Hypermasculinity has been valued and devalued in different cultures throughout history, for all kinds of reasons. We see a surge in literal fascism (which prizes physical strength and dominance) because of anxiety about the future and, as you point out, a sense of rootlessness and uselessness.
The left as it exists can’t hope to fight on this front, nor should they. More opportunities for economic advancement and meaningful social engagement might work, but it would require a major overhaul of our economic system corporate Democrats have no interest in pursuing.
Remember: in 2016 and especially 2020 Bernie Sanders had massive support among young white men. Can you think of less physically imposing persona or “alpha” policy portfolio? Free college, free healthcare, no more stupid wars, the rich pay their fair share, etc.
The Democrats kneecapped him and a significant percentage flipped over to Trump… And were dismissed as misogynists and/or idiots. I saw the similarity right away: Both candidates were saying “I will make your life better — here’s how.”
Thanks for your thoughtful response here. I don't disagree that democrats would benefit from convincing more americans that they will improve their economic prospects in life.
Curious, what historical cultures/instances would you say were examples of times where hypermasculinity was devalued?
Maybe "devalued" is the wrong word — machismo always has currency and always will — but maybe "less crucial."
Anyway I'm thinking the 1970s. Maybe because Vietnam humbled us and (briefly) put America off militarism...? Yes, you had Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, but also Alan Alda and Woody Allen (off the top of my head) as legit templates for admirable, successful males. TV presenters were also more cerebral and way less macho — Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas had top-rated shows (way bigger % of the US watching than listen to Rogan).
Dr. Spock (the MD/author, not the guy from Star Trek lol) was teaching parents to be more loving and nurturing. He was read across the country, not just in "blue" states. Big muscles were ridiculed — bodybuilding was a weirdo subculture. Small cars were not just practical (back to back gas crisises) but trendy. Guns were out of fashion as toys for kids in all but the most redneck regions.
Regarding politics, Carter was the least macho president I can think of, and Republicans didn't rip off their shirts and flex either. Ford was humble and low-key, and even Reagan hadn't put on his alpha tough guy persona yet.
In fact I'd say Reagan brought overt machismo back into the culture more than any other person I can think of. At the same time feminism receded as a cultural force/political ideal and we nudged more into overt post-civil rights racism. (Though nothing like what Trump and other MAGAs get away with now.)
Thanks for this. You make some interesting points about a time period I am not very knowledgeable about.
We wade into complicated waters here, but it sort of sounds like what you are describing is an era where cultural ideas that fell outside of traditional gender roles were momentarily ascendant, and then faded, in an era where the U.S had more of a monoculture than it does now. It's more in the weeds than I wanted to get in this piece, but I think you could argue that what we see now is a cultural bifurcation, where liberal intellectual culture basically considers "traditional" masculine values as gauche, but the rest of the country is still on board, contributing to Trump's sweep. I don't have data and could be wrong, but it doesn't sound like the 1970s was an era where masculinity was more devalued than it is now. "The new man" may have been in vogue, but "toxic masculinity" was not, right?
I am really not well versed in 1970s history, but from quick research, it feels like some of the people you mentioned were of a pretty strikingly traditionally masculine background by modern standard. It looks like Gerald Ford was a standout football player who boxed and served in the military? That sounds like a pretty macho profile of person, especially for contemporary politics. And Dr. Spock was an olympic athlete? And Carter was a navy vet who worked on nuclear submarines, was a standout college athlete, and worked as a farmer? Alda was also a vet.
Imagine democrats ran a farmer/veteran for president now!
I worried I was getting too obscure... talk to your dad about those guys lol. But seriously, I was talking about their persona/message once they were in public life. (Not to get even more granular, but you're talking about men born from 1900–1940; it would be weird if they *weren't* veterans.)
To bring it into contemporary context, think Tim Walz — 30 year National Guard vet, champion football coach, knows his way around a farm even if he's not a farmer per se — yet far from MAGA-macho in persona. A "nice" guy who thought to put tampons in boy's bathrooms so trans male students wouldn't have to make a thing out of their periods.
My overall point was that men were, in general, far less overtly macho back then. It just wasn't "cool", and yes, that's because it was a more top-down monoculture. In fact liberal/intellectual/hipster/media culture is still in many ways an echo of that 1970s ideal. It's because people my age and demo are running it, and that's the paradigm we were raised within.
