gives 9 reasons why America no longer creates men.  Which one have you experienced or seen?
3. Has feminism truly been bad for men, as #3 implies?

Allplay: Is Rassendyll a good example of what Prager thinks men should be like?

Where did my cowboy go?

Europeans sometimes joke that Americans are a bunch of cowboys.  For them, calling someone a cowboy is a negative term.  To Americans, it has long been instead a source of pride to be considered a trail blazing pioneer. 

• "Where did My Cowboy Go?" by John W. Anderson in The Huffington Post

Read the article linked above and then answer one of the first four questions and the "Allplay" question in a comment.

1. Do you know many men like Davy Bunyon?

2. Is the the author, John Anderson, right?

3. Why do you think there are so many "man/boys"?

4. Do we need more cowboys, as Anderson defines them?

Allplay: Is Rassendyll more like Davy Bunyon or a cowboy?