There may well be an excessive form of masculinity that is toxic, just as there may be an excessive form of femininity that is toxic. Generally we should try to moderate excesses.

But a fair amount of criticism lately has denigrated everything associated with masculinity as toxic - even logic, reason, and mathematics have been denounced as "patriarchy". The same people have essentially declared open season on boys. That is clearly going much too far.

And Stoicism is often misunderstood. Stoicism is not just "ignoring pain". Stoicism is about focusing on what is possible instead of worrying about the impossible. In fact, properly understood Stoicism and Epicureanism have a great deal in common - it is chiefly where the emphasis is placed that is different. Two different perspectives on the same problem.

Having talked to men around the world, especially in cultures that are often decried as "macho", I think it is important to recognize that a desire to nurture children, albeit in a slightly different way than women do, is very much a part of masculinity.




Baldur