An Experiment: This sub rightly, and for obvious reason, usually only posts stories about the way society makes being a man difficult and shitty. That can get you down after a time. So instead, tell me what you like about masculinity and being a man.

The_Patriarchy · 2012-08-17T13:20:20+00:00

I'm a big scary looking guy, and used to live in some HORRIBLE neighborhoods. Despite living in really dangerous areas, people rarely fucked with me. In fact, I only had one person try to rob me, and that backfired on him. I used to go out walking whenever the fuck I wanted. If it was 1 AM and I wanted something to drink, I had no problem walking over to the Crown Fred Chicken by myself. However, I live in the suburbs now and when you look like me and walk around at night people think you're planning some bad shit...so, yeah that kinda sucks now.

I like the head nod.

Again, this is probably more related to being bigger than everyone else...but I love being able to drink A LOT. I love when some little guy claims he can drink SO MUCH and I call him on it. I love when we chug an assload of beer and he ends up puking, but I can keep drinking for the rest of the night.

I like being able to build muscle/lose fat really easily.

I loved shooting the shit in cigar shops with a bunch of old guys.

I love ragging on friends, and being ragged on about stupid shit.

I love pranks. I remember this one time when I was still in HS, my friends broke into my house while I was sleeping, set up a "satanic altar" with a dead bird they found on the road, turned my TV on to static and hid outside. I woke up, got scared out of my mind, ran out of the house in my boxers and rode my bike far as shit away to some gas station.

I love watching fights...like MMA and shit. I don't follow who's who/etc. but I love watching 2 guys beat the shit out of each other.

I love knives and guns and all sorts of crazy weapons...and that I don't have to justify this love because I'm a guy.

I hate sentimentalism and love that I don't have to explain my distaste for such things because I'm a guy.

I love that I only need 3 pairs of shoes: dress shoes -> sneakers -> boots ...and all of them are comfortable.

I love that I don't have to give a fuck about fashion.

I love being able to cut my own hair with clippers.

silverblaze92 · 2012-08-17T14:25:56+00:00

Growing a beard.

QuestionC · 2012-08-17T14:36:00+00:00

This is more of a boy thing than a man thing, but I remember getting really pissed off with my buddy as a teenager and we ended up beating each other up. Noone was really hurt but we did throw each other around a bit.

A couple hours later we see each other on the street, and it's like it never fucking happened. We were both thinking about the awkwardness I'm sure, but neither of us really cared about it enough to mention it and put the issue behind us. I think we went to his house and started playing SNES. I don't even remember what we fought about but I'll always remember that feeling of abruptly moving on.

I've always associated that memory as being a male camaraderie thing, but really I don't know TBH.

mikey13 · 2012-08-17T15:55:55+00:00

I enjoy not bleeding out of my genitals for a week each month. That's pretty awesome.

EpicJ · 2012-08-17T10:39:23+00:00

Peeing standing up, not having to deal with female biological problems like periods/cramps

burritosandbeer · 2012-08-17T19:33:13+00:00

beards
pissing in the woods
no period
no make up
same sex as batman
I can have sex with a woman who sucks at it and still come
no boobs getting in the way all the time

2012-08-17T12:59:14+00:00

I like being of an average hight and weight and having a reasonable amount of strength. I like the fact that I don't menstruate or get pregnant. but that's all biological.

I can't think of any social advantage I get from being male that I value. I constantly feel like a square peg being forced into a round hole.

Bigwood69 · 2012-08-17T15:41:20+00:00

If I chose to kill a bear nobody would even question me.

Lecks · 2012-08-17T11:44:40+00:00

As an introvert going completely unnoticed is a positive at times. Being able to take my shirt off in public when it gets too hot and not have people stare (though I haven't done that in a while, blahdiblah body image). Not having to deal with period stuff is also good, I don't like blood...

Mr_Razza · 2012-08-17T14:03:04+00:00

The feeling of spending some time with a fellow gentleman and talking about life, our goals, philosophy, etc. over a cigar or a beer.

The smell of a cigar or nice whisky.

Our dirty and beaten up hands from the labor we do. To me, nothing else shows youre a hard worker than some dirty and beaten up hands. Thats manly right there.

Growing facial hair.

