As a young man, trying to make sense of my place in the world, I was prone to bursts of anger, which often erupted in volcanic fury, so much so that at the age of 22 I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Now, at 26 I understand who I am, what I am, and what my purpose in life is. I am a man of intelligence, confidence, an entrepreneur, a man of growing physical and mental strength which I perfect on a daily basis. Thanks to several male relatives, a good friend and The Art of Manliness blog, I was able to dispel all that anxiety and fear that inevitably comes with the transition of going from a boy to a man. It didn’t really begin to solidify for me properly until the age of 25, but now I feel I’m on the right path.
The latter component that helped me clear away the emotional confusion are sadly not of the mainstream. The Art of Manliness blog is the antidote to modern society’s schizophrenia on defining what it means to be a man.
“When you don’t know what you’re living for, you don’t care how you live from one day to the next. You’re happy the day has passed and the night has come, and in your sleep you bury the tedious question of what you lived for that day and what you’re going to live for tomorrow.” ― Ivan Goncharov, Oblomov
Now, The Art of Manliness Collection is a little composite of much of the blogs treasury of information, which includes old world advice, reshaped for the 21st century, tips on how to live a rich and vibrant life as a gentleman, then of course there are essays from the great men of history, along with poems and quotes that gives the reader a broad understanding of masculinity through the ages. It comes in two books, one comprising of classic skills and manners, the other of timeless wisdom and advice on living the 7 manly virtues. To those of you unfamiliar with the concepts that the Art of Manliness speaks of, it may seem like yet another retro curiosity for the discerning hipster, yet it really isn’t, for myself, and many men out there, it is a magnificent fountain of knowledge.
In a time where men, from their teens to their early thirties, have only feminised, castrated versions of masculinity to look to for advice, the Art of Manliness fills a much needed void, because it’s a complete and well rounded source of information. At it’s foundation the blog and these two books are about masculinity as it should be, and as it always was prior to its cruel and shortsighted deconstruction over the past forty to fifty years.
Defining Masculinity
In the modern world, more specifically the Western world, it’s very hard to define masculinity, it seems that everyone is allowed to voice their opinions about masculinity except ordinary men, the feminist for example can wax lyrical without having to explain her reasoning. With emotional misfits like Julie Bindel, Germaine Greer, Jessica Valenti et al being given the platform to tell men, of whom they have no affection nor empathy for, how they should behave, which is strange considering they don’t even understand the needs of their own gender, for they are so submerged in the swamp of their sociopolitical ideology.
Above: Two American friends from the Old West Below: Early 20th Century Georgian Highlanders
That’s why I find Brett and Kate McKay’s sterling efforts in The Art of Manliness, and this collection, to be so sublime. It is a veritable treasure trove of advice and information for men of all ages, free of any poisonous ideology. Brett speaks to men in the manner of a wise, elder brother, with love and affection for all his brothers in need.
The Proud and Moral Man
Unlike many of the pick-up artist websites out there, that certainly still give men some handy tips on confidence, attracting women and so forth, it’s only about ephemeral, insignificant pleasures. The realm of the pick-up artist is fine if you want to attract the worst, most morally corrupted type of woman, yet Brett goes far beyond that, it’s not about what you need to do to attract a woman, it’s about what you need to do to be a healthy, moral and happy man in the modern world.
Western society today is in the grip of a psychosis, a psychosis that gives credence to crackpot theories like “toxic masculinity” and teaches young boys that they are the cause of all that is wrong in the world, and thus must be medicated like wild beasts, taught how to suppress their masculinity and replace it with femininity. Brett and Kate McKay offer a refreshing source of shining wisdom and I hope they continue to do so for many years to come.
Brett’s vision has grown since the emergence of the blog in 2008, and now covers a multimedia platform, including YouTube videos and a podcast. A particular favourite of mine are Brett’s YouTube videos, where he offers men advice on everything from style to mastering routines.
Although, sadly to those of us living outside North America, The Art of Manliness Collection is not available direct from their store, you can find it at Amazon.co.uk.