Welcome to On Being a Silverback

Welcome to the Gorilla-Pit blog, On Being a Silverback. Obviously this blog is intended for men; both young and old. Why am I writing it though? I recently came across another blog about manliness and it sparked an idea. Although the blog was entertaining and well written, I had some philosophical issues with some of its content. I see, on a regular basis, the very nature of being manly, being derided, stereotyped and almost in all ways, turned into a negative 'thing'.

Why is it that being truly manly, (this means having body hair, physical size, a desire for strength, meat, sex and power) has been turned into something totally negative? Why are men (and I use this term loosely) shaving their bodies down like women, worried more about their hair and outfits then their usefulness in the real world? I didn't realize learning the exact amount of hair gell to use had an evolutionary advantage. The idea of the hunter gatherer has faded almost out of existence.

I recently posted a rant on facebook on this very topic. A recent trip to the mall to get a birthday present for someone had me people watching and thinking more than usual. I happened to be stuck outside of 'Abercrombie & Fitch' waiting for my wife to come out of another store. For the first time I actually looked up and was watching the people that came in and out of this store. The reek of too much cologne and larger than life posters of 'men'....more like shaved down, trimmed down, tanned down Androgynous THINGS.

I was disgusted with the traffic coming in and out of this store. Boys in skin tight low rise jeans, all with the dirty flop haircut, scarfs, one brown leather wrist band and a shirt too short and/or tight to actually tuck in. They looked like clones marching right out of the production line. Many of them had a 'man purse' over shoulder, long pointed and useless shoes and it honestly felt and looked life a bunch of women coming out of Victoria's secret, cackling, giggling and skipping away like happy little girls.

This got me thinking about how men are portrayed in movies, commercials and society in general. Gen X and GenY are two generations raised by single mothers. Manhood traditions, manners, actions and skills have not been passed down to us and many of us, are not around for the children that we helped create to teach them what being a man really means.

Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Charles Bronson, Arnold and other real heroes of ages past that portrayed real manliness have been replaced with The Bachelor, Brett Michael's Rock of Love, the American Eagle male models and more fem, metrosexuals who couldn't last a day without their Axe Body Spray, cell phones or shaving their legs(?).

Men who hunt, fish or drive a pick-up are mocked, portrayed as dumb hillbillies with no education and socially derided by the over population of men who truly need a tampon and a purse. We have been convinced that owning a firearm is evil or stupid. We should give up our rights and allow the government to take care of us (which really means control us) and we should just go get a pedicure with the wife.

This blog will be a series of short do's and don'ts on my take on what manliness really should be. Honor, respect, bravery, loyalty (and yes, to your woman as well). We will talk about politics, religion, sex, money and other things that 'we shouldn't'. I hope this blog helps men feel like it is ok to be men again.

Yes guys, it is ok to be protective of your wife, it is ok to feel angry and even EXPRESS that anger. No, fighting is not being a neanderthal and yes it can even be a healthy expression of manhood. But let's not forget other important parts of being a man, like chivalry, education/knowledge and being selfless for those we are charged with protecting. I hope to see you back here in the future! Please join this blog and help it grow!