I have started writing this entry two or three times now. But I have not been able to devise a coherent line of thought on the subject matter. Finally I have made the editorial decision to go forward with the entry even with it's chaotic reasoning.
The subject matter at hand is a question I have been asked many times over the last few years by my female friends. Sometimes it's asked jokingly in a throw-away comment. Sometimes it's a phone call at 2am accompanied by tears. But over and over it's asked.
"What is wrong with men?"
I am not sure what makes me qualified to answer such a question. Sure, I have the correct plumbing and all, but a spokesman for the male gender? The first thing is, I tend to have a lot of female friends. Not more female than male but my best friends are female. Why? I don't know, but I just think females are incredible and yes, superior mentally to males. Women are beautiful and soft and smell good and endlessly interesting and I develope new "crushes" on women every day. Now I have wisely settled on one female to hold superiority in my life, but that does not lessen my affection (but of course limits it to acceptable means!) for the females in my life. Myself, I am something of an abberation. I love to cook, enjoy flowers and the arts, and can talk endlessly about well, about anything. Very in touch with my female side, as it were. Now don't think me less than a manly man (not that there is anything wrong with it..)as I also have a very jockish side to me and I personally cringe when men cry and think that yes, John Wayne is a good role model. And I lust for half the women on TV and in the movies.
So my resume'thus explained and my ability to answer the question disclaimed, I move to the question at hand.
First the soccer theory. This I often give to my female friends in person over a frosty beer or seven. That is that the current crop of men are exactly what you females have done to yourselves. Namely, the last three decades of men bashing. On the way to women's rights and some very proper issues, women have also seen fit to demonize all things male. We don't know any longer what you want! When you hold a door open for a female you don't know whether you're going to get a thank you or a crushing kick in the balls. As a result unless the woman is over 50, we generally just don't hold the door open. This confusion trickles down into all of society and the end result is that us guys end up scratching our head and wondering what the boundaries of accepted behavior are. Look at the training we do. Boys are no longer allowed to be boys and play with toy guns or anything violent. They don't play football or baseball. No, they play the Soccer (the dreaded third-world game of apathy) where all the kids play, wearing mattresses wrapped around them,lest they get hurt and everyone plays and hell they don't even keep score anymore. No male dominant behavior is allowed. No males are able to be the "king of the hill" in a game. Then my friends, that's how you get the 25 year old guy who mumbles and just sits on a couch staring straight ahead at TV. They have no training at being men.
I'm not saying that all the old-fashioned roles are correct. In fact, I believe housework (except for the bathroom cleaning maybe..heh) and raising kids should be a 50-50 prop between males and females. But I also believe that little boys should be allowed to be little boys and little girls, little girls.
Now that theory sounds kind of rational doesn't it? Why if you and I discussed this over a beer with all the charm and humor I certainly convey in person (ok, but humor me anyway) you'd nod in approval and likely see the merit of my argument. Yet...
In light of the current war what utter bullshit it is. The reports and interviews and footage show not only bravery and skill but humanity and great examples of character with our troops. They seem to almost have a higher purpose than those who've fought before. Thousands upon thousands now serving are perfect examples of what men (and women too) should be. Surely this generation is rising to the occassion. I could not be prouder to be an American as I see them.
So what's wrong with men these days? You know, your grandmothers probably asked the same question and their grandmothers before them. Cavewomen likely drew on cave walls crude images of men being morons.
So the question is one the Judy Jetson's of the next century will surely still be asking. And the fact that there is then apparently no real answer will not stop the likes of me from producing imaginitive speculation. I guess it's just rhetorical then really.