These are fantastic questions. I've personally been working on this for a few years now, and the more I learn the more I find that I do not know. I'll try to answer them as best as I can.
*What are your thoughts on masculinity?*
Masculinity means answering the following question:
-What do I have to
do, or what do I have to
become, so that when I die, I can die COMPLETE, with a smile on my face, knowing that I have given everything that I have had to give.
Obviously you can't answer this overnight, but spend time on it. You will have to shed all the layers of social conditioning.
*On being a man?*
Sam Keen summarizes this nicely:
"There are two questions you ask in life; where am I going and who's going with me. Don't get them in the wrong order"
*What do you think are manly attributes?*
-Knowing what you are response-able
for
-Knowing what you are response-able
to
-Integrity to purpose
-Absorbing what is useful, rejecting what is useless.
-Spiritual Warrior
-Unconditional Self-Confidence
-Wisdom
-Teacher
-Flexibility, don't be rigid.
-Relaxation
-Knowing and synergizing your strengths
-Action
-Simplicity
-A synergy of courage and consideration.
-Inner silence
-Not just knowing your purpose, but having the feeling in every cell of your body.
*How does one develop masculinity?*
-Become aware of your death
-Ask yourself constantly "Who am I? What am I?"
-Work on your self-actualization
*What do you think is the role of men in todays society?*
-You don't have a "role". You don't need to "save" society either. Just get the most out of life, self-actualize. Don't put too much meaning into wealth, fame, and success. If you want to start a business then make sure your passions and strengths match with what people value. Otherwise just play! Be cool, relax, be chill :P hehe
*Who have you men looked up to in terms of male role models? Any who weren't your dad?*
-I've had a few role models, Bruce Lee was a real inspiration for me, but I keep returning back to the crucial fact that there's only ONE man you need to look up to, and that's YOU
Here's a poem, which I love, that summarizes everything pretty well:
Warrior's Creed
I have no parents: I make the heavens and Earth my parents.
I have no home: I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death: I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power: I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means: I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets: I make character my magic secret.
I have no body: I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes: I make the flash of lightning my eyes.
I have no ears: I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs: I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy: I make "unshadowed by thought" my strategy.
I have no design: I make "seizing opportunity by the forelock" my design.
I have no miracles: I make right action my miracles.
I have no principles: I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics: I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents: I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends: I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy: I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor: I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle: I make immovable mind my castle.
I have no sword: I make absence of mind my sword.
--Anonymous Samurai; 14th century
You can take responsibilty for your life
Imagine everyone you know, both whom you love and whom you hate, and imagine they were all gone... you totally had to be independent physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually... how would you live your life?
I hope that helps.
Den.