Manliness
A lot of Americans nowadays are fine with being spoon fed results. Instant gratification. Infomercials try to sell miracle products that allow you to sit down for thirty seconds a day and somehow become 12 time Olympic gold medalist champions. Once proud American men are now fine with eating McDonalds all day everyday. Spartans used to do callisthenic work outs for fun. Americans used to fight for what they believed in. What happened to being an American? What happened to trying to be the best in what you care about? Essentially, what happened to being manly? History has been defined by men who decided it was time to be the best and greatest human alive. Abraham Lincoln. King Leonidas. Both the Roosevelt presidents. Hell, even in fiction, people like Captain America and his sidekick Bucky change the course of marvel history. I mean, Imagine if Britain surrendered to Hitler. That is the meaning of life. Being the best when people need you. Be it making decisions, or physically defending them, you need to be #1. You have to be able to yell I AM THE BEST and have people agree with you, because you came through for them. In daily life, you need to make money to support your family, and if you aren’t making money, you sure as hell better be doing something to help all of them. In dangerous times, you need to be strong mentally and physically to protect them. You can’t have weaknesses; you have to be strong enough, because if you are weak you let everyone that needs you down. If someone loses both of their legs, they better learn how to run on their hands or run on stumps, because they might need to save children from a flaming building. Humans need to stand and help each other, even if you feel they don’t deserve it, because it’s your responsibility. King Leonidas defended his people from Persians with his Spartans. He wasn’t afraid die in order to protect them all. Moses led his people out of slavery. Winston Churchill defended Britain for a year or two. The point is, imagine if these men weren’t strong enough to do any of these things. What if they weren’t the best in their time? Imagine how different history may be. All of the Jews would be dead. All of the great achievements of Greece would all have been crushed under a Persian fist. Hitler would have won. It wasn’t just coincidence they were ready to be heroes. They were prepared and strong, for all of this. They inspired the men who looked up to them to have the conviction and strength to fulfill their own meanings of life. This is one big cycle, because the people are the best become role models for those aspiring to be the best. This is what fathers and mothers should pass down to their children. But I’m making this all sound like everyone needs to do godlike heroic things every day in order to fulfill the meaning of life. The sad part is godlike heroic things don’t happen everyday. But you can be a wizard in your own way to the people you care about. Talk to your grandma, but if she’s dead, talk to her friends who miss her and hear their stories. Play basketball with your little brother. Don’t miss the garbage can when you decide to three pointer that paper ball. Don’t miss the toilet bowl when you use the bathroom. Pick up a book once in a while. Do some pull-ups and talk to someone that looks lonely. You can fulfill the MoL any time you want. Tell your girlfriend you love her when she isn’t expecting it, you might even get something for that. Take your parents to dinner and ask them about their day. Be the best for them, these can enrich your day. But never forget to be the best for yourself. You are the only one that can make every day of your life worthwhile. Sometimes I go on walks by myself. Sometimes I just go outside and sit on my front lawn and look at the sky, even if it’s cold or wet, just because it feels really good. Sometimes I sing songs at complete random just because I feel like it. The other day I started singing Bohemian Rhapsody in this class. Always be ready for something to happen in case it’s your turn to change history. Being the best is instant gratification. You have to be able to look at an infomercial and laugh that people buy shake weights because they think they actually work. Don’t ever let anyone break you, and don’t ever let yourself down. Don’t be afraid if you aren’t the best right now, it takes time, and sometimes you need to be forced into becoming the greatest in order for you to shine. Ulysses S. Grant was a failure until he became a part of the Civil War and completely dominated the south. You have to be the best for yourself and your country.