2012-08-17T15:39:15+00:00

Male friendships are amazing. You can rip on one another without hurt feelings. You can rely on one another to help out for things like moves, installations, and repairs.

I like the general lack of drama in my male relationships. Not that all of my female relationships have drama, it's that my dramatic relationships are all female.

I like that male bonding can be silent, either through video games, watching sports or fishing etc.

I like that when there's a dispute with any of my male friends, we can hash it out directly, instead of dancing around the topic, or spending far too much time discussing the emotion involved or "the way you said it."

Guy time is a time to recharge. Don't get me wrong... my wife is hands-down the best friend I've ever had, but even she realizes the importance of my ability to get away and hang out with my friends in a male-only environment. It's so nice, and sadly society doesn't present us with nearly as many male-only spaces as there are female equivalents.

jazzygeoff · 2012-08-17T11:50:37+00:00

I'm about as proud of being a man as I am about being Irish, neither were my doing but they're both working out OK. I struggle to celebrate the points about being allowed more freedom when travelling or finding things easier in business. That being said I do personally enjoy my own can do attitude for doing new things and being able to take more physical hardship with no problems like being cold or hungry or tired. I am reminded of the Warren Farrell quote "The differences between the sexes are less than the differences within the sexes."

RC_5213 · 2012-08-17T17:02:23+00:00

I enjoy being able to wear practical clothing constantly. What passes for "stylish" (both men and women's clothing) baffles me with how impractical it is sometimes.

Peeing standing up and not bleeding on a set schedule is nice too.

torino_nera · 2012-08-17T18:03:04+00:00

I enjoy having a penis. It's been pretty good to me.

dj_meatstorm · 2012-08-17T17:42:56+00:00

Pissing my name in the snow and I guess more generally being able to take a piss wherever I feel like. Every girl I know is jealous of this wondrous ability we possess.

SharkSpider · 2012-08-17T22:02:28+00:00

My extension cord never gets used by the wife. Ever

betaprime · 2012-08-17T23:16:18+00:00

Honestly, I can't think of a single reason. Sometimes I wish I had been born a girl. Everything just seems better. Life expectancy. Expectations. Companionship.

goblomi · 2012-08-17T12:46:31+00:00

I love hunting and fishing. I love that feeling when I shoot a deer, or catch a big fish, clean it, and cook it up for dinner to feed my family. It satisfies my deep primal masculine needs.

roadhand · 2012-08-17T14:14:52+00:00

I like being sure of who I am, with no fucks to give about what others might think.

I like having decades long friendships without arguments and game playing.

I like solving problems quickly with fact and logic.

I like being able to crack a real smile, even when things suck.

I like going anywhere I like, without worrying - at all.

electriophile · 2012-08-17T17:57:53+00:00

Not a man, but I'm insanely jealous of how you guys are walking furnaces. Give me your body heat!

akakaze · 2012-08-17T18:31:12+00:00

Growing a beard.

Being able to just say what's wrong and what would make it right without any pussyfooting: I can go to a friend and just say, "Hey, I'm going through some shit, will you get shitfaced with me and make fun of bad movies?"

Valuing high intellectual discussions, not to say women can't or don't have these discussions, just that as a guy among guys the conversation can very naturally turn to whether comparing The Count of Monte Cristo with Sweeney Todd should be done by Tolstoy or Marxist criticism; how the myers-briggs type indicators motivate the relationships we pursue; how fear works in speculative fiction and whether the borg or the replicators more thoroughly play on humanity's base fears: and it never makes the discussion clinical, it's still camaraderie and bonding.

The expectation to be an amateur connoisseur in some field; among my friends there is one I trust implicitly for his taste in comedy and knowledge of how humor works, another I trust for tea, and another for whiskey; I've got a friend who can explain the rules to any sport for me, and another who is literally so knowledgeable about music that I think he is better at liking music than I am.

It's nice wearing less clothes at the pool, I used to wear a shirt when I would sunburn when I was younger, and it was miserable, glad to never be doing that again.

No one thinks there's anything wrong with you if you're not overly talkative.

dazhealy · 2012-08-17T18:51:59+00:00

Going to the gym, working out for ages, hitting your max weight, dropping the weight and going YAAAAAAAAAAAAA! And then your gym buddies high fiving you.

