Neutered Father-Figure / Teach A Man To Fish
I was fortunate to grow up in the 60s and 70s.
Divorce was less common. We had paper routes. We were in boy scouts. Our scout-leaders probably served in WWII or Korea. They taught us that it was OK to be a little hot, cold, tired, thirsty, sweaty, sore, hungry, sunburned, etc. They taught us how to take care of each other and how to clean up after ourselves. We could run a mile. Some could run 5 miles. A positive peer-pressure was in effect.
Strong male images were part of our pop-culture. We even saw ads that showed smoking on TV- a culture of taboos had not set in. Dad was the leader of the family and he would use foul language at times. So would your USMC drill instructor.
If you were big enough, Dad might show you how to use an outboard motor, fireworks, or tools like a pocket knife or axe- how to drive the pickup truck on a dirt back road, jump a car battery, clean fish, build a campfire, start and run a chain-saw, check the oil in the car, or load and fire a shotgun. We learned a “use vs. abuse” approach to handling responsibility. Dad could show his daughters too, then they would be more confident and less likely to grow up to be attracted to the guy who just got out of jail, has a suspended license, no job, lives on his mom's couch and is abusive towards women.
As time went on, pop-culture no longer supported the strong male, he was replaced by sweater wearing good listener types and women's daytime TV shows where men became deadbeat dads, cheaters, and wife abusers with gambling and drinking problems.
Women were smart so they bought "safe toys" for kids. Women had increased spending power, so ads on TV became more directed at them.
Today- males as characters on TV shows and in advertising are frequently overweight, bumbling, dopey dad types seen as fools- who are lucky to have mom and the kids around to keep them out of trouble. Network announcers are selected for their neutered father-figure personalities.
Bashing women? No, I am attracted to strong women, but strong men should not be seen as a threat.
The loss of the strong male seems to have come at the beginning of an era of increased divorce, bankruptcy, GEDs, overweight teenagers, bad credit debt, free school breakfast and lunch programs, “Have you been in an accident?” TV ads, medicated kids, homeless “tent cities”, foreclosures, the use of check cashing/payday-loan outlets, alternative high school programs, grandparents raising grand-babies, 27 year old children who have never left home, prescriptions for antidepressants, bans on the use of public school lockers and the decline of self sufficiency, independent spirit, problem solving, and self esteem.
We see increased safety warnings and dumbed-down tutorials for formerly routine activities and events like hand-washing, trick or treating, use of sunscreen, camping, fireworks, bbq grill operation, doing the dishes in your sink, summer at the beach - any activity that has the potential of being linked to thousands of weekend trips to the emergency room. Stay tuned to avoid worst-case-scenario-Y2K style episodes and experiences.
We have become a generation of followers - drones who can not think beyond warnings from TV to keep us out of trouble. "Most accidents happen within 25 miles of home"
Most of everything good or bad in life happens within 25 miles of home.
We don't have time to pause and consider the meaning of often repeated slogans.
We had more fun in childhood when there was a Dad around to put a boot up your ass if you got too far out of line. Dad would also put a boot up the ass of civic agencies, school districts, molesters, or anyone else who tried to mess with his family. Dad also supported the authorities - F' up at school- turns out to be your fault - stand by!
I am fortunate to have grown up in a different time.
