Men Without Chests

[Bengel]

It also amazes me that he passed himself off as a Christian while fully out in the open wrote strictly using a pagan hierarchy, most times using the pagan names in his books, even pagan stories, yet all the while calling it Christianity. I've always seen CS Lewis as the ultimate con job. But, I've always loved the stories.

Some more in this vein

C. S. Lewis on pagan philosophy as a road to Christian faith

In our last post from the “tradition chapter” draft of my forthcoming Medieval Wisdom: An Exploration with C S Lewis, we saw that Lewis and the medievals shared a deep appreciation for…

gratefultothedead.com

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Some more in this vein

C. S. Lewis on pagan philosophy as a road to Christian faith

In our last post from the “tradition chapter” draft of my forthcoming Medieval Wisdom: An Exploration with C S Lewis, we saw that Lewis and the medievals shared a deep appreciation for…

gratefultothedead.com

I’d love to debate/discuss more along the vein of Lewis’s writings as also a fellow Christian, but that might drum up interference from others who might not appreciate our perspectives. I’m also a big fan of all things Lewis, despite my joking. But, I had a pastor who had gave us a different perspective, which was definitely thought provoking. But, this isn’t the right forum. Plus, I have to coach some kids tomorrow bright and early through a Speech and Debate Tournament.
My art also intertwines pagan ideals and Christianity, inspired a lot by Lewis, just to give a better idea of my real “feelings” on his work.

 

[brian64]

I was looking for your thoughts, as I think the subject has to do with what is going on in our streets.

Yes, but therein lies the problem. To comment seriously and adequately on that would be extremely difficult without being political. And if one has to tiptoe around the issues and avoid any straightforward and honest commentary on a subject, then it's probably better to just not discuss it, imo.

 

[Bengel]

Yes, but therein lies the problem. To comment seriously and adequately on that would be extremely difficult without being political. And if one has to tiptoe around the issues and avoid any straightforward and honest commentary on a subject, then it's probably better to just not discuss it, imo.

Yes, agreed and I am hoping the discussion can be had without going there, because I do think it is central to what we are in the midst of

 

[Country Bladesmith]

My point was that my woman, who has a very pronounced, although unmanly chest, is doing the same things I do.
Are there any character traits that are good in a man that are not good in a woman?

I know, I understood your point. As to your question, I’m not sure, I think the answer is probably “no,” but I do think men bring something different to the family dynamic. I deal with adolescents as a school teacher, and have for the last 14 years or so. Certainly not a slight against moms, God knows they do most of the work, but my point was that it’s always evident when a young man has had no strong, positive, male role models in his life. Sometimes that is overcome, and sometimes it just repeats. Just my opinion/observations.

 

[weezell]

I’m not sure a commentary on the swill that humanity has become

Statement sums it up for me. If I say anything more I be out of here... ?

 

[Chasing Embers]

 

[sablebrush52]

How about those Dodgers.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I didn't realize breast were political..

Sure they are, ones left the other right

 

[mawnansmiff]

"Sure they are, ones left the other right"

Absolutely, but that depends upon the perspective of either the 'wearer' of said breasts or the viewer of said breasts. Her 'left' is my 'right' ?

Regards,

Jay.?

 

[workman]

I know, I understood your point. As to your question, I’m not sure, I think the answer is probably “no,” but I do think men bring something different to the family dynamic. I deal with adolescents as a school teacher, and have for the last 14 years or so. Certainly not a slight against moms, God knows they do most of the work, but my point was that it’s always evident when a young man has had no strong, positive, male role models in his life. Sometimes that is overcome, and sometimes it just repeats. Just my opinion/observations.

True

 

[tbradsim1]

I agree with Cosmic and Wezz, swill undeed!

 

[Mr.Mike]

Heroism, valor, honor, those are great things, and I'll gladly embrace them when "The Hour Strikes".
Until then, I'm gonna work hard trying to keep my customers happy, change whatever diapers need to be changed, make lunch boxes for the kids, do groceries, wash clothes, hang out to dry if weather permits, change beds, clean house, repair house, change oil on cars, attend birthdays, weddings, christenings, visit parents, tend to garden etc.
My wife does very much the same, only she's pregnant some of the time too, so being a man really isn't much to brag about.

