What do you do with a Generation of Young Men without Fathers who have grown up Idolizing Womanizing Criminals?

Have them watch Ax Men....

The History Channel put on a new show where they just follow some guys in Oregon around during the logging season and it may be the most positive thing going on in American culture right now. This is a picture of rough, honest men in lean times working in a rough yet rewarding profession with no margin for bullshit. And the views are just down right beautiful - this show takes place in the towering, still wild Cascade Mountains and with men who still fight for their wages and are prepared to fight for anything else dear to them. These men embody the American spirit which has sulked away from much of our cities and suburbs.

So why do I think a show embracing this type of masculinity is so great? Keep in mind, American manlyness (which has been in decline for many years) has positive virtues, virtues which I believe greatly benefit this country - crime and dishonesty are unmanly, running out on your wife and kids is unmanly, being economically unproductive is unmanly, allowing the government to take away an inch of your freedom is unmanly, being a 30 year old man living in your mother's basement is decidedly unmanly (the so-called "child-man").

The best cost-free move our government could make right now would be to put 1 episode of this show on in ever 8th grade civics class - what womanizing rap star could hold a light to these men?


If you can, check out an episode. (And if you are a man, just try to tell me you didn't want to be a lumberjack afterward. )

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-eiDT5EeM&feature=related