I don’t have very many close friends myself; lost one a year and a half ago, fuck cancer. But I am eternally grateful for my best friend whom I met when I was 6 and he was 5 (7 months difference).
Fuck cancer, indeed. Sorry about your friend.
The article is sad, and interesting, but left something out. I’m curious when they mention, “our culture” if they mean western culture or global culture.
In my limited experience, men brought up in cultures with stricter gender roles and gender separation (which I find problematic for other reasons, but that’s a different thing) have an easier time bonding and being affectionate with their fellow men. The article made me wonder if this lack of male friendship could be honed in on a bit more.
Still wouldn’t “solve” it, but made me curious.
Thank you. He was a damned good drummer and we played in a few bands together; miss him a lot.
Yeah, I think probably “North American” or “Western” at it’s broadest.
Superficially, yeah, but it’s a weird dichotomy. It’s easier to show affection and to bond on common causes, but it’s still necessary to show no fear, weakness, or vulnerability. There is still much held back and disguised.
Agreed. In reference to the topic title “…Dude, where are my emotions?”; buried, for the most part I think.
No surprise, but a nice generalization from the unfortunate stereotype that homophobia comes mainly from closeted men, which washes straight people’s hands of any guilt to put it on a minority instead.
I think there is a distinction between men who are in the closet and men who are insecure about their own masculinity. The latter could include men who are heterosexual but are secretly worried they may not have what it takes to do “masculine” things like fix a car or excel in sports or please a woman in bed.