The Death of Men?
A few days ago I finished reading “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt”. Put quite simply, my mouth hung open for almost the entirety of this book. I couldn’t believe that a human being like TR existed on this earth.
His work ethic was unmatched, his morals were uncompromising, and most importantly, to me, he stuck to his word. A quick example: At one point during his unbelievably accomplished career, he was appointed the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He believed that in order for a country to become a true world power, it must build a powerful Navy. He was outspoken about his uneasiness with Spain’s involvement in Cuba, and the Philippines He had a belief that war could be a good thing for a country. That, and his MO of “Speak softly and carry a big stick”, made people feel he was a war monger. Not surprisingly, people expressed their disapproval, especially since it wasn’t going to be him fighting. However, his promise was to “abandon everything and go to the front” in the event of war.
Long story short, when President McKinley declared war, Roosevelt immediately resigned from his post as Assistant Naval Secretary, and enlisted in the Army. He wrote in his journal, “I have always intended to act up to my preachings if occasion arose. Now the occasion has arisen, and I ought to meet it.” Roosevelt Rough Riders were born.
I mean, that’s a man! I can’t think of another situation, personal or otherwise, where someone has so adamantly lived up to the words they spoke. And that got me asking myself, “Are real men becoming a thing of the past?”
There are so many men given extraordinary opportunities in our society today, and rarely are they living up to the responsibility. They have the chance to set examples, and standards for people to live by, and so many of them fail.
Loyal, honest, hardworking, put your head down and get results type men are so few and far between these days I think it’s a legitimate cause for concern. It’s creating a mediocre society filled with people who hide behind excuses rather than live up to their obligations. I don’t need/want to mention examples, you know who some of the people I’m talking about are.
I’m issuing a challenge to the men who read this post. Lets be the ones who set the example. Lets do the extreme opposite of male role models we see today. Don’t lie, ever. Be brutally honest. If you commit to something, stick to your word. I don’t need to list a set of values for you to live by. You know what’s right, stand up in defense of it by setting the example. Let’s be real men! Who’s with me?