IHaveALargePenis · 2012-08-17T20:23:03+00:00

As far as gender roles go, asking girls out. It gives you the ability to pick and chose, even if you get turned down. I'd rather pick and be denied than never be picked at all.

yer_muther · 2012-08-17T12:20:04+00:00

Bacon

Warwickist · 2012-08-17T17:13:19+00:00

I love martial arts, and I'm skilled at a couple of them.

That said, I love being able to mess around with my buddies by taking them down by surprise, and then having them react with "Dude that was awesome, show me how to do that shit" instead of "What the hell man, don't be a dick!" No one's ever really mad at each other for any extended period of time, no one minds getting thrown around a bit. It doesn't mess up the brotherhood.

ThePigman · 2012-08-17T12:41:31+00:00

Apart from the obvious biological advantages I'll be damned if i can think of anything - unlike women we don't exactly have society throwing privileges at us. This is something which is unwittingly reflected in some of the other comments. Video games? Camping? Whiskey? Since when do only men get to do those things?

spookytj · 2012-08-17T12:52:15+00:00

The security of knowing that I am physically capable of handling most challenges thrown at me, be it lifting heavy things, reaching the top shelf of the cupboard, or even protecting myself and wife from physical assault. Even as simple as knowing my physical presence can make my wife feel safer.

mayonesa · 2012-08-17T18:44:45+00:00

Masculinity:

Goal-oriented
Non-emotional
Aggressive
Warlike
Conclusive
Relentless

Being a man:

Pee standing up
Steaks

-Tommy · 2012-08-17T14:10:35+00:00

I like the fact that I am tall, it just makes me feel very content and like I can't get hurt

HoopyFreud · 2012-08-17T16:46:48+00:00

I feel like men are allowed to be more independent from their friends. For example, I love 90s and early 2000s cartoons and Science Fiction and Fantasy TV shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog, Dexter's Lab, Star Trek TNG, DS9, Babylon 5, Buffy, etc. and I hate just about everything that's on TV right now. None of my male friends do, but it's not an issue and it's never been an issue, aside from some good-natured teasing. I have seen female friendships fall apart over these kinds of things, and it mystifies me.
There's also the nod. I can be walking down the street in a bad neighborhood, and when a guy gives me the nod, it's like "Hey. We're cool, right?" "Yeah. We're cool." It's not a signal to trust your life with, but it makes it easy to put some measure of trust in someone else without speaking to them or going out of your way to do it.

MjrJWPowell · 2012-08-17T18:07:58+00:00

I like being able to let shit go.

Somebody wronged me? Fuck em. Don't care.

Fight a friend? Hell man, let's just grab a beer afterwards.

Almost hurt an already injured friend? "Sorry, man" Is all it takes to get over it.

Something bad happened a whole ago? Wait, what happened? Who cares.

2012-08-17T18:10:46+00:00

When I practice a physical activity I become dramatically better... It rarely matters what that activity is.

jdezz97 · 2012-08-17T19:22:22+00:00

I'm about 6'2" 230 pounds (104kg) and in high school. I love how people think I'm a big tough guy and that they need to move out of my way. However, I'm just an extremely large nerd who likes to walk fast in the hallway. In fact, I generally move out of the way for people out of courtesy.

Also, definitely having bros. I have a couple of friends that I would consider brothers, because we all know that we would follow each other into a war zone if needed.

ChildActor · 2012-08-17T20:53:48+00:00

I feel like I'm not a man. I'm very thin, non alpha, quiet, emotional. I just turned 30 and I can't grow a beard. I have no chest hair. I'm not manly at all. This does not score me any points with women, or anyone else for that matter. I haven't been in a relationship in well over two years and it physically hurts to see attractive women sometimes. So,in short, I don't really benefit from masculinity at all because I'm not masculine.

I'm a thirty year old boy and I feel like there's no place for me in society.

Asuperniceguy · 2012-08-17T18:19:18+00:00

Eating meat. Eating meat with friends. Having proper mates. Eating meat with them. Stuff that involves meat.

