The power ... of Power and Might.

Riffing on a post over at Dr. Helen's blog (the InstaWife of Glenn Reynolds), Althouse throws out the question --

"What do you think, should men continue to produce for a society that devalues them and their work? Or, should they produce for themselves and let others pick up the slack?"

-- and lets her commenters have at the chum:

I don't understand the concept of "working for society". I mean, We give our time for community projects, Chamber of Commerce, school booster club etc. But I don't know what "working for society" means in the context of this discussion. My husband (and I) work for ourselves and our family. To create a better life, to care for each other and enjoy each other. What more should there be?"

A generation or two back (depending on quickly one breeds), the social compact of being a Man was commitment to God, country/community, family, and self. Not necessily in that order, but those were highly ranked values. What happened?

No evidence of God, so why serve that ideal on faith? Self discipline is no longer uniformly taught to men in their early 20s, who might have missed that at home, via mandatory service. Community means little where there's work incentives to pick up and go (relocate), and self isolate in your own home with amenities. Families can be disposable too, as there's nothing keeping one from getting out of a bad marital contract, or trading up for a new family. Short-term thinking reigns.

So yesterday's Man can have incentives to become just a man, looking out for number one -- himself only. No spillover benefits to society, or him for valuing highly the other three, it seems to go. Women thinking this way might refuse to procreate, (neverminding family, country, society or God), since what's in it for the self? If you think that's feminism --

"What do you think, should (wo)men continue to produce for a society that devalues them and their work? Or, should they produce for themselves and let others pick up the slack?"

-- then you probably are ok with taking the next step down the rung, thinking, "I care what society thinks about what I do? I think it's good work and meaningful and it provides for my family. That's enough."

Still somedays I wish we had more our grandfathers' understanding of the world: ie/ we more highly valued taking those small leaps for (one) man, in order to benefit mankind. Something bigger than ourselves, obtainable and buildable by Man if we corralled our time and talents.

I also think it's why when you do come across one of those throwback Manly types, people are still attracted to that kind of personality. Men and women of all ages, and I'm not talking in an animalistic way either. You just like to have him around, be around him for some reason.

Concrete results come more easily with personal recognition of that kind of societal power = Being a Man, and wanting to contribute for more than just yourself. Like with an expectant mother: carrying your own weight... and then some.