--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Society at large can't make up its mind…" description: "\"“Society at large can't make up its mind about men. Having spent the last thirty years redefining masculinity into something more sensitive, safe, mana..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/john-eldgedge-249150_psychology_society-at-large-can-t-make-up-its-mind_2090601.jpg" --- # Society at large can't make up its mind about men. Having… ![“Society at large can't make up its mind about men. Having spent the last thirty years redefining masculinity into something more sensitive, safe, manageable, and, well, feminine, it now berates men for not being men. ... "Where are the real men?" is regular fare for talk shows and new books. You…” quote by John Eldgedge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/john-eldgedge-249150_psychology_society-at-large-can-t-make-up-its-mind_2090601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/john-eldgedge-249150_psychology_society-at-large-can-t-make-up-its-mind_2090601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f47/john-eldgedge-249150_psychology_society-at-large-can-t-make-up-its-mind_2090601.jpg) > ““Society at large can't make up its mind about men. Having spent the last thirty years redefining masculinity into something more sensitive, safe, manageable, and, well, feminine, it now berates men for not being men. ... "Where are the real men?" is regular fare for talk shows and new books. You asked them to be women, I want to say.”” [John Eldgedge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eldgedge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques modern shifts in masculinity that demand sensitivity, suggesting a loss of traditional male identity and calling for a return to authentic manhood. **In simple terms:** Modern masculinity redefines men, causing identity loss. Key Takeaway Reclaim authentic masculine identity. Themes masculinity identity gender roles cultural change self‑discovery Mood critical thoughtful Type Masculinity:1 Psychology:1 Real men:1 Thirty years:0 Men Real:0 Masculinity Sensitive:1 Redefining Masculinity:1 When to use this quote - men’s groups - counseling - cultural analysis Key Concepts masculine archetype social expectations personal authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What defines true masculinity for you? - How can men balance sensitivity and strength? A Different Perspective May ignore benefits of emotional openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity/) [Masculinity Sensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/masculinity-sensitive-4130255/) [Men Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-real-462173/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Real men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-men/) [Redefining Masculinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/redefining-masculinity-4130256/) [Thirty years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirty-years/) ## Related quotes > [When I won I always was part of a real team with real men and a real coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/when-i-won-i-always-was-part-of-a-real-team-with-real-men-and-a-real/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [“real men cry, real men have feelings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-zephaniah/real-men-cry-real-men-have-feelings/) [Benjamin Zephaniah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-zephaniah/) > [Real men are real friends, showing their real commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-men-are-real-friends-showing-their-real-commitment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “Just as there are 'real men', there are indeed real women". ~R. Alan Woods \[2012\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/just-as-there-are-real-men-there-are-indeed-real-women-r-alan-woods/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [Real women don't put up with nonsense from men.Real men don't throw nonsense!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mly-ab/real-women-don-t-put-up-with-nonsense-from-men-real-men-don-t-throw/) [MlY AB](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mly-ab/) > [In those days spirits were brave, the stakes were high, men were real men, women were real women and small furry creatures from Alpha…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/in-those-days-spirits-were-brave-the-stakes-were-high-men-were-real/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I hate short hair on men - the 'real' man is something I don't know. My dad was always playing with hairbands, making rings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-doillon/i-hate-short-hair-on-men-the-real-man-is-something-i-don-t-know-my/) [Lou Doillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-doillon/) > [Real men know how to move as real men. Real men won't allow themselves to be disrespected. Real men aren't punks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/real-men-know-how-to-move-as-real-men-real-men-won-t-allow-themselves/) [Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [Great men are the real men, in them nature has succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/great-men-are-the-real-men-in-them-nature-has-succeeded/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [“...the new man cannot exist without the old monster masculinity. 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It's the only thing "real" men do that doesn't seem to threaten their masculinity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/making-coffee-has-become-the-great-compromise-of-the-decade-it-s-the/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [There is assuredly no more effectual method of clearing up one's own mind on any subject than by talking it over, so to speak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/there-is-assuredly-no-more-effectual-method-of-clearing-up-one-s-own/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Gay men in a very real way created my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/gay-men-in-a-very-real-way-created-my-career/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More Masculinity quotes > [I think there's a lot of scope in broadening the way videogames approach depictions of masculinity, which is still extremely narrow in scope. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-druckmann/i-think-there-s-a-lot-of-scope-in-broadening-the-way-videogames/) [Neil Druckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-druckmann/) > [“The natural gods of men are other men, mythic or real, who embody manhood in men's eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-donovan/the-natural-gods-of-men-are-other-men-mythic-or-real-who-embody/) [Jack Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-donovan/) > [I do think that stand-up comedy in general heavily favors masculinity and so I like to act a little feminine onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-do-think-that-stand-up-comedy-in-general-heavily-favors-masculinity/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-playing-the-hunky-action-guy-and/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [All I can do is seek the information that'll make me stronger, that'll help me overcome my toxic masculinity, my male privilege, because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-parker/all-i-can-do-is-seek-the-information-that-ll-make-me-stronger-that-ll/) [Nate Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-parker/) > [In colonial America, the father was the primary parent. . . . 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