Single. And Addicted to the Chase

TheBritishGuy says:
Mon, 14th Sep 20093:07 am 

I read this blog but I’ve never really replied to it because I was here to learn not educate but I feel my experiences may be something worth mentioning here. The timing is even more intereting considering I read an article on manliness only today that has me thinking back to my college days.

I live in Britain but I’ve been to and lived in various places in my life so I’ve always had a fractured culutral background.

I adopted the American version of “manliness”. When I was growing up popular pop culture put guys like Arnold Schwarzenegger on the screen. A man that could barely speak English and had little sense but ran around killing everything in sight and disobeying orders and laws. Rap music was also the biggest thing on the scene back in those days and I don’t have to say much about that.

That was what America gave to me but a funny thing happened when I ended up moving to Britain. Now I didn’t know much about Britain but I did think all the men were a bunch of spineless wussies running around having quiet arguments when they got “cross”.

Britain really opened my mind though. I quickly came to realise there are many other types of “men”. The guys I studied with especially taught me a lot during my college days.

There was this guy I knew called George that was a real tough guy. He used to represent his gym in nation wide boxing tournaments and he was one tough, tough guy. Thing about George was even though he was a tough SOB he was very nice and polite to everybody. He didn’t feel the need to show people he was tough he was confident enough to know he had it.

I ran into many other types of guys too. Raj was a guy that kept to himself and was extremely independant and a free thinker. Tom was the gentleman. Always well dressed and took care of himself expceptionally well. He didn’t act tough but he was well mannered and always had a smile on his face.

Lewis was the adventurer. He took me bungie jumping one day and I nearly passed out. We went to Scotland and he wanted to go into some cave without any supervision. That man was nuts he always wanted to explore something and do something it was never enough for him to slow down and take things one day at a time he always wanted to take risks and defined free spirit.

My closest friend though was Abdul. Now Abdul was a strange friend for me to have because I’d never come across anybody like him before. He was full of pride and extremely proud. He had principles and was extremely driven and idealistic. I never thought a guy that was as “stately” if you will as Abdul would be such a leader but he commanded respect and called the shots. He didn’t have to slam his fist down he just had the kind of presence that would command your attention.

Now here I am with my one dimensional way of thinking and I am surrounded by guys that are a joy to be around, that are great but have tons of charater and are every bit as manly as me or anybody else.

The point I am trying to make is different parts of the world guys have a different mentality. I would have never shook my tough guy/asshole attitude if I didn’t move. I look back at it now and think it was so silly.

Why wouldn’t you have a positive attitude. You can be responsible, self sufficient, free thinking, adventurous, polite, hard working, courageous and so many other things that make you a man.

Just because you leave roses random places in your girlfriends apartment or surprise her after work doesn’t mean your a wussie or any less manly in fact you should do those kind of things.

On the other hand there isn’t anything wrong with pinning your woman against the wall and making her 20 minutes late to work or misbehaving in a changing room. I mean a lot of it is about impulse too.

I know longest rant ever but not all is black and white. Having principles and being nice and polite doesn’t make you a wuss. On the other hand nobody needs a needy guy who can’t stand on his two feet. Character is what makes a man and even a flawed character is better than a spineless wuss.

Grow a pair and do what you want but just treat the people that cross your path in the way you want to be treated.