On the War Against Masculinity: Myths, Motives, and MisstepsUnderstanding the Cultural Battle and Finding a Path Forward
Once, masculinity was honoured. Not as dominance — but as discipline, virtue, and resolve. The man who rose early, bore weight without complaint, protected without reward, and lived with quiet resolve — that figure commanded respect and admiration. Today, however, that ideal is not only questioned but, in some quarters, openly dismantled. To ask whether masculinity is under attack is to walk a narrow path. Some see any defence of manhood as dangerous nostalgia — a longing for patriarchy cloaked in principle. Others believe masculinity is being systematically weakened through policy, media, and ideology. This article seeks no enemies. It seeks clarity. The Cultural Shift We are undeniably in a period of redefinition. Terms like "toxic masculinity" dominate public discourse — used by some to highlight genuinely harmful behaviours, while others worry it casts too wide a net. When every expression of strength, stoicism, or resilience risks rebuke, many men...