/lit/ - Literature

>>15001385
It's written by a homosexual who clearly has some problems with his self identity and his borderline homoerotic fetishization of masculinity (which is very common these days amongst even non-homosexual men) is obviously a way of compensating for it.

>>15001385
From what I remember I wasn't very impressed, it all read like one big LARP. Donovan's life is one big LARP so I suppose it makes sense. I don't hate the guy and I don't care that he's a homosexual pagan like others do, I just don't think he has anything interesting to say that hasn't been said by better, smarter men.

Everything was very much rooted in the material. Again, from what I remember, his basic outlook on masculinity was: "Men should be in a gang, men should be strong, men should provide, men should survive, men should be honourable (doesn't really go into detail about honour other than being loyal to one's group or something along those lines.) Morality in his eyes seems to be relative and related to one's culture/gang.

As others have pointed out his best chapter is on the 'Bonobo Masturbation Society'. I think it was novel and the comparisons to modern men were apt.

The whole book seemed surface-level. He never really tackled the deeper reasons of 'why?'. Everything is based on survival because 'if you can't survive you can't philosophise'. I mean, I guess? Bonbos survive too, Donovan, no matter how effeminate they appear to be.

I don't know, maybe the book wasn't meant to go any deeper than it did. Maybe it was just for the average modern man to read and think "yeah, maybe I should stop being such a pussy."

>>15001385
I thought it was pretty decent but it's not like some super high minded philosophy. Nice evolutionary approach with at least some references to classical history or works. It kinda has a self-help/guidebook feel to it at times though.

>>15001743
> Everything is based on survival because 'if you can't survive you can't philosophise'.
I think he was trying to make an argument about what is natural for men and using chimpanzees or tribal man or classical man was his way of backing it up. Then he goes from what is nature to how you feel or how you should move about the modern world.

>book wasn't meant to go any deeper than it did. . Maybe it was just for the average modern man to read and think "yeah, maybe I should stop being such a pussy."
I think this is fair to say. He is writing for an average man, it's pretty short and doesn't need any previous readings.

>>15001743
Where do twinks fit in in this worldview?

>>15001956
the bottom

I wouldn't get advice from /lit/ on masculinity.

>>15001385

Mjeah was ok, not exceptional but decent. Bought it mainly because of the cover though.

>>15001385
Not good.
Masculinity without fatherhood is dress up. Figures that's what a fag would be into.