Is the modern man an endangered species?
“Manthropology,” a tongue-in-cheek look at the science of maleness, examines what recent discoveries in the fields of archaeology and anthropology can teach us about the state of modern masculinity. Ice Age aboriginal tribesmen, he discovers, were able to run long distances at approximately the same speed as modern-day Olympic sprinters. Classic Grecian rowers could attain speeds of 7.5 miles an hour, which today’s rowers can only attain for short bursts of time.
Our culture may be obsessed with muscles: He notes that, since 1982, G.I. Joe’s Sgt. Savage has gotten three times more muscular and Barbie’s Ken now has a chest circumference attainable by only one in 50 men, but the luxuries of our contemporary lifestyle have caused a steady decline in genuine physical power. The book may be a light, breezy work, but it puts our current debate around masculinity into fascinating context. . .
Salon: Do you think masculinity is in a state of crisis?
Peter McAllister: I have a strong feeling that masculinity is in crisis. Men are really searching for a role in modern society; the things we used to do aren’t in much demand anymore, and it seems we’re having a little trouble finding a way to establish ourselves. I don’t know about America, but it’s certainly the case in Australia, that men have an ignorant, blithe assumption that they are the best that’s ever been. But it’s not really supported by the facts at all. . .
Read The dramatic decline of the modern man by Thomas Rogers in Salon.
Who’s going to tell Justin?
This photo is from his modelling portfolio shot three years ago. Since then, to paraphrase the Salon article, the Flying Jeepney has gotten twice as muscular and now has a chest circumference attainable by only one in 50 men.
The Jeepney was a guest player at the PRFU 7s 2010 tournament the other week. He turns up at 2:10. Look, guys you recognize from this blog! Jon, Wolfie, Mark, David, Ned.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
November 19th, 2010 at 00:40
Well, hello there Mr. Coveney! How you’ve been??? Man, my eyes hurt from too much staring :P
November 19th, 2010 at 04:24
Ohmygosh, nakakamatay!!!
November 19th, 2010 at 08:13
ARFU was on Star Sports last night. They showed the finals of the Shanghai and Borneo 7s.
November 19th, 2010 at 09:12
Nyahahaha! Masculinity…something I don’t value much in myself and now its becoming obsolete. Camille Paglia observed that when a civilization reaches it pinnacle, it is always the homosexuals who are at the forefront. Note the Greek and Roman(lots of orgies) civilizations.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:25
oh my! if anyone hits the jeepney while he’s running at that speed, i’m sure it will feel like being hit by a car… or running into a wall. jessica, i just remembered your bumpy ride with them. parang bato nga for sure!
November 20th, 2010 at 10:37
p.s. yummy pic.
p.s.s. i dreamed of the volcanoes last night. yes, the whole team was there. (oh di ba?) but the Milo McFlurry had a bigger part. jessica, would you interpret the dream? =D
most of the dream i was somewhere and busy. and i had to go to the mall and i took the taxi there. when the taxi arrived at the mall parking lot, i saw the team looking around the lot … and i think cleaning up the place. i don’t know why but i immediately knew they were there because they were doing community service. the McFlurry was the one closest to me after i got out of the taxi, the others were farther away. i told him “you don’t have to do that” and he just looked at me although i knew he knew me. i don’t remember the rest of the dream.
November 20th, 2010 at 10:49
sunflowii: It means you have been watching Glee.
Seriously, in a dream all the characters are different aspects of your self. So Patrice is you reacting to you.
November 20th, 2010 at 22:57
@jessica
oops, nabuking ako. i have been watching Glee.
wait, that was a trick question right? hahaha
ah, i like your take on dreams. it is true. my take on the dream above is that after reading your posts here on them, i feel like they’re my friends as well. parang kilala ko na sila.
November 20th, 2010 at 23:37
sunflowii: Naah, that’s too literal. Dreams are couched in symbols. Alternate dream interpretation. You feel that you have committed some infraction that you are paying for (hence community service). On some level you feel that the penalty is unfair (hence “You don’t have to do that”). But it must be paid (hence McFlurry looking at you as if he didn’t know you).