Difference between revisions of "Manliness"
(This book is extraordinarily important simply by embracing its title.) |
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Mansfield sees manliness in athletes (too many to mention, he points out), and also in a few women such as [[Margaret Thatcher]] (a favorite of right-of-center professors). Mansfield omits enough discussion of manliness among military heroes, such as [[Stonewall Jackson]] or [[George Patton]] (Mansfield does include a mention of the movie). Mansfield does contain some passing references to [[George Washington]]. | Mansfield sees manliness in athletes (too many to mention, he points out), and also in a few women such as [[Margaret Thatcher]] (a favorite of right-of-center professors). Mansfield omits enough discussion of manliness among military heroes, such as [[Stonewall Jackson]] or [[George Patton]] (Mansfield does include a mention of the movie). Mansfield does contain some passing references to [[George Washington]]. | ||
| − | The book is excellent but has notable omissions: no mention of [[muscle car]]s, by which young [[American]] men found expression of their manliness in culture. The book admittedly avoids the issue of [[homosexuality]], and it predates the rise of the very manly [[Donald Trump]]. The book has only a very superficial reference to [[Phyllis Schlafly]] and fails to recognize the significance of the defeat of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]]. | + | The book is excellent but has notable omissions: no mention of [[muscle car]]s, by which young [[American]] men found expression of their manliness in culture. Nothing of significance about the [[American Civil War]]. The book admittedly avoids the issue of [[homosexuality]], and it predates the rise of the very manly [[Donald Trump]]. The book has only a very superficial reference to [[Phyllis Schlafly]] and fails to recognize the significance of the defeat of the [[Equal Rights Amendment]]. |
====10th anniversary interview==== | ====10th anniversary interview==== | ||
Revision as of 03:20, September 22, 2021
Manliness is a book by conservative-leaning Harvard Professor Harvey Mansfield, who identifies and extols this trait which has been recognized since Ancient Greece. This book is extraordinarily important simply by embracing its title.
An entertaining read, this book is short on culture and American political history (except talks extensively about Teddy Roosevelt), while long in academic arguments based on mostly-ancient literature. Professor Mansfield points out that Macbeth contains Shakespeare's most praise of manliness and has many enlightening discussions of literature, such as a passage about Henry James' anti-feminist Bostonians.
Professor Mansfield discusses at length the writings of Ernest Hemingway, who Mansfield calls "the writer in our time (or just before) most celebrated for manliness." Mansfield compares Hemingway to Homer in the manliness of their works.
Mansfield sees manliness in athletes (too many to mention, he points out), and also in a few women such as Margaret Thatcher (a favorite of right-of-center professors). Mansfield omits enough discussion of manliness among military heroes, such as Stonewall Jackson or George Patton (Mansfield does include a mention of the movie). Mansfield does contain some passing references to George Washington.
The book is excellent but has notable omissions: no mention of muscle cars, by which young American men found expression of their manliness in culture. Nothing of significance about the American Civil War. The book admittedly avoids the issue of homosexuality, and it predates the rise of the very manly Donald Trump. The book has only a very superficial reference to Phyllis Schlafly and fails to recognize the significance of the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment.
10th anniversary interview
Mansfield chose to mark the tenth anniversary of the book's publication by giving a c.75min interview about it to Bill Kristol for the Foundation for Constitutional Government. A transcript and audio podcast are also available for download at the website.
Movies
Movies could be rated by their degree of manliness. Over the last 60 years, there has been a liberal trend towards emasculating movies such that few promote manliness today.