It's become increasingly clear to me, as I have gotten older, that if we don't take a stand as men, we are going to continue to see a rise in the amount of men (young and old) resorting to drugs, porn and other addictions, and, ultimately, taking their own lives.

Addiction and suicide are not new. Men have been addicted to power, sex, and you name it, from the beginning of time. But it's hard to deny that the constant shame cast upon us just for being males, the DEI initiatives set up to discriminate against men (even though they mascarade as equal rights), the fear we men have of going to jail over false accusations, and I could go on, have led many guys to give up on life, leave the path that leads to true fulfillment, and exchanged it all for hedonism and vanity.

There are also so many distractions out there that tell us what we should have in life or what we should be and do. Big house. Sports car. Expensive watch. Perfect family. Girlfriend/ wife who is hot AF. Instagram lies. Facebook divides.

I'm going to be honest, and you can see it from my post history: I've sought to hide my pain through drugs in the past, among many other addictions. It's ruined my life in many ways. It will take a while before I'm back on track.

Nonetheless, I'm reaching the point where I couldn't give a f*ck anymore about "woke" and feeling like a second-rate citizen because of my gender. I'm also growing tired of endlessly scrolling Instagram when I could be doing something that matters in life. I'm tired of seeing males, young and old, wandering about hopeless and without direction in life, throwing their lives away to things that offer no lasting return. There has to be something more. We know it inside. We're made for more than pixels on a screen, a bottle of whiskey and/or a few lines.

You can see evidence of this primal instinct for something more when many guys find someone who isn't afraid to display masculine attributes and start to idolize him. I'm sure you can think of some "celebrities" who have become popular, even controversial, because they have dared to exhibit traditional masculine traits. Unfortunately, many of these idols misunderstand true masculinity and end up looking like baboons, instead of alphas. You can guess who.

I don't know about you, but when I act as the person God created me to be, I feel alive. When I focus on my purpose (I know what it is, but I got myself so tied up in addiction that I lost sight of it), it instills hope in me that the world doesn't have to remain as it is. I am a protector and a provider. I have a purpose. There's a path that I must follow.

Imagine if more of us started to have a positive influence on the guys around us. The domino effect could be enormous. A positive contagion, if you will.

I made this "NSFW" due to some of the topics discussed. But let me know your thoughts, feedback, and experiences.