Manliness in Martial Disciplines

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Honestly, I suspect - theorize - that the art of manliness is a fuse that will set off the explosive in conflict and violence. It is that belief along with the traits one perceives makes one a, “Man.” What is this thing we call, manliness?

Lets generalize, manliness is a tradition involving male qualities of being brave and strong. It involves what some call, “Masculinity.” There is this site that speaks to manliness, the site is called, “The Art of Manliness.” I have to believe that some of what they profess means manliness may be based on the fact that in ancient times manliness is found based on being a warrior but I tend to think it is about men who take on the social responsibilities of the tribe toward two major things, “Survival of the tribe and Procrastination of that same tribe.” 

Then we get into the whole set of traits used to denote and define a male who is manly. It may or may not involve the next set of traits, idea’s, theories and other such trappings but lets take a look:

A Manly Man must

• Live by a code of ethics and honor.
• To be the best man one can be.
• To live a life of manliness through the cultivation of virtues like, “courage, temperance, industry, and dutifulness.” 
• The art of manliness then states:
• Strive for excellence and virtue in your life. 
• Fulfill your potential as a man.
• Be the best son, brother, friend, husband, father and citizen as humanly possible. 
• Cultivate and live a life of courage, loyalty, industry, resiliency, resolution, responsibility, self-reliance, integrity and sacrifice. 

Then there are those tenants used in martial arts that spell out manliness but as seen from a perspective of the samurai warrior, i.e., such as:

• Live a life of frugality, loyalty, mastery of martial prowess, and honor until death. 
• Live a life where one cultivates and lives by a code, i.e., a code of eight virtues being ‘Righteousness, Courage, Benevolence, Respect, Integrity, Honor, Duty and Loyalty, and Self-Control. 
• To live with a strong sense of filial piety, to develop and live with wisdom and to create, develop and foster fraternity or a brotherhood of warriors. 

Here is the rub with all of this, when you read this you find an ambiguity of open translation, definition and perception as to what it is and what it takes to achieve this goal of manliness, of being a man. In truth, it always comes down to who you are and with what tribe you live and belong for it is the tribe and its associated social connections that drive what a man is, should be and what is required of them. It is the culture and beleif systems of the tribe, family and thus the individual. In short, modern gangs of criminals all demonstrate manliness and have a code and tribe like needs and requirements, etc., all geared by status and what they bring to the table in support of the tribes survival and how they propagate and absorb new blood to the group. 

Does the fact that to us, in our social communities, this is wrong, criminal and just plain inappropriate, etc.? No, it means they live and survive in an environment that is strange, bizarre and unfathomable to us in our world just as ours is totally alien to those who life in that social community. 

It comes down to this, manliness and manhood all depends on such socially driven mandates, requirements, beliefs and culture that drive its survival and ability to remain safe and secure while continuing to propagate the tribe without bringing down the house from all the other surrounding tribes or clans. 

In my culture being of socially correct moral standing, belief and way of life; being of integrity; being of courage and many others is what makes me a person of value socially, i.e., to the family, the tribe or clan and to the larger social group such as our country. 

One of the best benefits of a more traditional form of martial arts and karate is the value system that often comes with the discipline that ends up being a blend of Asian etiquette and culture along with ours of the West. It works and when others who enter the dojo come with an empty cup the brotherhood of the dojo provides a means, when done correctly and accordingly to social tribal standards, practices and requirements to which those empty cups fill up and brim over with manly like manliness, etc.

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