Blog post 1- Real Men Cry and Do Laundry

14 Oct

http://www.slate.com/id/2270063/pagenum/all/#p2
This blog article shines a light on the cliché of most men magazine. All of the issues tend to cover to same things all the time. The sexiest girl’s body, how to get laid even faster, the best places to go on vacation, and the next most expensive car that the average man cannot afford. These are a few of the things that are repeated and printed in mens magazines day in and day out. The magazines are a part of the media and the media is sculpting the minds of men to only incorporate with the materialistic things in the magazine because that is the “social norm.” The blog goes on to explain how the men today are facing economical hardship and are unemployed and are struggling to be a man in today’s world. The current men’s magazines that reflect the social norm don’t help men feel better about themselves and also do not provide any guidance on how to be a better man. There are new magazines that are emerging on the scene that are aimed to do exactly this. In one of the readings we did for class there was an article on men and masculinity and it explains the pressure that is put on men to prove that they are actually a “man.” Any man that shows and kind of emotion or feelings for something is labelled as “gay” or not manly. These new magazines are aimed at changing this perspective. The new magazines will try to tap into the feelings and emotions of the new everyday man and show them that you can be a man without having a job because have a job doesn’t make you a man. Lessons and tips on how to be a good father and husband and how to stay faithful in a marriage are going to be the focus points. Maybe with the help of these new magazines the social norm of men will change and men will not be so reserved about there true feelings. 

4 Responses to “Blog post 1- Real Men Cry and Do Laundry”

  1. ysamar October 14, 2010 at 3:24 pm #

    I agree that it is a good thing what the magazines are doing because it shows a change in what society wants them to be. Yet, on the other hand I feel that if the norm will actually change for men it will take an extremely long time because men have always been seen as the ones in charge and the ones to be in control. To change that norm will take a lot of work and most definitely more than just magazines.

    • monicagarber1989 October 17, 2010 at 10:49 pm #

      This is a great article that really opens up our minds to the way men are perceived in society today. Most men’s magazine’s focus on men’s physical appearance and sexual desirability, but men have a lot more to offer women than just those things. Men’s magazines do not acknowledge the real responsibilities of men nowadays. With the high rate of unemployment and salary cuts which men face today, many of them are coming to the realization that they’re just as equal as women. Magazines need to acknowledge that there quite a number of stay-at-home dads who cook, do laundry and take care of the kids while their wives are the bread winners. Times have changed and all of the male self-improvement magazines need to keep up.

  2. darian12 October 14, 2010 at 6:56 pm #

    I completely agree, these magazines aren’t what the typical man is. Men’s magazines should change and be more geared to real life issues men deal with like you said. The biggest problem that these magazines have is that men cannot relate to them. If a man wants to go on a vacation he will go where he wants regardless of a magazine. What men really need advice on are things they are too afraid to ask friends. Which includes relationships and marriage advice. This could help men and help families get along better if they are getting the proper knowledge.

  3. jd316 November 18, 2010 at 10:55 pm #

    These magazines should teach women how to register for the draft and pay for dinner.

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