Manly Patience
Yesterday at work I decided that it would be a good thing to start thinking of patience as a masculine trait. This is not to say that women cannot be patient or that women are not typically patient. Instead, I see this as being something of a standard of masculinity like strength, indifference, and the ability to hold in tears.
Just think of it like this… patience is a trait of masculinity so when someone you know is being upset about this or that taking a long time you could respond with the ever demeaning, “Stop being a girl about it.” The effects of this mindset could be far reaching. Lower insurance rates for men, fewer heart attacks, less stress, fewer grumpy guys, etc etc.
Anyway, let me know what you think, and be quick about it because I don’t have all month!
Patience is overrated.
Comment by Jessica — May 30, 2005 @ 2:21 pm
I think patience should be taught as a mark of masculinity and as a mark of a good person in general - after all, “Patience is a virtue.” As for holding back tears, I think it’s a shame that crying is made un-masculine. Studies have shown that crying is one of the most effective ways to release stress, grief, anger, etc and it’s a shame when men are brought up and taught not to cry.
Comment by Nate — May 31, 2005 @ 3:13 pm