In my video chat with my friends (a bunch of dudes in mid 20s to early 30s) this week, a friend show off his collection of books he read over the past year. A total of 31 books from scifi novels, literary classics, political theory, outdoors/nature books, and car maintenance. Which got use discussing how we'd all probably "should" (I mean this in the least reactionary way possible) read more. We then started discussing other things we all "should" and things we all "should" know as men. Then we all kinda circled back to so much of the "man-o-sphere" is like half a step away from some real regressive and slimeball mindsets across the spectrum. Then we on to our evening gaming session (we are getting back into RTS and played 2v2 sets of Dawn of War, we are all very bad at the game).
However, it got me thinking that there is probably some value in me knowing how fix the sink or whatever. One friend mentioned he'd love to learn and do more, but everything is so cheap so much is meant to be replaced, it doesn't make sense to learn how to maintain them. Personally I find the idea of self-sufficiency (in the least "rugged man/classical masculinity" online cosplay-y way possible) to be dope, but I find that trying to learn that sort of stuff brings you into proximity of lots of nasty ideology.
Personally I think it's rad a working-class guy like my friend has time to be so well-read and manages to find time for "bettering" (again, I find this wordage to be a bit lib-y in the sense it's often used to make oneself more marketable or whatever) himself without falling into a "12 Rules For Life" sorta trap. I'd love to improve my "manliness" but would like to do so without all the toxicity of the antiquated archetypical stuff.
Sorry this doesn't make a ton of sense. Typing on my lunch break. My question, I guess, is what are some "traditional" values you think are worth "returning to" without the gross underlying traits that make them quickly turn conservative nonsense.
I don't understand so many people are saying no to this really. maybe it's the disconnect between traditional and conservative, but I think it's clear what you meant
just because awful people leverage these things for their awful ends didn't mean they are awful things
i think it's good to have ritual - private ritual is good but communal ritual would be better. it's good to eat together, at a really long table ideally. it's good to respect your elders in the truest sense
I think the idea that we have a duty to ourselves and to each other is really important
i think a drive for self improvement, to be as capable as possible in as many situations as possible, is a really worthwhile thing to instill in people
Me too, I don' t want to self-improve to be a better subject, more "hirable", or anything like that. I want to self-improve to be a better person, and in that betterment help others to do the same for whatever reasons they choose. I think self-improvement (in whichever way one defines it) is key to self-actualization so long as it doesn't come at the expense of others ability to do the same.