In a world where the role of men has shifted from leader and provider to eye-candy, entertainer, and taxpayer, boys are raised nearly exclusively by women, and society hates masculinity with a passion, many men have no idea what it really means to be a man. They grow beards, drink beer, and follow sports teams, because these are "masculine" hobbies that men are allegedly supposed to do. But is this really who they are, or is this just what lost boys do because they don't know what else to do?

The majority of discussions regarding masculinity and what it means to be a man in the modern day never seem to focus on men, but instead focus on women. Wander over to a forum filled with "Men Going Their Own Way" (MGTOW), and the majority of their discussions aren't about their accomplishments, hobbies, and successes. Instead, they discuss how much women suck. The defining quality of these men is not their stance on the place of men in the world, but on the place of women in the world. Wander over to a forum about the Men's Liberation movement, and you see the opposite: men who hate men instead of men who hate women. Self-hating feminist men eager to cut their balls off and hand their alleged privilege to allegedly more deserving people.

What do women do for us that we can't do for ourselves? Two things: Have babies and sate our desire for heterosexual sex. That is the role of women in the world, as far as men are concerned. Anything else you might want from a woman, such as companionship, money, help around the house - you can do that yourself, or another man can do that for you. Those aren't feminine roles. They're just human roles. Unless you need a baby or heterosexual sex, you don't need a woman.

What do men do for women that women can't do for themselves? The same things: Impregnate them and sate their desire for heterosexual sex. That's your role in the world, as far as women are concerned. They can make their own money and fold their own laundry, or find other women to do that. Or men. But unless they're specifically after sperm or dick, anything else a woman wants can be provided by any human, not necessarily a man.

Our goal here is to explore the role of men in the world, independent of women. For now, ignore what women do for men, what women don't do for men, or what men do for women. Just focus on you. On men. On manhood. What does it mean to be a man today? What are you into? What makes it manly?

I don't have the answers, only questions and opinions. I don't know what masculinity is or should be, but society is afraid of it, whatever it is, and carefully censors the topic. So I invite us to congregate, as men, in this dark corner of the internet, and discuss our lives and the forms that modern masculinity can take.

@Lone_Ranger Dick shaming is quite a modern trend. Look at the ancient statues. They usually had tiny ones, except for Priapus and he was something of a joke god. But that was back in the good old days of pre christianity and pre feminism.

I think a lot of this dick shaming is because of gynocentricity in society. Many women just don't even stop to think whether they are not the ideal size for their men. I recall a girl who I should never have been with (had a very extensive dick count). She complemented me and I in turn told her she was a pretty good size for me. She was utterly taken aback.

"But all women are the same, they just stretch to fit you" she said as if I was a very silly boy.

"Oh no my dear" I told her "I don't have huge experience but I have found that you get women who can't accommodate a full length thrust and ones that you can't seem to find the bottom of or feel enough of the sides of" She then basically told me I was being misogynist.

So on one hand you have a great deal of talk about men's sizes from women who have been around the block and you have women around the block who don't even know that they need to be a good size.

I referred her to the Karma Sutra which, aside from the strange animal names, explains the ideal of a good fit between male and female organs very well. She said it was written by the patriarchy.

What is strange is that there seems to be no ball shaming. You get porn whores gulping tiny steroid shrunk balls into their mouths two at a time and no one laughs -because in the end balls make no difference to her pleasure. Its all about her these days.

@SteinitzX Excellent point.

I think this point is under discussed in the manosphere. Men with even average sized dicks are shamed by women, and also a lot by other men.

Consider the tactic of women shaming men for being average or below average height. Most men realise that they should not join in this inhumane behaviour, and we refrain from it. It's douchey to disrespect (I almost said 'look down upon'!!) short men. It's infantile, unkind and just disrespectful.

But the the average dick shaming that goes on with women is also carried on by men. I think the manosphere ought to concentrate more on that. men ought to be more brotherly to each other. For this reason, I also hate gay-shaming amongst men. I consider homophobia misandrist. Men who love other men? go for it brother. You have my respect.

I'll tell you something personal - I've never yet had an LTR in which my partner has refrained from going out of her way to let me know that I'm not the biggest guy that she has been with. I've had to put up with that shit for my entire 'romantic career'. I've been compared and shamed by every single woman I've ever loved.

Dick shaming is the go-to method for women when they want to manipulate a man....and ....news flash.....they always want to manipultate men. (In my experience).