Spoken like a real man!

 

[mso489]

Some raggedy skimpy little people, perhaps without chests, emerge as the real heroes, and some robust athletic brave and handsome people falter into doing some really evil acts. So though I admire C.S., I think his grabbing grandiosity and taming it to his purposes is not altogether wise. He's like many good teachers. Sometimes he overreaches to make his point.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Some raggedy skimpy little people, perhaps without chests, emerge as the real heroes, and some robust athletic brave and handsome people falter into doing some really evil acts. So though I admire C.S., I think his grabbing grandiosity and taming it to his purposes is not altogether wise. He's like many good teachers. Sometimes he overreaches to make his point.

I took “chest” to mean integrity and a steadfastness to character, rather than a physically imposing presence. Perhaps I misinterpreted? If not, then indeed, the physical form is somewhat irrelevant compared to the metaphorical “contents“ of the chest. Again though, I’m not up on my Lewis, and I may be reading that last quote of his out of context. ?‍

 

[saltedplug]

Men with chests are certainly very proud of them, going shirtless to woo whatever ladies are nearby. But it seems to me that the OP was hoping for discussion beyond the physical, but a bare chest worth seeing remains squarely within that bias.

If we wish to discuss it as a symbol for the masculine, we confine it to so small a province as to render it meaningless.

 

[Bengel]

OP was hoping for discussion beyond the physical, but a bare chest worth seeing remains squarely within that bias.

If we wish to discuss it as a symbol for the masculine, we confine it to so small a province as to render it meaningless.

Certainly, I Think this part of the quote
“As the king governs by his executive, so Reason in man must rule the mere appetites by means of the ‘spirited element.’ The head rules the belly through the chest.”
gets at the chest being much more then masculinity, but rather heart.
perhaps the meme with the solder got us off to a wrong start, however courage certainly is a part of the heart I was hoping to discuss.
Thanks for keeping us on course? Continue, if you wish gentlemen.

 

[condorlover1]

Isn't a man with a chest called Caitlyn Jenner?

 

[olkofri]

I took “chest” to mean integrity and a steadfastness to character, rather than a physically imposing presence. Perhaps I misinterpreted? If not, then indeed, the physical form is somewhat irrelevant compared to the metaphorical “contents“ of the chest. Again though, I’m not up on my Lewis, and I may be reading that last quote of his out of context. ?‍

That's the right interpretation. The heart, which in traditional lore is the seat of emotions and of the spirit is in the chest. So yeah, that's the fountain of character.

 

[saltedplug]

The LGBTQ community reduces the traditional binary to rubble, and in the midst of this men and women continue to struggle throughout adolescence and young adulthood to define their gender identity. But the fluid thinking necessary to do so is dependent on education, and only a third of the US population has a college degree and only 13% a graduate degree, and neither success guarantees the achievement of analytical thinking had by only 15% of the world’s population.

It’s my contention that the least educated are bare chest thinkers that hold to definitions such as the biggest swinging d*ck while the highly educated have a broader palate that can include courage and compassion. To test this, if you live in a city, you only have to drive a few hours intro the countryside to encounter the primitive.

Analytical thinking keeps multiple pieces in play to discover their interrelation. Everyone is taught the traditional definitions of gender, but only those with the education and this manner of thought can broaden them with other ideas, themselves gathered from the tools of literacy, reading, writing and speaking, tools that have withered in the last generations, exemplified by the morons that hold higher office.

Nobody reads. Nobody writes. Nobody speaks. Nobody thinks. If you do prepare for the isolation of being continually misunderstood. You can go down to their level but they cannot come up.

But male gender identity has evolved beyond the halls of the medieval European kings filled with men ripping meat off the bone and with an extended arm waylaying a wench to continue the evening’s festivities. My father never changed a diaper. Today men flex into all manner of childcare. Some activities are endemic to all definitions of gender identity.