Pick a quote from our 80-ish quotes on manhood and reflect on why it stands out to you. Does it reflect a man that you aren’t yet, but hope to be? Does one of them remind you of a great man in your life who you’ve tried to model? If you can’t seem to reflect on a single quote, just take the time to write out a few of them that you like. Doing so will keep them top-of-mind and perhaps lead to some thoughts later down the road.
As someone who has tried to capture what it means to be a man in words I read the quotes on manhood looking for one that did that. I found many words about manhood that didn’t try to capture it and a few that at least attempted to capture it. I found some that seemed to have a shallow or incorrect version reflected in their words.
The closest quotes were:
- “Duty is the essence of manhood.” –George S. Patton
- “There is one rule, above all others, for being a man. Whatever comes, face it on your feet.” –Robert Jordan
- “To be a man is, precisely, to be responsible.” –-Antoine de Saint-Exupery
- “And a man, a man provides. And he does it even when he’s not appreciated, or respected, or even loved. He simply bears up and he does it. Because he’s a man.” –Breaking Bad
- “To be a man requires that you accept everything life has to give you, beginning with your name.” –Burl Ives
If I were defining manhood in words now I would say that being a man in essence is defined as always taking responsibility for your own actions and your own situation, always being true to your word, always honoring women and the virtues of womanhood, and always lending your strength for the benefit of others—especially those who are unable to protect themselves. In order to accomplish those four things it is necessary for you to know the difference between right and wrong, to accurately distinguish between those who are in need of protection and those who are best served by allowing them to stand or fall on their own strength, and to understand the unique qualities that women offer which compliment the traits of manhood.
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