World War II Recruitment Analysis

In the article “Bros before Hos: The Guy Code”, by Michael Kimmel he writes about many different standards and ideals that young men must live up to, to be accepted in today’s society. The article talks about genders, at different ages sixteen to twenty six and how it is directed towards anyone that wants to know more about genders and how it can relate to masculinity and men. It was also based off of a book that he had written in the late two- thousands. According to (Kimmel) young men must live and abide, by a set of rules known as the spectacular “Guy Code”. The “Guy Code” was created to help understand why young men feel and act the way they do, and how masculinity may be perceived in their cultures. The code has been instilled into many young men around the world by their peers, family, and media at the age of four, or maybe even when a child has developed somewhat of a understanding. Being taught how to be masculine at a very young age is important to teach your child, it helps them discover who they are as a person, and who they are supposed to be perceived as, and how to find their inner virility as a young male. Kimmel also uses exemplification to help explain how the “Guy Code” is a collection of attitudes, values, and many traits that are together to help compose what it really means to be a man. The code lets us know how men are not suppose to cry, and how they are not suppose to be or act like sissies. But how men must be very

When someone is thinking of a man, what do they think? Strong? Brave? That’s what most people think; in reality that is a very false image. In “Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code,” Michael Kimmel, talks about what it means to be a man and what it takes to be a man in today’s world. Men are pressured into what they “should” be. If they don’t follow certain unwritten rules, which include: not asking for directions, not giving up, not showing fear, or any signs of emotional weakness, such as tears; they are considered less than a man, a wimp. A real man must be aggressive and brave, he must defend his territory: status, family, possessions. Men blindly follow the Guy Code, they must comply in order to be part of the pack, to fit in.

Dave Barry's 'Guys vs. Men" article is a clever and humerous way to show the degree of maturity to what it is to be a "man" and what it is to be a "guy". A man has more responsibility, maturity, and a sense of contol, who knows when to be serious and can show respect. A guy may have less responlsibilities, more fun loving, competitive in meaningless activities, a bit insensitive and is more relaxed. The role of a man is part of the identity as is the guy. Barry notices that even men in their late thirties have a side of them who are just guys. "These are middle-aged guys, suppossedly adults, and they're out there bragginig about thier performance in a stupid juvenile footrace" (406). This article reminds me of a the phrase "there's a kid inside

Kimmel claims that men face insurmountable pressure when their manhood is questioned and must do anything to prove how much of a man they are. A real man is described as someone who values power above all else, while suppressing his emotions in order to avoid ridicule from other men. According to Kimmel’s findings, the worst kind of ridicule a man can experience is being called a homosexual because of the association with femininity. In order to avoid this fate, men are peer pressured to partake in manly activities, avoid exposing weakness, and live life on the edge. The pressure men face to maintain their masculinity, can begin at a very early age. Little boys adopt their male role-models’ perspective on what it takes to be a man, which can

Since junior high, I have always been curious as to why males felt the need to carry a tough façade. This unauthentic behavior persuaded me to view the documentary, The Mask You Live In. Certainly, after watching The Mask You Live In, my curiosity in men unnecessary macho persona; was relieved. For years, I wondered, why are most males so aggressive? Why are some vulgarly forward while flirting with women? What is wrong with men? Overall, I never could grasp why most had a really challenging time fully expressing themselves. Whenever I would ask my male friends, their vague response sounded like “That is just how we are”, as if there were innately programed for emotional disconnect. Of course, their response would cease to satisfy my itching ears. However, after watching this documentary, the internalized oppression of young men was clearified. It noted that they were generally forced to suppress their feelings as young as the tender age of five, simply to gain approval from their fathers or peers. It was disheartening to see the great pressure boys experience, simply to reach the title of “being a man”. What exactly is meant by the term, ‘be a man’? Does it imply one’s ability to maintain a numbness to feminine equality or engaging in violent tendencies? The documentary addressed the question and enlightened one on the damages that such a short phrase can cause as a generational curse on manhood.

