Manhood in America: A Cultural HistoryFree Press, 1996 - 544 pages In a time when psychologists are rediscovering Darwin, and much of our social behavioral is being reduced to ancient, hard-wired patterns, Michael Kimmel's history of manhood in America comes as a much needed reminder that our behavior as men and women is anything but stable and fixed. Kimmel's authoritative, entertaining, and wide-ranging history of men in America demonstrates that manhood has meant very different things in different eras. Drawing on advice books, magazines, political pamphlets, and popular novels and films, he makes two surprising claims: First, manhood is homosocial - that is, men need to prove themselves to each other, not to women. Second, definitions of manliness have evolved in response to women's movements. When women act, men react. Originally, manliness was an internal virtue and a democratic ideal - British men were viewed as fops, and American men had to be independent, honest, and responsible. By the 1890s, however, manhood changed to masculinity, something that had to be constantly proven through the new explosion of sports, fraternities, and fashion. Finally, in 1936, Lewis Terman, the creator of the IQ test, developed an "M-F" test to analyze adolescents' masculinity and femininity. Until well into the 1960s, the test penalized boys who preferred to draw flowers instead of forests, or who knew that a teacup was used for drinking tea. But just as Terman's categories and questions seem outdated to us, so will our own standards seem temporary to our successors. |
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Page 127
... Bernarr Macfadden , the celebrated founder of Physical Culture , who promoted a new muscular manhood to be built from purified blood , deep breathing exercises , vigorous workouts with barbells , and large doses of his breakfast cereal ...
... Bernarr Macfadden , the celebrated founder of Physical Culture , who promoted a new muscular manhood to be built from purified blood , deep breathing exercises , vigorous workouts with barbells , and large doses of his breakfast cereal ...
Page 272
... Bernarr Macfadden promoted it all in his magazine Physical Culture , from mus- cle building , to clean living and healthy diet , to a " peniscope , " a vac- uum pump designed to enlarge the male organ . Right : Eugen Sandow . Bottom : ...
... Bernarr Macfadden promoted it all in his magazine Physical Culture , from mus- cle building , to clean living and healthy diet , to a " peniscope , " a vac- uum pump designed to enlarge the male organ . Right : Eugen Sandow . Bottom : ...
Page 412
... Bernarr Macfadden , “ An Open Letter to President Roosevelt , " Physical Culture , vol . 18 , 1907 , p . 75. Frank Lloyd Wright , cited in Herbert Muschamp , Man About Town : Frank Lloyd Wright in New York City ( Cam- bridge : M.I.T. ...
... Bernarr Macfadden , “ An Open Letter to President Roosevelt , " Physical Culture , vol . 18 , 1907 , p . 75. Frank Lloyd Wright , cited in Herbert Muschamp , Man About Town : Frank Lloyd Wright in New York City ( Cam- bridge : M.I.T. ...
Contents
The Birth of the SelfMade Man | 13 |
SelfControl and Fantasies of Escape | 43 |
PART | 79 |
Copyright | |
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