According to the video “Raising Cain\": What social influences affect boys\' men

Question

According to the video “Raising Cain": What social influences affect boys' mental model of what it means to be a man? What are the basic differences in male/female development as babies and young children? What role does nature play in these differences? What do adolescent boys need from adults? What are some of the motivations that adolescent boys have for trying to appear tough? What is the "mask of masculinity? How would you define a female mask of femininity? What do peer groups such as gangs or teams offer psychologically to adolescent boys? What type of parenting does the video recommend:? Look at the chapter definitions of different parenting styles.)

Explanation / Answer

A young age, as we all are well aware of, is an impressionable age; that is, what infants experience and what they are taught is imbibed and imitated relatively easier than by children who are a little older. Social influences play a primary role in the emotional and behavioral make up of a child, triggers of which spillover into ones adulthood. As the social pressure to 'fit' into a particular group construct - that has been formulated by the society - increases as an individual ages, the lines between what needs to be taught and how it is taught starts to edge dangerously close to the precipice of mis-education.

This is a conundrum that is quite tortuous to navigate, but requires to be navigated nonetheless. Young boys of our society are put under the pressure of fitting into the construct of an 'ideal' man, the 'apparent' standardized definition of which has been associated, or more like misassociated, with other constructs that aren't, veritably, the true representation of an 'ideal' man. In the endeavor to be 'cool,' boys from a fairly young age, are almost compelled to prove their stance in the social hierarchy, the stance which can only be achieved by showing/displaying queues of masculinity. Herein the problem lies. The queues of masculinity are misdefined and misguided. Yes, the primitive men were hunter and gatherers, which required them to be physically able in order to tackle an animal - if need be. This, unfortunately, led to the trickling down of a definition of 'masculinity' that is almost redundant and grossly misunderstood. Earlier, Physical strength was a necessity for these men apropos survival; but, now, this physical strength, the meaning of which has somehow morphed and twisted over time, has been redifined by our generation as aggression.

One doesn't need to be highly perceptive in order to gauge that physical strength and aggression are not and never will be - synonymous. Hence, this creates a sense of competition which create a weak mental constitution wherein men start weighing their masculinity apropos their physical strength (now aggression). The absence of which is conveniently ostracized by the social society; and man is a political (social) animal as said by Aristotle, so what will man do? The answer is, Man will try and mimic all the aspects and components that have been implicitly defined by the society for the construct of masculinity in order to be accepted, even if that mean harming the self, mentally, in the long run.  

And this is the mask of masculinity that some of our boys being to adorn from a fairly young age. I wouldn't say that the antithesis of the above mentioned conundrum is what needs to be implemented by the society. But more emphasis on the emotional training rather than the importance given to the superficial aspects could help the mental make up of the boys. As the social and emotional conflicts get overpowering for the boys in their societal or school setting it compells them to adhere and cater to some of the misguided constructs.

Peer groups and gange play an important role in the development of a males psyche. After a while, as the child begins to look for their own separate identity, they start breaking away from the ideal structures of their family, in order to venture out to make their own self structure, which is obtained and satiated by their respective peer groups. This is a crucial stage as children at this pivotal point have the conscious mind to make some important decisions.

Male and Female differences are more than the empirical observations, but also many latent variables that affect the male and female functionality. The first and foremost the hormones, Females have what is called the estrogen, the counterpart of which, testosterone, is found in males. the testosterone is what determines the sex drive and the physical strength in men and estrogen and oxytocin which determines the emotionality of the females. Hence, creating major behavioral differences between the sexes. And owing to having relatively larger hippocampus than their counterparts, woman have the capacity to connect and store emotional information comparatively easier.

If men are given the emotional education, which is an imperative for everyone - and not only females - than the metaphorical caine would not be raised.  

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