Lost Manly Arts

[planetary]

woodsroad says:

But what happens when these "arts", some of which we once relied upon for survival, are supplanted by practices that are not under our control? I'm thinking of hunting being replaced by meat farming, map reading, being replaced by GPS etc. What happens when the new systems fail or those who control them use them for nefarious purposes? Many of the "manly arts" are really just a simple manifestation of self-sufficiency.

Self-sufficiency is relative to the environment one lives in, or is likely to live in. Y2K showed us that there are those who live in a comfortable paranoia of collapse. But I leave it to you to determine if investing one's energy and resources in learning bootstrap survival skills and building bunkers is most efficient.
I would also note that doing these things may not relieve you of the worst risks of life as a human on Earth in the early to mid 21st century.

I suppose, though, that self-sufficiency is now often viewed as foolishness, selfishness, racism or inequality.

Foolish and inefficient, yes -- the others are just puzzling.

 

[houndstooth]

I don't know, Planetary, I don't recall reading anything about building bunkers, or paranoia of collapse, etc in either woodsroad's posts, or anyone else's.
There are other reasons people may enjoy learning about wilderness survival skills, and other largely lost skills related to self sufficiency rather than paranoia, or doomsday prepper tendencies.
As for "investing one's energy and resources in learning…," I think it's a far more rewarding way to spend one's time and energy than, say, watching TV, for example. This coming from someone who makes a living off of working on TV shows and movies.

 

[woodsroad]

But I leave it to you to determine if investing one's energy and resources in learning bootstrap survival skills and building bunkers is most efficient.

Efficiency is often the hallmark of the foolish. What appears to be economic one day may well be exceedingly expensive, both financially and physically, the next. Possessing the skills and materials to be primarily self-sufficient as the world around you goes to Hades in a carry-on bag may be costly at the outset, but will be priceless if needed. Either way, it is as good a hobby as any.

I would also note that doing these things may not relieve you of the worst risks of life as a human on Earth in the early to mid 21st century.

Well, don't come knocking on my bunker door when the balloon goes up, Bub. I've got 300 pounds of 'baccy, 20 years of SOF back issues, 4 pairs of camo jammies, and I know how to make surface-to-surface missile-guidance systems out of a turntable and an AMC Matador. And I'm not sharing.

Foolish and inefficient, yes -- the others are just puzzling

Then they will, to you, remain as such.
Now, excuse me, I have to re-attach the ground wire to my tin-foil beanie. The black helicopters are back again.

 

[misterlowercase]

I'm glad Oscar Wilde was mentioned,

although clever wit has been displayed in this thread, it's often a "lost art".
For the most part, I find the act of chasing some phantom archetype of masculinity to be a hollow exercise.
It's often an amusing peacock dance, like how Vladimir Putin does it,

and actually the iconoclastic actions of Pussy Riot may have out-balled him!

LOL
God is not dead,

but Nietzsche is.

 

[nsfisher]

If one has to list the things that make him a Man, you may as well go put on your Wifes' dress

 

[houndstooth]

This is an interesting thread. It has clearly touched a nerve for some.

 

[winton]

I tried woodworking without power tools. Too slow, hard, inexact. Etc. Thank God for my chainsaw, bandsaw, lathes, power sanders, buffing equipment, etc. I admire the work the old craftsmen did, but I am so glad I don't have to do it.
Winton

 

[houndstooth]

winton, that reminds me of a video a woodworking buddy of mine sent me a while back. This is a seriously tedious task, but very cool to see how it's done.
www.youtube.com/embed/cBMcMGBhUVk
As for woodworking without tools, the Japanese are wizards at joinery all done by hand. It's slow and hard, but they are pretty exacting!
*edit* Can't figure out how to imbed the video, but that should be the address.

