Menaissance: The Rebirth of Man
by How the traditional American male figure has drastically changed over the past 60 years.
Men of the 1950s seldom cooked. Men of the 1950s seldom cleaned. Men of the 1950s rarely worried about their offspring, and men of the 1950s lived the home lives that most modern men dream of. Masters of their houses, these men had lives of luxury, relying on their obedient wives to manage the chaos of home. After a long day at work, a wife would have created a cozy environment of equilibrium for her hardworking husband. Raising a family was effortless in these times; childcare was the wife’s domain. For the majority of present day men, however, this account of the past seems more like a work of fiction. Encouraged to show their sensitive side, men have now entered egalitarian relationships, putting their patriarchal ancestor’s habits to rest. When it comes to cleaning, modern men know so much they can recite the product names, from anti-bacteria to exfoliation, Mr. Clean to the Swifter jingle. Men now also play active roles in the lives of their children. When researching responsible fathering, doctors at the University of Minnesota best summarize the shift in work/home social norms when they state that, “[t]hese studies indicate that fathers are a significant source of primary child care when mothers are working outside the home” (Doherty par. 36). Active and equal parenting is practiced every day, and is simply one more feature to the evolutionary process that is the male home life in modern America.
Living as the same gender in the same country, one would think that the American males of the 1950s and males of today would have similar lifestyles. Instead each of these genres of men contain divergent values and standards of living-A simplistic masculine lifestyle of a post WWII businessman versus the hectic life of a cleaning, cooking, working, father and husband. Though the 1950s lifestyle may seem glamorous to a modern male, one must realize that every gift has its price; is a simple life of spousal obedience worth the disproportionate amount of gender-based power? Or is a slightly more taxing life worth the strong relationships one can build with his spouse and children? With either decision one thing is for certain-American social norms are continuously changing. From the dominant master of the house to the equalitarian father and husband, these developing norms of society will ultimately shape the future, thus constructing the men and women of tomorrow.
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