Curebores · 2012-08-17T18:15:00+00:00

What I like about being a man (That's built like a tank. Thanks genetics!):

Being able to go absolutely anywhere and have noone mess with you.
Being brought up to be technically minded, logical and hands on allowing me to fix almost anything and reason with anyone. (Thanks Dad!)
The ability to meet and talk to any other man and get on with him, the assumption being that you are a good guy unless proven otherwise.
Being able to rip into your friends mercilessly and have them give back as good as they get.
Being able to sort out almost any issues people have quickly by talking them out then and there. Then being able to walk away friends afterwards even if you don't agree.
Being big and strong (although it can backfire on you whenever shit needs moved... :P)
Being able to go off and do your own thing even if your other friends aren't into it.
Being able to come back to your other friends and have noone have any issues with it (Other than some good natured ribbing).
Being able to appreciate good competition and helping others up their game because they want the same thing.
Being able to not see a friend for months or even years at a time and when you do, it be like they never left.

Aaod · 2012-08-17T20:00:50+00:00

I agree for me it is the camaraderie you feel with male friends. No bitchyness no cattyness no drama. Any conflict is quickly solved or blown off.

strontium98 · 2012-08-17T10:59:44+00:00

Smoking cigars.
Using a double-edged or straight razor.
Drinking whiskey.
Any sort of physical activity of course.
Kicking your friends' asses at videogames.
Building a fire / camping in general.
Shooting guns.

Basically anything feminists don't want you to do / anything that men used to do before feminism took over.

rightsbot · 2012-08-17T10:10:22+00:00

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Hostile_lunchbox · 2012-08-17T15:10:31+00:00

I like that we have the intuitive ability to just get shit done. Even my female coworkers have admitted they like working with the guys in our store better. I am NOT saying women are lazy in any way, or that all guys aren't. I just live the focus on a task that generally seems to accompany being male. Also, the determination.

FoutainheadShrugged · 2012-08-17T10:40:19+00:00

People look to you to be a leader
Physical, mental, and emotional strength
Better at math and spatial reasoning
Don't have to deal with the inconveniences of menstruation, childbirth, or menopause
You're not expected to spend time raising a family instead of work, so it's easier to concentrate on your career

ShetlandJames · 2012-08-17T13:48:34+00:00

Fishing (ocean, not lake. shore or river). The only time you can be a lad and talk shit about whatever without the chances of anyone listening in.
Football (soccer) seems to be a guys thing and I like that.
So many role models! (although this can also be bad as dickheads can be 'role models' to some too)

Canadian4Paul · 2012-08-17T14:01:47+00:00

Sports. Most men have the ability to progress farther in sports and play them at a faster and more competitive level. Obviously a man who is new to a sport is going to get schooled by a woman with 10+ years experience and in good shape, but you get the idea..

semisentient · 2012-08-17T15:55:11+00:00

The biological drive of competition. Everything I do I turn into some sort of competition especially when another male is around. Whether it's playing basketball, music, hell even yoga; I strive to win in all of it. Unfortunately for me, all of my coworkers are female and when I get competitive it is not seen as "acceptable" work behavior thus leaving me unfulfilled in my work environment.

notacrackheadofficer · 2012-08-17T14:56:47+00:00

I wake up in a good mood, every day. I am never grumpy in the morning.
If I am hungry, it does not make me grumpy, just hungry.
I do not think any woman can say what I just did.

wastedtime3698 · 2012-08-17T18:21:01+00:00

I do not particularly like being male.

awesomeroy · 2012-08-17T10:40:47+00:00

I agree with the brotherhood thing. And the strength thing kinda sucks, I dont notice that im being rough or "heavy handed".

I'm 22, so I dont think I qualify as a man yet... But I like being the "protector". You know, when my girlfriend, or my girlfriend's little sister get scared, worried, or something happens? They come to me. If she has a question about something, ANYTHING, she comes to me. It makes me feel useful, and important and we all know ego-boosting is important for guys. haha

I also like being able to be a gentleman. My dad is a little older, and I was lucky enough to be taught how to treat a lady, talk with men, etc. I know its small and novel, but in times like these, when a guys boxers cover more than their pants do, its nice to stand out. Opening doors, paying for meals, walking on the traffic side when with a woman. All those things make me feel awesome, because its something that is passed down, and that father-son bond is amazing too.

Edit: Wow, negative for this? This is the equvalent of a feminist subreddit isnt it? Ill just show myself out now.

