What and If Masculinity?

Delving into the realm of masculinity, I am inclined to initiate an inquiry into the fundamental essence upon which this term is predicated. What precisely encapsulates the multifaceted construct of masculinity which I as a straight heterosexual man could never understand and now would be bonded to different labels merely due to my epistemological negation of it.

Furthermore, an intriguing quandary emerges: in contemplating the existence of masculinity, does it inherently undermine or invalidate the very notion of a male figure and what it signifies to embody a male identity?

I come across many young boys and adults. On social media, some of my own friends, some college mates, and many surrounding me, find an alienated peace in being labelled as Masculine and find being masculine to be a superpower which comes with arrogance and a bold character, based on fictional lies set up by some frustrated internet manias out there, and brainwashing which restricts their mental capacity of critically thinking which already is lower.

Masculinity is not a recent phenomenon, all centuries since Man thought to be an absolute power authority, it kept evolutionising, along with the insecurities of this “MAN” character, which always believed its older generation to be more masculine than the present one. But the recent spark that has been ignited by social media “influencers” and some filthy men to teach young kids about their greater superpower of “masculinity” which has been neglected by them because of the woke and liberal culture which has taken away their ancestor’s great power to which they are born but have neglected it.

I am set off to jot down because of observing unhealthy grooming of young boys, and especially Muslim youth, which has overlooked its Male Characters, and bonded to some fictional and nostalgic stories of how their older generations used to act and behave, with also the influence of online social media influencers, which gained popularity through some mechanisms of old propaganda tools. It is the same how you form a cult, a populist followership, by now, away from politics.

Muslim Men are driven towards these online figures which incite abuse and harassment of the opposite gender and claim to be a reactionary force against the feminist movement. The online memes and the followers of such communities, stating to embrace masculinity and reject “modernity” which all of sudden they get to know that they are being ruled by a matrix world out there, which wants to destroy their masculinity. There’s a whole debate we can go on about this figure Andrew Tate, read this article here, who is an insecure figure who is adhered to his dogmatic beliefs which he has formed over his life because of some tragic trauma’s bond realities which have set him to believe in outer supremacy just because “he wants to negate his reality”. The followers of him are nothing more than a follower of a cult, a ritual belief, an acceptance of their cult leader, and a negation of any counter-argument.

As to quote Zizek, 

“As an unintended consequence of sexual liberation, commodified sexual liberation, the masculine has identified getting laid as something of far greater value than Love, and therefore only continues to dig its hole even deeper by now trying to redefine itself as Masculine equals getting bodies”. 

This is precisely where the bottom-tier masculinity salesmen come in. They tell you to reject the modern woman, for she can't even hope to give you satisfaction for your lack.

After diminishing the accomplishments of modern women by suggesting they have deviated from some ideal path, these individuals often promote the concept of high-value men versus high and low-value women, employing simplistic market-based reasoning to address matters of the human spirit. They instruct individuals on how to present themselves as commodities, akin to a brand, solely to pursue the superficial goal of sexual conquest, which they equate with a form of masculine validation.

Instead of recognizing the diverse roles and contributions of both men and women, they revert to a traditional concept of masculinity centred around conquering the female gaze, no longer a breadwinner, treating it as a conquest rather than fostering genuine connection and respect.

I understand and do comprehend why this reactionary force is rising, but simply because it wants to negate its opposite ideology, it is based epistemologically wrong. The whole fuss of manhood and masculinity among Muslim men is simply because they are insecure. Their insecurity leads to fear, and the fear towards anger, which results in rejection, and embracing a dogmatic belief. Whenever a sister/opposite gender would push forward its angered reaction, they resort to victim-blaming, instead of comprehending and showing sympathy, leave alone showing sympathy, as a man myself, I adhere to protection and care regardless of gender. Whenever a piece of news comes of any harassment suffered by a female, the questions inside their minds are bound to judge the victim. Anyway, this is a whole conversation itself.

I have engaged in many conversations with the opposite gender, and I feel privileged that I am trusted enough that things could be talked about with me. In all these conversations, my careful observation and the analysis of their reactionary emotions, are totally right. Their objection against the men figure, their anger and their untrust is justifiable because when in the realm of understanding, their stories were rejected and neglected, and only became traumatic mythology for them, so their emotions are not just justifiable but also agreeable.

“Masculinity, if it has to exist, must seed from femininity”. 

The whole idea of the character of the man is being overlooked by the existing notions of masculinity, as a figure who is arrogant, in a physique, overlooks the role of coexisting instead embraces the idea of superiority, feels attacked and insecure, always in a state of; that his existence is in constant threat. “We have become weak, empty, weak, lazy, and unable to hold onto notions of masculinity that were historically passed on”, the constant hearing of unhealthy discourses by these insecure online figures, which not only are misogynistic but also incite abuse, has led them to believe things which have no real essence but only becoming a simple case of historical contingencies turning into natural necessities. As if the whole conflict is against reactionary beings, as both sides keep fighting and denying each other’s existence.

This fear of emasculation is at the core of masculinity itself. Masculinity is the process of trying to prove that you are not emasculated from within. In this context, femininity is perceived as something that men must safeguard in order to validate their own masculinity. Consequently, there is an inherent void in the concept of masculinity that assumes femininity is absolute and pure, necessitating men to protect and ensure its preservation. This is also why Lacan argues that "there is no feminine sexuality." He suggests that the way society conceptualizes femininity is not solely performative but is actually constructed to safeguard masculinity from internal corruption.

For me, there’s no such thing as masculinity. I do not adhere to its predefined boundaries and find no substantial philosophical or intellectual grounds for its existence. While I identify as a man and remain cognizant of my own individuality, I do not attribute it to any inherent masculinity. I do believe in the role of man where “he is entrusted to carry his responsibilities and duties, therefore allowing a position of the head” than a role where “it is naturally proclaimed to be an authority figure and superior” and those who subscribe to such beliefs are, in my opinion, are deluding by having embraced dogmatic beliefs of high-value men vs low-value women.