What a Unique Idea--a strong male role model

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Unk's Troll-free Private Saloon : One Thread

MAD DADS

-- (lars@indy.net), January 18, 2002

Answers

That's the sort of thing that gives me hope for humanity.

-- Peter Errington (petere7@starpower.net), January 19, 2002.

I have a few questions about this "male role model" thing, Lars. I'm not referencing the article, necessarily, but simply life in general.

SO has a grandson that's now 3-4 years old. Every Sunday he picks him up and engages in HIS concept of "male bonding". This means that the two of them will most likely go over to Grumpy's and watch sports together. He kindof tried this on MY son, but my son was a sports flunkout and much preferred to spend his time on the computer. When it came time to actually play "catch", age and old arm injuries entered the picture, so *I* played "catch". I understand the motivation, as his daughter has no husband and too many female friends to count, but methinks it takes more than a fondness of sports to make a male a male.

I'm ALSO thinking of Tim [tool-man] Taylor. HIS concept of a male role model revolved around tools and more power. Then there's the Neanderthal concept, which demonstrates the proper use of a club/drag scenario. [just kidding]

I dunno. What role model is the best, and how does one become a strong male role model?

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), January 19, 2002.


Anita, I am old-fashioned enough to think that a positive adult male role model is important for kids, especially male kids, especially black male kids. IMO that role model would include traditional male attributes like physical strength, bravery, can-doism, responsibility and support of the family. It would not include child abuse, wife abuse or self abuse (drugs, alcholism, infidelity).

Men are important to the human condition. If they were only necessary for breeding, then nature would automatically adjust the birth rate to favor females.

IMO the biggest tragedy of black America is the absence of fathers. Too often, young black males find their role models on the streets in the form of pimps and pushers and gang bangers.

I loved "Home Improvement". I think of it as the Ozzie and Harriet of the 90s.

-- (lars@indy.net), January 19, 2002.


Absence is a male modeling disaster Lars. When the primary protector role shifts from mom to dad the male kid's understanding of protection goes beyond himself to family then widens to community. Mom's job is done in that regard. W/O responsible adult male influence boys make up their own version of how that protective instinct should manifest and it doesn't have shit to do with football.

-- Carlos (riffraff@cybertime.net), January 19, 2002.

I think my Dad was a good male roll model, expect my brothers weren't interested like I was, He could do everything Tim Taylor could and more without the stupid mentality or mistakes he made on the show. I think television and movies that portray parents in a negitive light or as idiots is harmful for kids. With Homer Simson seen by so many kids it's no wonder children cannot judge their parent's worth and learn to respect what they do for the kids. It's to the point where children think they have the right to "correct" their parents. I'm not talking about in extreme situations like the parent doing drugs etc, but in every day life.

But as long as hollywood thinks stupidity and "extreme" is the moneymaker for teens with raging horones and bad casses of stupitity, this is the kind of crap they will keep feeding them. No social morality in Hollywood the bottom line is what couldnts, even if they teach suggestable kids that shooting up their schools is the way to go. Tie this in with the music companies they won and control and choose the type of music to hype, and they have control over generation after generation, all the way down to the toys they sell little kids.

-- Cherri (jessam5@home.com), January 20, 2002.



Moderation questions? read the FAQ