Rough Draft One crisis of masculinity is the perceived to threat of masculinity that seems to have taken place mostly beginning in the middle of last century. As noted by Dave Hill in a recent survey explains that the changes in the cultural understanding of what it is to be a man, and of what masculinity is, “Never again will masculinity be as containable or as easy to describe in false terms as it has been during the last 150 years” (Buchbinder 3). In other words, never again will masculinity be defined in false context as it has been for the past century as the materiality of the future will see young men having more flexibility in the masculinity they assign to themselves. One example is the many changes and revolutions today that put women at income levels that are equal with and in many cases outstrip those of males in the same age group. Thus, the result is that males feel generally sidelined by that the traditional definitions of what masculinity means especially dominance in financial aspects, family matters and other areas of life. Also, with the rise of the second feminism wave and the civil rights movement society no longer allows for any unequal treatment of members in the society. The current generation of men feels as if women are receiving much better treatment than men. In my opinion, one of the major crises of masculinity that faces the modern contemporary modern society of today is the growing negative sentiment among tough men of today. Nowadays, social phenomenon is known as the soft male has emerged.Robert Bly in proposing his soft male phenomenon theory explains “Sometimes even today when I look out at an audience, perhaps half the young males are what I'd call soft. They 're lovely, valuable people...they're not interested in harming the earth or starting wars”(Buchbinder 9). The soft male phenomenon refers to Robert Bly implies a scenario where the western world has lost the essence of the deep masculine attributes. By this he states that men have lost their traditional way of continuity thus the previously set rites of passage which ushered men into adulthood no longer exist. The result is a generation of men who cannot fulfill their traditional duties and responsibilities in the family. A case in point is the effect of the industrial revolution on the family setup. As the factories came about men had to leave their families and go look for work for prolonged periods. This created a break in traditions in which men were absent thus were unable to play their roles in upbringing their male children in the customs of the traditional male roles. The idea though having some basis in fact should take into account that women are no longer are restricted to home making duties as was in the past instead women today earn a living with men thus creating a crisis in defining the masculinity on the idea of a provider. From his book Studying Men and Masculinities, David Buchbinder points out, “Ideology is often misunderstoo ...

1. Rough Draft
One crisis of masculinity is the perceived to threat of
masculinity that seems to have taken place mostly beginning in
the middle of last century. As noted by Dave Hill in a recent
survey explains that the changes in the cultural understanding of
what it is to be a man, and of what masculinity is, “Never again
will masculinity be as containable or as easy to describe in false
terms as it has been during the last 150 years” (Buchbinder 3).
In other words, never again will masculinity be defined in false
context as it has been for the past century as the materiality of
the future will see young men having more flexibility in the
masculinity they assign to themselves. One example is the many
changes and revolutions today that put women at income levels
that are equal with and in many cases outstrip those of males in
the same age group. Thus, the result is that males feel generally
sidelined by that the traditional definitions of what masculinity
means especially dominance in financial aspects, family matters
and other areas of life. Also, with the rise of the second
feminism wave and the civil rights movement society no longer
allows for any unequal treatment of members in the society. The
current generation of men feels as if women are receiving much
better treatment than men. In my opinion, one of the major
crises of masculinity that faces the modern contemporary
modern society of today is the growing negative sentiment
among tough men of today.
Nowadays, social phenomenon is known as the soft male
has emerged.Robert Bly in proposing his soft male phenomenon
theory explains “Sometimes even today when I look out at an
audience, perhaps half the young males are what I'd call soft.
They 're lovely, valuable people...they're not interested in
harming the earth or starting wars”(Buchbinder 9). The soft

2. male phenomenon refers to Robert Bly implies a scenario where
the western world has lost the essence of the deep masculine
attributes. By this he states that men have lost their traditional
way of continuity thus the previously set rites of passage which
ushered men into adulthood no longer exist. The result is a
generation of men who cannot fulfill their traditional duties and
responsibilities in the family. A case in point is the effect of the
industrial revolution on the family setup. As the factories came
about men had to leave their families and go look for work for
prolonged periods. This created a break in traditions in which
men were absent thus were unable to play their roles in
upbringing their male children in the customs of the traditional
male roles. The idea though having some basis in fact should
take into account that women are no longer are restricted to
home making duties as was in the past instead women today
earn a living with men thus creating a crisis in defining the
masculinity on the idea of a provider.
From his book Studying Men and Masculinities, David
Buchbinder points out, “Ideology is often misunderstood as
signifying a system of belief that is outmoded, clumsy, or
different from or opposed to one's own set of
beliefs”(Buchbinder 34). Ideology is often misinterpreted to
mean an a set of beliefs and traditions that are backward, but in
reality it is the essence or context from which every member of
the society formulates their convictions and governs the
conditions of their existence and relationships. These
misinterpretations mostly refer to the alternative to the societal
definition of gender in the society and the roles expected of
each gender. The ideology that the society subscribes to forms
the basis of the reaction people will have. This in regards to
masculinity is perspective to the current reactions of the
equality revolution that is ever more becoming accepted in what
is supposed to be a male patriarchal society. However it seems
to have women take over what were initially assumed to be
traditional male roles. An example would the reactions which
are expressed in David Fincher's movie Fight Club which puts

3. the blame on the issue of absentee fathers who brought failed to
provide direction in traditional masculinity what is for the
juvenile males. Hence, Buchbinder also states,"the implication
here is that an earlier generation of men failed in their
responsibilities towards their sons, who therefore perforce grew
up in the care of women"(Buchbinder 2).
In concluding it becomes apparent that the men are facing
a crisis with what is masculinity. Men have lost their traditional
way of continuity. The result is a generation of men who cannot
fulfill their traditional duties and responsibilities in the family.
Also, due to sons grow up with absent fathers, mother replaces
father's status.
Works Cited
Buchbinder, David The end of masculinity, Thinking (through)
gender, Study Men and Masculinities, Rutledge. 2013
Bly,R. Iron John: a book about men, Shaftesbury, Dorset and
Rockport, MA: Element. 1991
Hill, D. The Future of Men, London: Phoenix 1997
Fight Club. directed by D. Fincher, USA, Twentieth Century
Fox Film Corporation. 1991