I’m talking about real men, masculinity, the stuff that third wave feminists describe as toxic. I’m not talking about having a filthy mouth, drinking, or sexual exploits. That’s pseudo-masculinity. That’s the mask worn by those who fear actual masculinity. Real manliness is about responsibility. It’s about keeping your head in high-pressure situations. It’s about being strong and dependable, loving your family, and being a man of moral character. It’s about being the one who will stand against evil, alone if need be.

Recently, I listened to writer Andrew Klavan and filmmaker Jeremy Boreing discussing the great westerns. (If you follow the link, the discussion begins at 17:45.) In the course of the discussion, Klavan asserted that the western (High Noon specifically) teaches that “left on their own in a wilderness, people are savages - except for the guy who’s not, except for the one guy who says ‘I stand for this; I represent this; I will walk down this road…’” Boering responded with the observation that High Noon also teaches that “it’s not that you need men to be men before you have civilization; you need men to be men continuously in order that civilization may continue.” In making those observations, they both hit upon the elemental truth that causes the western to hit a man in his heart like few other art forms can. One of a man’s primary purposes is to stand against lawlessness, to fight evil and keep it from our doorsteps, and to face ruthless men down so that women and children won’t have to.

Postmodernism and critical theory have worked to tear down the foundations of morality. Their disciples have worked hard to cast the roles of men and women as social constructs, which we have outgrown and should therefore be discarded. They’re wrong. I have a hard time thinking of anything more terrible than when women and children are abused, mistreated, and terrorized, but that’s exactly what happens when there is no real man to be found.