In society, ‘being a man means not being like women’ (Brod, H., & Kaufman, M. (1994). However, the definition of masculinity tends to fluctuate in value. Culture determines what it means to be male or female. It is an essentialist claim about gender: certain behaviours and personality attributes are associated to each gender and thus become what is considered ‘appropriate’. Masculinity is a social construction where the ‘foundation may be biological but the structure is manmade’ (Craig. S, 1992, p79) Nevertheless, masculinity is subject to change over time. Problems with the concept arise form issues of difference and variety. There are studies that have demonstrated historical societies and situations when masculinity is not present as a

In society today being a man means very little, as each and every man strives to find their individuality. In past generations manhood was easily defined because of a status quo. However, this concept of what our elders used to consider as being a man has been so distorted in society eyes because of many personal options that have affected our everyday life. To each man who seeks their individuality manhood has taken on complex attributes and no large groups of people believe or will stand for the same things. Therefore I believe that being a man means that I must not only have my own opinions, but also be willing to stand up for them and stand by them through thick and thin. I guess one could sum it up by saying that I am defined by my

In Guyland, Michael Kimmel chronicles the journey of young males and the issues they face while trying to exert their masculinity and prove themselves to their peers. Based on interactions among North American males between the ages of 16 and 26, Kimmel has found that at an age where young men had previously prepped for a life of work and committed relationships, they are now living in “Guyland” where they spend their time drinking, playing video games, and having immature relations with women. Kimmel explains that these young men are “frighteningly dependent on peer culture” and “desperate to prove their masculinity in the eyes of other boys.” (30) These young men live in constant fear that they will not measure up to the ideals of

After World War I came to an end, American citizens predominantly desired to maintain a laissez faire, or “hands-off”, tactic in regards to foreign politics, especially as the possibility of a second world war loomed in the air with rising tensions overseas. For the sake of the United States, Congress heavily endorsed this neutrality and isolationism, but President Theodore Roosevelt, on the other hand, wished to be engaged in global affairs. In fact, Roosevelt took an assortment of both subtle and evident actions to mobilize the nation for war, and each action caused a reaction that would affect the relationship between business and government (Berkin 638).

It's so easy a woman could do it! as this powerful World War One recruitment poster works by targeting men in an emotional appeal to influence them to join the Navy. The water colored poster has soft red and blue colors that make some words stand out against the other. Young woman dressed in the Navy uniform smiling with the captions, “Gee!! I wish I were a Man, I’d join the Navy, be a man and do it, United States Navy Recruiting Station.” created by Christy, Howard Chandler. It was advertised at the time where women could not join to encourage younger men who chose not want to join the navy. The ad draws attention because it compares a man to a woman in a very subtle way. If the woman could join the navy she would, so it makes men feel less

Overall, society constructs masculinity verbally and visually. It begins early in the adolescent stage with toy images and advertisement to appeal to boys. It defines masculinity and constructs their key role and body image. The components to influence masculinity are strongly implied by the meaning of masculinity to be strong, stern, and independent. Children’s toys carry small masculinity, but as the child ages the definition will be more

If a person where to go out on the street and ask people that they see to describe the traits that they associate with masculinity, they would likely hear terms such as strength, bravery, or any number of other power-related words; moreover, it is for this reason that sayings such as “be a man” are synonymous with taking control of a situation of facing what a person is afraid of. These concept are not, at first glance, directly dangerous to society, but, when studied more closely, these mainstream ideas of masculinity present themselves to be quite problematic due to the fact that they rely on negative aggressive actions in addition to subverting other groups of people in order to be a true masculine man. To clarify, hegemonic masculinity

In addition, Bly states that boys need to learn their masculinity from their fathers instead of mothers, or boys would become men with an incomplete psyche without wildness. In ancient Greek, societies believed that “a boy becomes a man only through ritual and effort-the “active intervention of the older men”, meaning “older men welcome the younger men into the ancient, mythologized, instinctive male world” (15). Also in American culture, “the boys have a continuing need for initiation into male spirit” proves the necessity of boys leaning their masculinity from male figures, especially from their fathers (14). All boys need a second birth from men to see their genuine being, or they may have no male face or have no face at all if they are

The term ‘masculinity’ connotes certain attributes that are associated with men. In today’s postmodern world gender theorists prefer the more fluid term ‘masculinities’ because male attributes change throughout “space and time” (Reeser 2). Discourse shows that “masculinity is a fabrication or a construct of a given historical cultural context” (ibid.).

Google defines masculinity as a possession of qualities traditionally associated with men, using, "handsome, muscled, and driven, he's a prime example of masculinity" as their example. Although this definition of masculinity is common, it is undeveloped and exclusive to other forms of masculinity. Sociologists such as Raewyn Connell, Eric Anderson and Michael Kimmel have formed their own theories and definitions of masculinity. In this course, we have read an excerpt from Eric Anderson’s, Inclusive Masculinities, Raewyn Connell’s, Masculinities and Gender; In World Perspectives, and Michael Kimmel’s book, Manhood in America; A Cultural History to answer questions about the social construction of masculinity, how it is performed, how it