So I have to define a few of my terms here. Most articles, books, and essays about masculinity and the west have to do with the lack of it. Meaning that the problem they find with “Western” masculinity is simply the fact that it’s non-existent, but I want to go a little further than that here. Many people think if we just went to back to some “golden age” things would be better. They say if men just the way they were in say the “50’s” then it’d all be good. And while there certainly has been a digression through the years I don’t think that’s the solution.
While I whole heartedly agree that there is a lack of masculinity and that fixing this is a big problem the problems plaguing men in the modern world go beyond that. For example take the earlier times in Western civilization. While masculinity was certainly higher and more pronounced there was still some ideals contained within that idea of masculinity that have led to destroying that very masculinity. Let me explain. One backwards notion that a lot of western masculinists, for lack of a better term, is this obsession with “individualism” which has hampered men since the inception of the myth.
While one should certainly strive to be independent, strong, and not be a burden, the fact of the matter is humans, including men, are in no way, shape, or form designed to be individuals living out their exitance on a self-sufficient island. That just doesn’t exist. Humans are first and foremost, tribal, communal creatures. We live in reference to others. Without others we don’t have definition or purpose. We’re just a drifting atom completely at the mercy of fate and the forces around us.
Humans & The Wolfpack
Canines are not meant to be alone. I think we all get this to some extent. Wolves and their descendants thrive and survive in packs. When a wolf is alone, he is not a badass, but rather something is probably wrong with him. And even if not he is one hundred times more vulnerable than one in a pack.
The weakest pack is stronger than the greatest individual.
Humans are not much different than wolves in this regard. We are not “strong and independent” where that’s the career feminist or the “manly” survivalist guy. None of us are. We are all connected and defined by our social and communal ties. Men are only strong in groups, ironically there can only be any sort of independence when one is within a group, a strong group preferably. Independence is a fever dream of a crazed mind.
Now with that being said, being part of a community does not mean being weak, slovenly, and dumb. If anything the opposite. Who wants someone weak, slovenly, or dumb to be part of their pack? No one, that’s who. The lone cowboy gets torn to shreds by the weakest war band. Yet so many men strive to be these islands without any connections. They forge “bonds” online but don’t know who their neighbors are, have no part to play in their community, in the world around them. And this myth has been around for awhile.
Even before the “enlightenment” the Western mind has been infected with this idea of “individualism” when taken to its natural conclusion leads to the world we see around us. Again this doesn’t mean that you have to move in lockstep with the group around you or that you shouldn’t strive to be independent as possible, or anything of that nature. Independence how many understand it, is in fact a very good thing. But seeing “independence” as the ultimate goal is foolhardy and leads one nowhere.
To Whom Do You Belong?
What is your tribe? Is there anyone or anything that you’d fight for? That you’d like to see grow stronger, be better? A family, especially sons and daughters, are natural for this but is there more than that? We live in a world that is obsessed with destroying community and there’s a good reason for that. With the destruction of community there is nothing to stop those with power from doing what they will with people. Lone wolves are easier to exploit and control, whereas in the pack the wolf has danger and is to be feared. Major corporation want you to be an individual so they can sell whatever filth they want and remove all obstacles to profit. Governments want you to be an individual so they have ultimate say about how you’re allowed to be and perform with no interference from the pack.
Individualism is the greatest tool for those that want to control you. Why do you think there’s so much obsession with things such as diversity? Now let me say this, diversity is not a bad thing, but they’re not obsessed with it because of its benefits. Community and diversity exist on a spectrum. The more diversity you have the less community. Now at first that might sound bad but let me explain. Humans look for commonalities to join together. Commonalities of race, nationality, goals, ideologies, religions, geographical locations, and much more. Diversity by its definition means people who differ in these respects. Healthy societies balance community and diversity.
Too much community and things become insular and never grow or evolve. Too much diversity and no one joins together and you have no community but a bunch of rootless individuals. Again I’m not saying diversity equals bad and community equals good as many would. Diversity and community are both goods when balanced in the right proportions. Just don’t think it’s pushed for the benefits of it. But circling back, who is your tribe, do you even have one?
Or are you an atomized individual slave to whatever current comes your way (the American dream?). Only you know and only you know what should be done about it. The biggest thing I want you to understand is that men were not meant to live alone. We were meant to live in packs, groups, gangs, tribes, and communities. To do otherwise is foolishness. And again not to be part of these things to cover weakness within ourselves. While being part of a community we must work to iron our all weaknesses that we can and become a valued part of the pack, not something that drags it down.
Strengthen Yourself But To Join The Pack
This is also sort of where self-development finds its end. I’ve seen so many that are doing so much right. They’re working out, free from the numbing agents such as tobacco, porn, alcohol, gambling, and the like, they’re reading, saving money, learning, growing, and do so much right, and yet they feel like they’re missing something or they sit there and wonder “Hey, what’s this all for?” or “What’s the point of it?” and to answer those questions in a sentence it’d be to “Lead your tribe to greatness.” now granted that mean many different things to many different people. So you have to figure out what that means for you.
And seek to bring that about. Find a community that fits you and works for you. It could be a farm, a local religious group, opening your own gym, or a million other things. Remember that after a certain number of people community begins to fade. Look to find a smaller group where you can make a difference and have an impact. Seek where you’re needed and where you want to go, all while working on yourself in the process.
If anything I said here interests you I’d highly recommend you check out The Ultimate Alpha Collection which is a compilation of 16 of my books for the price of 5. It covers everything from being a man to making money to getting the right mindset to getting girls to fighting and more and is a resource no man should be without. Pick up your copy today!
-Charles Sledge
