What Does It Mean To Be A Silverback

This is a question that many have asked, many have argued and many still have no clue. What does it mean to epitomize manhood? What is being an alpha male? As I mentioned in the intro blog, manliness is being quickly and effectively squelched by a society that wants to tame us down and stick us into a politically correct, sensitive mold; basically make us effeminate. Like the cover of women's magazines, subliminally hinting at how a woman should look, all of 25lbs of skin barely clinging to a week skeletal frame, mass media has redefined what a man should look like.

Body hair? Real beards? God forbid! We live in the age of shave it down, trim it up and get a nice tan so that we look as androgynous and non threatening as possible. Men more resemble women in our current trend than anything else. There is obviously a reason why as well. The design we have evolved from is dwindling do to large corporate jobs and days sitting in front of a computer instead of days out in the forest.

Hands are softening as are minds, skills and abilities once unique to manhood. The protector roll, our last vestige of hope is being taken away as well in the "I am woman hear me roar" age. Don't hold that door open, don't carry those grocery bags or pick up that heavy object because "I can do it myself" is sure to quickly and harshly follow your attempt to help.

So that leaves the question, what is a man? Are we still hunters? Protectors? Gatherers and fixers? Are you being yelled at for "trying to fix" every problem? Being told "you don't listen you just try and fix things"? The problem is guys, fixing is in your nature, as is aggression, the desire to hunt and kill, the desire to protect and growl and pound your chest. It is part of your evolutionary nature and NO we are not evolving into something "higher". Evolution does not go towards a certain outcome as is often mistakenly stated. Evolution is based on the environment and an ability to survive.

Now I see what is coming from many a reader..."well maybe we are evolving into metrosexual men based on our environment"....in part I would say this is correct. Adaptation is a key to survival and from all appearances, men are dying out and being replaced by the androgynous she male that waxes his balls and shaves his chest. But what about the real men who are left and being ignored or closeted off into a box that is quietly being covered with a "do not open" sign?

The problem is, we have allowed this. We have become soft, complacent, malleable like mud. Being a man means fighting for what you believe in, not waving a sign that says, "Please Don't." Change is created through action and we have FAILED TO ACT. So we are losing ourselves. We sit on the sidelines watching change happen but not having the strength of our convictions to affect change ourselves. Being a silverback is about having the strength to affect change. Having the WILL to stand up, create and push forward with a desire and a need.

If this seems like too much for you, you can always wax your balls, shave your chest, get some great highlights in your hair and go shop at Ambercrombie....