Toxic masculinity is real
But it's not what you've been told it is
The playboy male behaviour of our culture is characteristic of collapsing cultures throughout history.
In falling Rome, Greek historian Polybius said there was ‘permissiveness and hedonism among young men’. Many ‘abandoned themselves to love affairs with boys and others to consorting with prostitutes.’ As Tacitus noted, ‘childlessness prevailed.’ Chastity empowers; indulgence emasculates.
According to Professor Tenney Frank, Rome put luxury over duty: ‘As society grew more pleasure-loving, as convention raised artificially the standard of living, the voluntary choice of celibacy and childlessness became a common feature among the upper classes.’
During the reign of Cambyses, Plato said the Persians went soft: Cyrus ‘overlooked the fact that his sons were trained by women and eunuchs.’ He added that 'the indulgence shown them as “Heaven’s darlings” had ruined their training.’ Spare the rod, spoil the child. And the society.
In the decaying Hellenic world, Polybius noted ‘men becoming perverted to a passion for show and money and the pleasures of an idle life’. They avoided marriage and children. Men without skin in the game don't care about losing it.
Before Sparta became weak, Plutarch noted that ‘greed and love of wealth crept in.' And 'the elements of their strength began to dwindle also.’ They showed ‘nothing of their ancestral discipline any longer.’ Use it or lose it. Civilisation has no save button.
The papyrus 'The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage' says this about the fall of Egyptian civilisation: 'A man looks upon his son as an enemy’ and 'women are lacking and no children are conceived.’ The family is 'the original cell of social life' (CCC 2207). On it all depends: honour it.
The Moors 'came to Spain hardy rough warriors, unused to ease or luxuries, delighting in feats of strength and prowess, filled with a fierce but simple zeal for their religion,’ noted Stanley Lane-Teele. But then luxury made them 'slaves to all the appetites that make men cowards.'
When China began to decay, 'the canker worm of effeminacy had already eaten deep into the heart of the Manchu military organisation.’ (Imperial Mandate of Ch’ien Lung to King George III). When profit trumps duty, honour dies and society with it.
TLDR
Men in falling cultures
Avoid marriage
Have unmarried sex
See children as a burden
Lack discipline
Seek pleasure
Avoid hardship
Love luxury
Don't shame each other
Shame their ancestors
Put money over duty
Neglect physical training
Disregard religion
“An unjust heir who does not support a wife, who does not support a child, has no cause for celebration”.
- Sumerian proverb