SpiritofJames · 2012-08-17T16:20:30+00:00

I like being independent, intellectually, emotionally, and physically from the hive-mind that is typically home to women.

I like being the 'lone wolf.'

DoktorTeufel · 2012-08-17T12:21:00+00:00

I don't particularly enjoy being a man in this day and age. Men are literally the whipping boys of feminized society, and the only socially acceptable and politically correct course of action for us is to give in to that role, which I refuse to do.

I'll never marry nor have children, in order to prevent myself from potentially becoming a victim of the hideously biased alimony, child custody and child support laws in my country (US). This affects my life negatively, as I cannot sustain a long-term relationship with someone whose goal it is to marry or have children. I will never have sex without a condom again and may consider a vasectomy in the future.

However, I did used to enjoy being male. I attended a military boarding school as a teenager, and while in many ways it sucked, I got to do teenage boy things: Get into fistfights, sneak around town at night, take girls to the movie theater, tell dirty jokes, and at that time I was also in peak physical condition (for obvious reasons), which was fantastic.

And, it is nice not to have to (or be compelled to) worry about pregnancy, periods, makeup, elaborate clothing or being considered particularly unattractive when I become older. I do think that's the one sexual advantage men have over women: On average, we're considered attractive and desirable for a longer period of our lives. Or so it seems.

I understand why women weren't happy with the old 1950s "men are men and women are women" standard, but now it's "men are emasculated whipping boys and women are empowered women". It sucks.

I take solace in the hobbies, studies and other activities I currently enjoy in my life, although none of those are gender-specific.

Demonicpoodle · 2012-08-17T14:55:54+00:00

I would much rather be man than a woman (except legally, holy hell would I rather be a woman there).

I find that, as long as I'm home most of the time (which my online website that generates enough revenue for me to live without working generates), being a man or a woman really doesn't fucking matter.

Just avoid society as much as you can and you can enjoy the better parts of society, like the countless art, TV shows, books, etc. that have been created for our enjoyment. And trust me, there are thousands of them, a surprising amount of them good or better.

UnoriginalMike · 2012-08-17T15:58:10+00:00

I like that the things I like are expected of me. I like fast cars, being rather rugged, whisky, cigars, books.

I like not being expected to be super social all the time. I like the quiet.

I like feeling like a man, facial and body hair, farts, rough house play. I like being able to let my kids beat the ever loving crap out of me.

I love being a dad. I love my bond with my children. I thoroughly enjoy play time and comfort time, even bed time because my kids look up to me. I love being a good example for them.

2012-08-17T19:44:41+00:00

Pissing is so much easier. Also, I've heard from girlfriends (friends that are girls, not a "relationship" so to speak) that girls gossip behind friends backs all the time. I like having friends I can trust, feelsgoodman.jpg

CaptainRandus · 2012-08-17T21:11:09+00:00

being able to piss on a tree

rubenwt · 2012-08-17T21:28:38+00:00

Biceps

talanton · 2012-08-17T22:03:56+00:00

Being able to create a space around me in which everyone is a little more respectful and kind. I was with a female friend of mine as we were taking the train from Lindenwold, NJ to Philly, passing through Camden. She's 5' 1" and is used to people bumping into her and cutting her off. I'm 6', burly, and I have a shaved head. Wearing all black I had on my leather boots and vest and looked a bit scary I suppose.

But I was sitting there with an air of relaxed confidence, just letting that good vibe I carried spread. Around me people were a bit more respectful and upbeat. Then as we were getting off the train, everyone was super polite to her as well, letting us go first, and giving us a huge bubble of personal space.

I like being a scary looking nice guy, giving off the implied message that we can either all be nice, or shit will get intense. It let me provide a positive experience for my friend. Our differences make us stronger, our commonalities make us one.

DruchiiConversion · 2012-08-18T19:43:51+00:00

I like that when I say I'm going to do something, the people around me expect me to do it and that it will be done competently. That's the only real social advantage I perceive myself as having compared to the women around me, but it is a big one that I value dearly, and a reputation I guard with care.

Ninjalicious · 2012-08-17T14:56:33+00:00

I love camaraderie, and it's something I only get with male friends. It's that hunting party mentality. Men get it.

pcarvious · 2012-08-17T18:52:07+00:00

The ability to command attention without having to jump around or gather eyes is nice.

