In letters men exchanged in the 18th and 19th centuries, they referred to one another as “bosom friends,” exulted in their “eternal” and “ardent” attachment, and affirmed that even when apart, “my heart is knit with thine.” In photographs from the same era, men hold hands, sit on each other’s laps, and wrap their arms […]| The Art of Manliness
In the aftermath of the Second Punic War, Roman citizens erected several statues — which remained standing for centuries — of Hannibal. Hannibal. The cruel Carthaginian general who started the war, occupied most of southern Italy for a decade and a half, and terrorized Romans for just as long. Typical of an honor-based culture, ancient […]| The Art of Manliness
To countenance the statistics on divorce is to recognize that happy, lasting marriages do not happen by default. In strong marriages, each spouse, rather than sinking into indifference and complacency, makes an effort to do things that leave their partner enamored and appreciative. To find out what kinds of things tend to have this effect […]| The Art of Manliness
You’re on vacation, sitting on the beach, watching your children play in the water. Everyone is full of sunshine and smiles. You think to yourself, “I’ve got a great family here. We’re doing alright.” Then, you have another thought. You remember being a kid on vacation with your family growing up and the fun you […]| The Art of Manliness
It takes a little courage to offer one’s feelings directly; to risk exposing one’s achingly earnest flanks to criticism and embarrassment.| The Art of Manliness
Emerson said that the average man is “born red, and dies gray.” By this, he meant that when a baby arrives in the world, and inhales his first lungfuls of earthly air, the child turns ruddy in hue, flushed with the vigor and vitality of new life. Thereafter, however, at least once the bloom of […]| The Art of Manliness
Some people have no problem attracting others. Everyone wants to work with them, to be their friend, to have them on their team. Other people have little luck in making and keeping relationships. Their overtures for connection are routinely rejected, and they typically cannot understand why. We often think that the formation of relationships is […]| The Art of Manliness
