Ten years ago, when I used to blog on a different platform that no longer exists, I started a bi-weekly editorial I called Stud or Dud. The purpose of it was to have fun taking a look at male video game characters and explain whether or not they were manly or just a phony. I didn’t get to do too many as real life cut into my blogging time. However, even though time is still at a premium, I feel that this kind of feature is needed now more than ever.
While ten years isn’t a long time in the grand scheme of things, it feels like a lifetime ago. Ten years ago I didn’t think I would have to explain what a man was. But now it seems that certain elements in today’s culture need reminding. Third wave feminism, celebrities, leftists, and politicians seem to forget what men are, what men have done and will still do to move this world forward. This is a tongue-in-cheek feature that I did which now feels like it is more relevant now than any other time.
Which is insane to think about.
Just in the past few years, the idea of a traditional man has been under barrage from, as stated before, people on the left of the political spectrum, Hollywood, third wave feminism, and other vocal actors that says being a man is toxic, misogynistic, and is conducive to a culture of sexual assault and rape. However, that is far from the truth and we see this coming to light in areas where traditional men are not present in large numbers or at all (a topic to discuss in another post).
We could discuss the origins of this hatred towards traditional men or the theories as to why certain work cultures are toxic to women. But that is not the purpose of this post or feature. Stud or Dud is going to be an attempt to highlight some of the more popular male characters in video games, anime, books, comic books, manga, movies, and television to determine whether or not these are positive portrayals of what it is to be a man. To determine whether or not these are examples that boys and young men should be influenced by.
It will be a way to open up the floor for discussion as to what makes a man a man and, hopefully, fight back against a culture that has focused on tarnishing the idea of the traditional man. But hopefully done in a fun way!
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