this post was submitted on 24 Jul 2023
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/1227654

That is, do you feel like your worth as a man is related to your practical utility?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago

I'd say the expectation to be a strong provider is still very present in society.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

Interesting timing for this question: My answer is definitely "Yes". I am dealing with this a lot right now in my life.

It's interesting because if you'd have asked me four years ago I'd have said 'no', but a lot has changed and with the changes comes new perspective.

My advice to everyone reading this is to understand that things can change so reading everyone's answers might be very enlightening, someday, if not today.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I feel like I've been falling into that stereotype for a while, but it's purely because I DON'T want to be that, ironically. As a bilingual software dev in a third world country, being able to get jobs with US-level salaries means I earn more than pretty much every salaried worker in my country, and probably still earn more than most business owners as well. I have the kind of salaries that congresspeople of my country earn. I can easily 2x my salary as well, if I sacrifice mental health. This means I'm the provider by default. Thus, I feel the pressure of having to be the provider, not because of gender roles, but because having such ease of access to high salaries puts me there. The goal, as it should be for everyone, is to save up and retire young, to not work ever again. I don't care what my role is as long as I get me and my family there, but I do indeed feel that pressure to provide.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

Why should the goal for everyone be to retire young? There are plenty of people who enjoy their job.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

I feel it in my very bones. No need for outside pressure, but I also like being able to eat.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The conditioning is definitely there, and I would be lying if I said I never felt this. Self reflection is sort of my thing, though, prettty much to a fault. That combined with being lucky enough to have (recently) married a woman who sees me for much more than that goes a long way.

EDIT: Whoops, just saw this was an older post. Sorry! Was buzzed and doom scrolling through random subs

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Abilities, skill set, work ethic, and motivation are all elements by which I judge character, man or woman.

Any pressure to perform for me is largely self-imposed. I want to be useful and make a difference. It’s integral to who I am as husband, father, son, brother, friend, and teammate.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

No, I don't.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah. All the time. Even when I'm not feeling up to it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I put that pressure on myself because I think that's something everyone should strive for, regardless of gender.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Not really, men are not pressured to be useful anymore. They are forced for a lot of things, but usefulness is not the most important, even more since women have jobs and can do the same things as men. The pressure was there up to the 50s but it started to fade down after the sexual revolution.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

I feel driven to be a useful man.

I don’t feel any pressure whatsoever and honestly I would appreciate a little, if only to see some agreement between me and my surroundings.