An Iron Grip | Why Men Must Be Strong
Strength is one of the core tenets of manhood. If a man cannot pull his own weight, then how can he be expected to survive in this world? A boy has to test his strength because in all human societies, both advanced and primitive, it is they who must become men. Girls do not need to become women; it is simply bestowed upon them by mother nature. Hence, why feminist academic Camille Paglia correctly stated that “a woman simply is, but a man must become.” ¹ Girls become women as they mature, but boys do not become men as a result of age. Anatomical maleness denotes biological sex but says nothing about one’s masculinity. Strength is essential because it is the easiest and most effective way in determining where a man is within the dominance hierarchy.
Take, for example, the bullet ant ritual of the Mawé culture. Young teenage boys are initiated into manhood by placing their hand in a leaf glove full of bullet ants for five whole minutes without screaming. The bullet ant sting is considered one of the most excruciating experiences. It scores a four out of four on the Schmidt Pain Index, a scale that categorizes the pain levels of insect stings. In his words, he describes the sensation as “pure, intense, brilliant pain...like walking over flaming charcoal with a three-inch nail embedded in your heel.” ² One might ask why we should force our boys to be tough? Why put them through senseless suffering? While such questions are not unfounded, they are short-sighted and ignore an important aspect of the male experience—suffering is part of being a man.
A man cannot choose not to suffer; he can only choose how to suffer. Making men strong gives them options, whereas weak men have none. Without strength, men are malleable and more willing to comply with the demands of those who are more dominant, allowing bullies and dictators to gain power and flourish. The last line of defense against these rulers and their authoritarian influence is strong, capable men willing to fight. It is, therefore, necessary to train boys to become battle-hardened men so they can not only protect their families from individual threats but also fend off foreign invaders who would seek to dominate them.
Examples throughout history show the results of weak men. Men during the Fall of Rome became effeminate and hedonistic, engaging in licentious practices such as pederasty and drunken orgies. Historian Will Durant asserts that “the essential causes of Rome’s decline lay in her people, her morals, her class struggle, her failing trade, her bureaucratic despotism, her stifling taxes, her consuming wars.” ³ No wonder the Germanic tribes conquered them with little to no resistance. As societies lose their masculine strength, the more effeminate they become by contrast to other nations. Weak men, and those who support them, are always the common denominator before the fall of a nation.
Strength—The ability to enact your will upon the world through physical force—is what creates civilization. Every building resurrected, every road paved, every weapon forged, every animal tamed, and technology developed are the results of men applying their strength to dominate the natural world. It isn’t too difficult to understand why strength has become ubiquitous with men. A thriving culture cannot last if the men who make up it are fragile creatures who break at the first onset of resistance. Men are built for struggle. They are designed to adapt to pain. They are meant to be dangerous when necessary. Because, as author Jack Donovan states in his book The Way of Men, “Without strength, masculinity becomes something else—a different concept.” ⁴
In the West, we see a decline in physical strength with the rise in obesity. Consumer culture has made food plentiful which has devolved men from hunters into scavengers. In some sense, men have domesticated themselves with masters of their own making. Convenience gives way to lethargy, and lack of predation gives way to negligence. The market for violence and physical labor has dropped, and what has risen in its place are men who are too afraid to fight because they do not believe they are strong. The lack of male role models and father figures creates a population of lost boys and passive sons. If this trend continues, then real men will wither away much like the strength the West once possessed.
Challenge your body. Schedule yourself a workout routine and develop better eating habits. If you need motivation, then find someone who has similar fitness goals as you. Iron sharpens iron, and your edge must cut. Go to the gym and lift free weights or you can do calisthenics at home. Whichever choice you make is fine as long as you’re consistent. Do not get complacent. Every ounce of energy, muscle, and stamina you can muster will be necessary if someone threatens you or your loved ones, and you must be ready to draw upon your strength in a time of crisis. More importantly, however, testing your strength daily will remind you exactly what you’re capable of building both your confidence and mental fortitude
Be strong. Do not be swayed by arguments that shame you into thinking that such men are what contribute to toxic and aggressive behaviors. Men must express their strength to feel like men. It is a rite of passage that all men must pass through sooner or later. And they will either succeed in becoming strong—or they will continue to fail—never to be bestowed the title of Man. Indeed, in the world of Men, your words are worthless unless they can be backed by action. If one must suffer to become a man, then one must learn to harden himself against opposing forces no matter how much they try to soften him. So, make a fist and develop an iron grip on life.