Ididerus · 2012-08-18T02:30:35+00:00

Honor; when people realize that I'm an honest, dependable person they know they can rely on me. I, and other upstanding gentlemen, are a shining beacon of light in a shit-filled, self-centered effeminate society.

on the flip side, if you do something wrong, I will call you out and correct you. People listen when I tell them to "Stand Fast"!

Jacksambuck · 2012-08-17T12:33:06+00:00

Things I love about being a man :

eating what the fuck you want, body abides
being needlessly rude as an acceptable form of communication
naked chicks everywhere
having a functional, powerful body
being a loner
laughing at your own(and others') feelings
the grudging respect two men who are long-time enemies usually have towards each other
being magnanimous

ManUpManDown · 2012-08-17T20:05:30+00:00

Really? Eating steaks? Smoking cigars? Hunting?

Ok, I’m fairly new to these fora, but if by “men’s rights” we’re talking about sitting around celebrating archetypal masculinity and beating drums, please count me out.

I have no desire to be celebrated for my disposability, thank you very much. And I have no desire to perpetuate a cliché notion of masculinity that has the effect of continuing to make the definition of manhood so constricting.

Note how almost every single thing that guys have listed on this thread—except for biological things like not menstruating every month (that sure is nice I must say)—women can do these things as well and enjoy them just as much. They may not CHOOSE to do them as often, but that’s irrelevant: they are not things that are part of “being a man” at all. They are just a part of being YOU because they are things you like personally.

Does anyone else see the irony in all of this? And surely I am not the only guy who understands that in order to further the underlying cause—greater respect for men as human beings—there is no way to that goal other than, among other things, nipping chivalry in the bud? Rituals like door-opening and walking nearest the street represent the tip of a mostly unconscious, but very damaging, iceberg. You drum-beating traditionalists must realize this or we will go nowhere beyond perhaps some superficial celebration of men as dutiful disposable heroes; I want more than a yellow ribbon in my name on Memorial Day.

Ma99ie · 2012-08-17T16:24:21+00:00

http://goodwomynproject.blogspot.com/2011/08/this-is-why-i-love-men.html?m=1

PirateRobotNinjaofDe · 2012-08-17T11:28:57+00:00

Much of the stuff I love about being a guy is just not having to deal with some of the sexist-old-boys-club bullshit that women have to deal with, especially in business. I love how much easier it is for guys to make inroads with the corporate "inner circle". It seems like the guys will be accepted if you're not a tool and can crack some dirty jokes (especially a sexist one or two on the sly). Not that you don't also have to be good at what you do, but it seems easier to buy that little bit of wiggle room than the gals get. The previous generation of A-type corporate females are often total hardasses too, and they seem to go twice as hard on the females as they do on the males. It seems like a very "I had to work twice as hard as the men sista', so you damned well better too."

I also like the extra freedom when you're travelling. It's safer to hitchhike, you get waaaay more freedom in conservative (and especially religious) countries to do whatever the hell you want. Way less unwanted attention. Several of my solo-travelling experiences would have been SO different had I been a woman.

I also feel like relationships are easier as a guy. Not just bf-gf/bfbf/gfgf/etc relationships, but with friends and such as well. The women I know all still give each other birthday gifts, write cards, worry about social etiquette. Pretty much every problem in the male-etiquette code is begun and ended with buying someone a beer.

...or a cider, if they're celiac. Because that seems to be a thing these days.

CMOS222 · 2012-08-17T11:09:41+00:00

I think Norah Vincent's experience would be relevant to your question. She probably has a better perspective on the advantages and disadvantages of manhood better than anyone else:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/22/books/review/22kamp.html

bronyraurstomp · 2012-08-17T16:18:46+00:00

Man climbed down from the tree, man lit the fires, man piled rock over rock, man fought the good fight, man did the math, man took the plunge...

This is man's work... Man has dominated this rock and man is getting ready to go conquer some more rocks.

Man-kind, motherfuckers!

Edit: Homer, Odysseus, Alexander, Tesla, Einstein, Gagarin...

RoscoeMG · 2012-08-17T13:23:40+00:00

General superiority.

2012-08-18T02:42:05+00:00

I mostly enjoy fighting the good fight against evil feminist bitches.

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