Hypermasculinity has been valued and devalued in different cultures throughout history, for all kinds of reasons. We see a surge in literal fascism (which prizes physical strength and dominance) because of anxiety about the future and, as you point out, a sense of rootlessness and uselessness.
The left as it exists can’t hope to fight on this front, nor should they. More opportunities for economic advancement and meaningful social engagement might work, but it would require a major overhaul of our economic system corporate Democrats have no interest in pursuing.
Remember: in 2016 and especially 2020 Bernie Sanders had massive support among young white men. Can you think of less physically imposing persona or “alpha” policy portfolio? Free college, free healthcare, no more stupid wars, the rich pay their fair share, etc.
The Democrats kneecapped him and a significant percentage flipped over to Trump… And were dismissed as misogynists and/or idiots. I saw the similarity right away: Both candidates were saying “I will make your life better — here’s how.”
The Democrats never did that. It was all defense.
Thanks for your thoughtful response here. I don't disagree that democrats would benefit from convincing more americans that they will improve their economic prospects in life.
Curious, what historical cultures/instances would you say were examples of times where hypermasculinity was devalued?
Maybe "devalued" is the wrong word — machismo always has currency and always will — but maybe "less crucial."
Anyway I'm thinking the 1970s. Maybe because Vietnam humbled us and (briefly) put America off militarism...? Yes, you had Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds, but also Alan Alda and Woody Allen (off the top of my head) as legit templates for admirable, successful males. TV presenters were also more cerebral and way less macho — Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas had top-rated shows (way bigger % of the US watching than listen to Rogan).
Dr. Spock (the MD/author, not the guy from Star Trek lol) was teaching parents to be more loving and nurturing. He was read across the country, not just in "blue" states. Big muscles were ridiculed — bodybuilding was a weirdo subculture. Small cars were not just practical (back to back gas crisises) but trendy. Guns were out of fashion as toys for kids in all but the most redneck regions.
Regarding politics, Carter was the least macho president I can think of, and Republicans didn't rip off their shirts and flex either. Ford was humble and low-key, and even Reagan hadn't put on his alpha tough guy persona yet.
In fact I'd say Reagan brought overt machismo back into the culture more than any other person I can think of. At the same time feminism receded as a cultural force/political ideal and we nudged more into overt post-civil rights racism. (Though nothing like what Trump and other MAGAs get away with now.)
Thanks for this. You make some interesting points about a time period I am not very knowledgeable about.
We wade into complicated waters here, but it sort of sounds like what you are describing is an era where cultural ideas that fell outside of traditional gender roles were momentarily ascendant, and then faded, in an era where the U.S had more of a monoculture than it does now. It's more in the weeds than I wanted to get in this piece, but I think you could argue that what we see now is a cultural bifurcation, where liberal intellectual culture basically considers "traditional" masculine values as gauche, but the rest of the country is still on board, contributing to Trump's sweep. I don't have data and could be wrong, but it doesn't sound like the 1970s was an era where masculinity was more devalued than it is now. "The new man" may have been in vogue, but "toxic masculinity" was not, right?
I am really not well versed in 1970s history, but from quick research, it feels like some of the people you mentioned were of a pretty strikingly traditionally masculine background by modern standard. It looks like Gerald Ford was a standout football player who boxed and served in the military? That sounds like a pretty macho profile of person, especially for contemporary politics. And Dr. Spock was an olympic athlete? And Carter was a navy vet who worked on nuclear submarines, was a standout college athlete, and worked as a farmer? Alda was also a vet.
Imagine democrats ran a farmer/veteran for president now!
I worried I was getting too obscure... talk to your dad about those guys lol. But seriously, I was talking about their persona/message once they were in public life. (Not to get even more granular, but you're talking about men born from 1900–1940; it would be weird if they *weren't* veterans.)
To bring it into contemporary context, think Tim Walz — 30 year National Guard vet, champion football coach, knows his way around a farm even if he's not a farmer per se — yet far from MAGA-macho in persona. A "nice" guy who thought to put tampons in boy's bathrooms so trans male students wouldn't have to make a thing out of their periods.
My overall point was that men were, in general, far less overtly macho back then. It just wasn't "cool", and yes, that's because it was a more top-down monoculture. In fact liberal/intellectual/hipster/media culture is still in many ways an echo of that 1970s ideal. It's because people my age and demo are running it, and that's the paradigm we were raised within.