What is makes a man, a man

    Recognizing a masculine object or habit is quite easy in today’s standards. In fact there are too many to name but some of the most common include being muscular, tall, hairy, beer, knowing how to fight and even to not only woo but fornicate as many girls as possible. Or at least this is what most people THINK and NEED to be. In today’s society wrestlers, soldiers and Chuck Norris are generally considered to be masculine figures. This is because these figures are defined as manly in society and the media, however I think there is many different ways masculinity can be defined as. I think the interpretation of masculinity is a personal definition. The rough definition of masculinity is having the trait of an ideal man and while Tom Cruise might seem ideal to many, it might not to others. For example, most people would say that ballet is a feminine art form but male ballet dancers are known for their strong and fit physique.  If someone wishes to be a wrestler than that would be masculine to that person however if someone else wants to be knitter, then that would be considered masculine for him.
    However society’s view of masculinity is all around from cartoons to advertisements, and it usually depicts a tall, handsome, masculine man. It is even the same way in folklore and pictures. Being surrounded by all these images makes us want to be one of them, labelling them as masculine for other men to envy. This makes it unfortunate for many men who might be short or who might not have the perfect chiselled jaws. Just like how someone might argue their perception of beauty, I think the same can be done for masculinity. If someone does not fit the society’s requirement of beauty or masculinity or is uncomfortable  with it, there is no reason to force yourself to be that way. One might argue than that might be feminine and undesirable by society which is unfavoured since being masculine as a man is a positive thing. That is why society’s view of masculinity does not represent the entire ideology of masculinity but only a certain part of it. However this only applies to physical and personal preference of masculinity which are parts that make up the ideology.
    The other important part of masculinity is the attitude. This is different from what you personally desire and prefer to how you approach it. For example if someone wants to be a fireman but is too shy or not confident enough to go through it that makes the person shy and effeminate. In the simplest terms, masculinity is about self-confidence , courage and dedication to change or accomplish what you want to do. Winston from 1984 is a great example from this as believes that his society is flawed and instead of accepting that, he tries to change what he believes is best for him and everyone. The fact that he had the courage to stand up to the most powerful organization makes him in my definition masculine. In this case, a 6 foot, 200 pound, muscular man who was too afraid to stand up and make a change to what he believes makes him less masculine than someone like Winston. Masculinity should not be about what the man looks like or prefers to do but about his self determination and bravery.