Modern Fathers?
by Kevin McCullough

A recent French study makes the claim that the traditional man is passé.

The managing director of the group who conducted the study proclaimed, "The masculine ideal is being completely modified. All the traditional male values of authority, virility, and strength are being completely overturned.”

A French news agency went on to site in its report of the study that the traditional man is gone, and in his place is the "21st century man who no longer wants to be the family super-hero... but instead has the guts to be himself, and test his own limits."

How was the man to test his limits and find himself? By wearing pink floral shirts and swapping sex partners at a singer's club.

The survey was conducted by so-called sociologists who studied men ages 20-35 in Europe, the United States, and China. China was the only place the "traditional man" held up. The experts proclaimed that in Europe and America that a new species is emerging and "apparently unafraid of anything". The only problem is they are afraid of those things that are most important.

Only in the atmosphere of the university and research studies could someone possibly come to the conclusion that society will emerge strengthened, more whole, and better off because men pursued gazing into their navels as opposed to slaying the dragon during the day, kissing their wife at night, rolling around on the floor with the kids, paying the bills, going to church, and being men of character for their sons to look up to.

These are the responsibilities that scare modern man. Indeed, the problems most families face today often stem from a father who is absent--either literally or emotionally.  Young men are growing up in the aftermath of a modern feminist movement that taught both genders to take on the traits of the opposite sex -- but neither turned out better as a result.

This is why we end up with overly aggressive women attempting to live life--not equal to men--but rather just like them. In the politically correct days in which we live we defy our biology to inflame the belief that men and women are the same--not just equal but the same. Yet, what our minds deny our anatomy knows.

How can more feminized men lead to more healthy families? Little boys need male mentors that model, character, integrity, honesty, discipline, and excellence.  What can masculine women teach to little girls about beauty, nurturing, compassion, and tenderness? Does the world need less of these characteristics?

But now we have it in writing -- we must overturn traditional male values. And in their place we will teach the men to "live for their feelings". After all, isn't life all about me? Isn't it always about me? What I want? What I think I deserve?

Where are the models of sacrifice, of disciplining my desires for the good of family, children, and wife? Scared away!

As someone who now lives at a greater distance than I would life from my twenty-something son, there is not a day that goes by where I don't spend considerable thought about the decisions I make and what impact they will make on him and his impression of me.

Abandoning self-interest to become the family super-hero is something that a healthy society should not only accept but strongly encourage.

Healthy masculinity may be all but lost in the modern world but it is more likely there still is enough testosterone left to take it back. All it takes is manly courage. Flowered shirt wearing sex partner swappers need not apply!

Kevin McCullough is heard daily in New York City, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware  on AM 570 WMCA and AM 970 WWDJ from 1-4pm. Adding stations in Chicago, Boston, and 16 more markets soon. Write KMC at kmc@wmca.com. Read KMC daily on his web-log at http://kmc.crosswalk.com.

Email the Editor