In a small rural village, word spread that a man had arrived, seemingly out of no where, claiming to be a Prophet. People began asking him questions regarding the mysteries of life and he revealed many truths and enlightened many souls with his words.
One woman in the crowd, who was coming of age to be wed asked the wise man: "Tell me of Men. Why do their ways seem so strange?"
The people gathered there first began to laugh at her question, but quickly became quiet as the sage proceeded to reveal the inner Nature of Men.
The Prophet said:
"Men are very much the same today, as they were one-hundred thousand years ago. Nature has instilled them with an ability to focus keenly on an objective. Their passions are powerful and when they set their intention on something or someone, they can expend limitless energy in the achievement of their goals. This quality of passion served man well in earlier times, when food had to be hunted, when his sexual drive was not limited by societal restraints and when his home needed to be protected from marauders and neighboring tribes. The successful man of that time honed his warlike skills, cared for his weapons and provided for his family.
Humankind began spreading out and covering the globe about ten-thousand years ago and competition for land, game and women became fierce. Concurrently, in many parts of the world, agriculture was being developed. It was now possible not only to have grains and vegetables available for an entire village, some of the harvest could feed livestock, making hunting and foraging skills virtually obsolete.
Soon, it became clear that some men now had the time and inclination to develop different skills, such as painting stories on cave walls, innovating ways to communicate with symbols and creating valuable items for trade to neighboring villages. Yet most men found it difficult to live this new settled life. In their dreams they imagined themselves still bravely hunting wild game and defeating other warriors. To them, this was their one and only purpose, their inner drive was to conquer, to become strong and admired.
Today, the descendants of these men are still amongst us. They seek competition, battle and glory but society and laws constrain this type of behavior. So men must find other outlets to satisfy their deepest desires. They play and watch games of simulated war, they purchase weapons to hunt down animals, even when food is plentiful, they buy fast machines in an effort to compete with one another, they lift heavy weights over and over, building their muscles in an attempt to appear intimidating, they act out in all sorts aggressive ways to address what their deep biological programming dictates. Some even feel the need to leave their family, job and home to fight in far away lands, without fully understanding the nature of the conflict.
These are the baser instincts of men. They are for the most part admirable traits that have allowed mankind to endure many challenges over the millennia, yet still thrive. These are the qualities that compel men to rush into a burning building, when common sense would suggest to run the other way. Yet they proceed without fear or concern for their personal safety, driven by the chance to save another life. These are the firemen, the police, the security guards, the men who wield tons of steel every day at dizzying heights, to construct massive buildings where many live and work.
These are the heroes of all kinds that rise aloft on wings of courage.
But those same qualities of competition and willingness to confront danger may compel some men to commit crimes, to injure or kill others out of anger or frustration. This is the nefarious side of glory: seeking to injure or eliminate through violence, perceived opponents: individuals or groups who represent oppression (a type of passive war).This is what happens when a young man's energy is not channeled and encouraged by lessons and example to be utilized in the pursuit of good rather than evil.
Many of the men you see around you today are decendents of early warriors, hunters and defenders. But evolution has tamed the warlike nature of some men. In fact, so much so that they have begun to acquire more feminine characteristics. Society's imperative to rein in the aggressiveness of men has resulted in new strains of the male gender that are suited to more intellectual pursuits and some that are just plain lazy. The rise of women in the home and place of work has also had a dampening effect on the collective psyche of men. Many quietly wonder if they are becoming obsolete in a world where women can even bare children without having a man in their lives. Men are complicit in this - handing over their seed in exchange for a small remuneration, unwittingly relegating man-kind to even greater irrelevance.
Young lady, when you decide to settle down with a man, remember, deep inside of him resides his warlike ancestors. Much of his mysterious behavior results from his lack of control over his own deep impulses. He is in many ways, like a wild beast who has been forced to don the trappings of civility for generations. He struggles, he copes, yet sometimes his instincts get the better of him. Yet he is quite simple and pure of heart.
Treat him with respect, admire and encourage his demonstrations of strength and restraint. Feed his passions with good food and boundless affection and with any luck, he will find the right balance between the warrior that he was and the gentleman he is trying to become."
-S.E. Mathias
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- Shane
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