Role Models in the Development of Masculinity - Assignment Example

2. Family members like older brothers, uncles, and male relatives act as catalysts or role models in the development of masculinity. Fathers are ‘pushers’ or role models or create an expectation bridge that a boy will want to cross. The social class creates a relaxed or focused approach toward sports. Lower-class people see sports as a means to uphold the community values of the class and see sports as a way of making a decent living, while upper-class people can afford forward-thinking and pursue education with or without sports.

Assignment 22, Mead

1. Among the Arapesh, both the males and females are cooperative, unaggressive responsive to the demands of others, and mild. In contrast, Mundugumor men and women are ruthless, aggressive, and have a personality that we in our culture would find in a very violent man. Tchambuli women are impersonal, dominant and the managing partner whereas the males in their society are passive, less responsible, and emotionally more dependent.
2. Considering the vast human differences between the males and females of the Arapesh, Mundugumor and Tchambuli it is clear that the individuals have raised their children generation after generation with the same values. Children in the societies described have been subject to the conditioning; the fact that they did not resist the conditioning and accepted it as a norm of the society proves that human nature can be conditioned to whatever situation it faces.
3. The United States still has a social setting where men have a set characterization and women have a certain characterization. This does not mean it is a ‘general’ character set applicable to all societies. Although there are deviations, most males and females conform to the character set described. The conditioning of youth takes place on this same character set.

Assignment 22, Benokraitis

1. Subtle discrimination is an oxymoron because it has been internalized and accepted by men and some women. Blatant discrimination is expressed with words openly. Subtle discrimination is less visible and is seen as righteous and protective yet demeaning or objectifying her and yet offering her compliments.
2. Collegial exclusion is something every woman experiences. Falling back in class and not being able to participate or even answer a simple question in class is a classic example. At work, mostly male counterparts were idolized for accomplishments at work and no credit was given for work to women. Accrediting a woman was so tough for the males that it took them conferences and meetings to give and consider women for the work they had done.
3. Individually a woman is hampered from developing skills for optimum functioning in an organizational setting. She cannot climb the ladder which means she faces continuous rejection and maybe psychological problems. On an organizational level, due to a demotivated employee, work performance suffers which does not show growth. Quality of work suffers which can cost heavily to the organization if the employee is a key person in decision making. Firing such an employee incurs the extra cost of hiring an employee and training them for the job.

Assignment 22, Tough Guise

1. Media projects a negative and tough image of masculinity. In order to be masculine media has certain stereotypes that have to be dominant, powerful, and in control. It is more pronounced for people of color, whose images in the media are limited. For example, Latinos are presented as boxers or tough guys. Asian American men are represented as portrayed as martial artists or violent criminals. This makes violence an accepted part of masculinity as opposed to a deviation from it.
2. A) The crisis is that masculinity and the tough guise together have come to be associated with violence through the media projection of it.
3. B) Masculinity and tough guise have increased violence levels. 85% of murders are committed by men. 90% of men commit physical assault. 95% of men commit serious domestic violence where 1 in 4 men will use violence against their partner. 95% of men commit dating violence. 95% of men commit child sexual abuse regardless of the sex of the child. 99.8% of men commit rape, they are in prison for the crime. Statistically, 76% of all men suffering from violence against men are men themselves than females.
4. Curtailing the tough guise should happen on a personal and on an institutional level. Women should not validate the tough guise part of men which will make the tough guise less appealing to men as well. The media has to stop portraying men as the tough guys and give a more meaningful dimension to males of the society as a whole. Men who have taken the alternative route and rejected the tough guise should be taken as role models to give society a better chance of being better human beings.