The Popcorn Stand: Perspective on toxic masculinity

Those who read this Popcorn Stand may want to say “stick to the silly stuff you normally write about, you bum,” but I wanted to write about what I thought were some wise words spoken by a man recently.

“We live in a culture where our worth is measured by how much money we have and how famous we are. I will tell you, at the end of the day, the thing that will give you confidence is not that. I know a lot of rich people that are all messed up!”

The man went on to discourage materialism and encouraged monogamy. “If you are really confident about your financial situation, you probably are not going to be wearing an 8-pound chain around your neck because you know, ‘I got bank. I don’t have to show you how much I’ve got, because I feel good. If you are very confident about your sexuality, you don’t have to have eight women around you twerking … because (you know), ‘I’ve got one woman, who I am very happy with. And she’s a strong woman.’”

The man went on to talk about the toxic message of modern masculinity — toxic masculinity, if you will, which has become something of a politically correct term for some to criticize how politically correct it is.

“Let’s face it: A lot of hip-hop and rap music is built around me showing how I got more money than you, I can disrespect you and you can’t do nothing about it, I’m going to talk about you and punk you.”

Now my guess most of the people reading this column are saying what this man said is right on the money. The man who said this was Barack Obama and sadly I would say some who read this wouldn’t have read it if they knew it was Obama who was saying this in the first place.

Of course Obama is right and while I don’t want to turn this into a Sunday School sermon, I think the people who use the term “toxic masculinity” or what anyone who talks about this type of stuff is trying to say is men in our society should demonstrate meekness.

The Biblical meaning of meekness. Which means strength under control. Men who know how to use their strength.

I know if a lot more men demonstrated the Biblical principle of strength under control we’d be a lot better off.

OK, I’m done with my sermon. Don’t worry, in the future I’ll go back to writing about the silly stuff I normally write about.

— Charles Whisnand