📣 Curious Quote from the Author
“In a world where deep down everyone just wants to fit in, I wish we could realize that it takes true confidence to have enough love for ourselves, a belief that we are enough.”
“I can be afraid and I can be brave at the same time.”
“I just wanted someone, anyone—even if it was only the person who read and tallied the votes—to see my name and know that someone thought I was worthy, that I was enough, that I was golden. The irony is that I wrote my name in because I thought I wasn’t enough, but I hoped someone else would think I was.”
“I can only be brave if I deal with and confront my fear. If I’m not afraid, there is no such thing as bravery.”
“A movement to engage and support men that is only championed by women is like a tree falling in the forest and all of us arguing about whether or not it made a sound.”
“the artist sang, “Those who fly alone have the strongest wings,” I also noticed myself nodding as it resonated with me. And that’s where it gets confusing. There’s truth to the empowering feeling of being a guy and making it all on your own. There’s even a part of me that wakes up when I hear speeches or music that give me this primal chest-pounding adrenaline rush to push past my limits and do an extra rep. But taken out of context, this message can also be misleading.”
📚 Cognition of the Book’s Big Idea
In many cases, traditional masculinity stifles real expression and relation to other people. Guys who feel alienated and unable to communicate their worries and challenges are caused by narrow notions of bravery that place an emphasis on physical bravery and emotional repression. Guys are reluctant to admit their ignorance or ask for assistance because to gendered expectations about intelligence and ability, which puts pressure on them and causes self-doubt. Additionally, sexual scripts that prioritize performance and conquest above closeness and nurturing result in partnerships that are dissatisfying and disjointed.
We open ourselves to new options and healthier ways of being by letting go of harmful conceptions of masculinity and by honestly examining the proscribing scripts that shape our lives. In doing so, we recover our whole humanity while also helping others regain theirs.