Simple. A Real Man is a Capable man.
There has been a lot of crap in the media over the last decade or two about the emasculation of the male gender, how you have to go on special retreats and pound drums, how you have to have a man cave and own guns and talk back to feminists in order to be a Real Man.
Nonsense.
A Real Man:
- is capable of seeking out knowledge and training in order to have the skills he may need in future, whether it is car repair, cabinet installation, or middle management. He learns what he needs to know on a whole range of subjects, so that he understands his friends when they talk about LeBron, his wife when she talks about Gucci, and his daughter when she talks about Rainbow Dash.
- is capable of remaking himself into an achiever - by taking the time to become physically fit, by taking the time to practice skills until he becomes proficient, by rising above self doubt and failure and trying again.
- is capable of great courage; physical, mental, moral, and spiritual. He has the courage to pull people out of a burning building, and also the courage to dress up as Papa Smurf for his daughter's party. He has the courage to withstand criticism, embarrassment, and threats to be what he wants to be, and to do the right thing. He has the faith to believe that success is possible, that good will result, and that he can make a difference. He is capable of finding this courage within himself, even if he has never looked for it.
- is capable of facing the world as it is. He organizes his life around people, rather than himself. He does not need credit or praise - his own sense of accomplishment is enough. He is immune to fashion and peer pressure; he follows his own judgement. He takes advice without bias, adapts to change without resentment, accepts responsibility without vanity. He judges people and deeds on an individual basis, and uses only verified facts in his judgement. He is patient, reserving judgement until all the facts are in.
- is capable of being whoever he needs to be, from lover to healer to warrior to father to craftsman to teacher to Good Example. He takes charity when he needs to, and is not diminished by it; he gives charity freely, and is not victimized by it.
- is capable of being civilized. He can follow orders as easily as he commands. He backs down from no challenge, whether to his skill, his reputation, or his authority. He inspires by example and leads through respect. He makes the system work, rather than trying to outwit the system. He communicates without raising his voice, expresses his opinions without profanity, relays his ideas correctly by choosing the appropriate words.
A Real Man understands:
That without Strength, nothing can be achieved.
That without Courage, Strength goes unused.
That without Knowledge, Courage cannot be properly directed.
That without Ethics, Knowledge can be misused.
That without Empathy, Ethics have no anchor to the real world.
All the REAL Real Men, fictional and non-fictional, have these qualities.
The rest are shams. Shame on them, and their twisted message.