(1/2) Man the Mule: Passivity, the New Masculinity
Tariq Elsaid Tariq Elsaid

(1/2) Man the Mule: Passivity, the New Masculinity

In the fluorescent aisles of a grocery store, the modern man is on display. Slouched, checked-out, and trailing behind a partner who carries all the emotional and practical weight, he’s become a passive fixture instead of a leader. Through two painfully ordinary couples, this essay exposes the quiet crisis of contemporary masculinity: men who have traded agency for comfort, identity for appeasement, and strength for emotional sedation. It’s not malice. It’s drift. And it’s killing them from the inside out.

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(2/2) Man the Mule: Passivity, the New Masculinity
Tariq Elsaid Tariq Elsaid

(2/2) Man the Mule: Passivity, the New Masculinity

This exploratory critique looks beyond the visible behaviors and into the roots: permissive parenting, misunderstood “traditional” gender roles, and the erosion of duty as a masculine cornerstone. True strength has always meant responsibility, presence, and service. And if men lost their way through softness and comfort, they can return through discipline, humility, and a renewed commitment to carrying weight rather than being carried.

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