 

[scrapyardape]

 

[blueeyedogre]

Manly isn't about the clothes you wear or how you style your hair.... Manly is a frame of mind. Stand up for your beliefs, show respect for the beliefs of others, respect your elders, love your woman. Simple acts and deeds that have in many ways lost their meaning. In the old days you fixed what was broken because replacing it took to long, that isn't so anymore in today's global system. A lot of "manly deeds" have gone by the wayside just cause better systems are available now. Being "manly" should be about why you do the things you do and the reasons behind it, not the manor in which it is done. John Wayne and Steve McQueen were who they were by deeds, not by how they shaved or the clothes they wore. That's just my opinion anyway.

 

[woodsroad]

blueeyedogre, the most important component of "fixing things" is understanding how things work. Before you can understand how things work, you need to have a basic curiosity about the world around you, and a firm grip on where you fit in, in the grand scheme of things.
THAT is manly.

 

[jeff59]

Wow - I didn't realize that this post would get this variety of responses. I maybe should have just said "lost arts". But thanks to everyone for the input.

 

[blueeyedogre]

Woodsroad- my dad always said "if your gonna use a machine, you should know how it works." I guess I took it for grated that most people did that.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Whittling! You don't see guys doing it much. Setting out on the porch, pipe in mouth, just a man, his imagination, his pocketknife, carving up a nice spoon or representation of a gnome or whatnot.

 

[oldtoby]

Pugilism in a fair and exacting manner.

 

[foggymountain]

Bashing the wife over the head with a club and buying sex for $2.

 

[mso489]

This is apparently just my lonely problem, but I bought into the etiquette of hats worn by men, from

my childhood and my time in the military. Men look loutish sitting in a restaurant in their hats, and worse

still if the hats are conspicuous like stetsons or Greek fishing caps. In the military, you only salute with

your hat on. The long progression of presidents who salute getting off their helicopter uncovered (without

a hat) just emphasizes that most of them were never in the military to know the difference. Likewise, you take

your hat off during outdoor services in a cemetery, at least at significant moments (if you have to wear the

hat otherwise to keep the rain or snow off). I help my wife into her chair in a restaurant, and people nearly

swoon. You would think I was kneeling to kiss her hand. But those guys in the hats in the restaurants really

don't know any better. The last several generations don't have a clue about this. I'm a man out of another

century, I guess.

 

[jfox520]

I open all doors for my wife. I never where a hat inside or at the table my mother made sure that it was ingrained in to me.

 

[rangerearthpig]

Over the Christmas Break, my 19 year old came home from Texas Tech. While he was home, we attended a semi-formal affair. When we were getting in my Jeep to leave, I noticed that he was sporting a bow tie. I muttered some kind of jab about wearing a clip on, and he corrected me by showing me that it was an actual bow tie which he had tied perfectly himself.
Now, I taught my sons how to tie a necktie in a Windsor and a double Windsor...but, I have no idea how to tie a stinking bow tie!
When I asked where he had learned to tie it so expertly, he introduced me to a website called TheArtOfManliness.Com. He said he has learned cigar etiquette, brushed up on his knots, and many other things there. I checked it out, and it is actually a pretty neat resource for young men. It has articles about handling your money, tying flies, skinning a deer, building a home, making a knife, etc. I gave him two thumbs up for expanding his male horizons.
Link: Everthing you need to know about testosterone.

 

[sablebrush52]

Just took a gander at this thread after a week. Very interesting and lively exchange. So let's see...

I whistle, wear a hat, can do both rough and fine carpentry and hand joinery, grow vegetables and tend an orchard. I can fix just about any appliance (though I'm mortally helpless with cars, except for changing tires) wire a house, paint, tie my shoes, and tie a necktie. I treat others with respect, certainly treat my fianceé with both respect and love, keep my trap shut when beneficial, and can canoe, fish, and build a shelter, amongst other apparently manly endeavors. I had no idea.

That said, I've also lost some of my manliness. It's been at least 30 years since I last broke a pool cue over someone's skull in a barroom fight. Nowadays I'm more likely to use one to shoot pool. Badly.

And while I was trained in the proper use of firearms as a kid, I would probably blow my foot off today. Oh, and I'm an absolutely wretched horseman.