The Virtuous Life: Frugality
March 30, 2008
Americans’ are saving their money at the lowest rate in 73 years-the lowest rate since the Great Depression. The national personal savings rate was negative (!) 1% in 2006. That means that as a whole, the country is spending more than it is taking in.
With the economy on a downhill slide, Americans may start tightening their purse strings. But I predict that instead, people will simply start running up more credit card and loan debt. They have gotten used to a certain lifestyle, and feel entitled to continuing living it.
I was once watching a TV show in which a round table of finance gurus were dispensing money advice to the studio audience. One of the advisors said that people should give up little luxuries like a daily Starbucks run and save and invest that money instead. A woman in the audience stood up and cried, “But what if I don’t want to give up Starbucks?” The crowed roared and clapped in approval.
It’s Time For a “Menaissance”
March 27, 2008
Men are no longer needed. For the past 40 years, the role of men in Western society has diminished immensely. Before men were seen as providers and protectors. It seems the only thing men are good for is providing sperm for species propagation. But even that’s been taken away from them. Knowing their irrelevancy, many men are reporting feeling lost, depressed, and undervalued.
What Happened to Wartime Sacrifice?
March 25, 2008
Of all the manly virtues, sacrifice can arguably be said to be the greatest. Yet today it is also the virtue in shortest supply. Where men once saw great honor in being asked to sacrifice for a worthy cause, today they spend their time thinking how they might obtain something for nothing. Nowhere is this more manifest than in the sacrifice related to war.
Today we are involved in two wars: the war in Iraq and the war against terrorism. Yet what have Americans been asked to give up for these engagements? Absolutely nothing. Unless you count putting a “Support the Troops” ribbon on your SUV.
This is not a political post. Nor it is about the wrongness or rightness of the war. It doesn’t matter whether you support the war in Iraq or not. In fact, as we shall see, those who most adamantly oppose the war should be the most ardent supporters of shared national sacrifice.
The Virtuous Life: Resolution
March 23, 2008
This is the fourth in a series of posts about living the virtuous life like Benjamin Franklin.
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
If you are to succeed in life, you must develop the virtue of resolution. Resolution is the firm determination to accomplish what you set out to do. Ben included resolution as his fourth virtue, because attaining it would ensure he would work through the other nine.
I’ve seen countless people set out with the best intentions, only to fail because their resolution was weak. But I’ve also seen many others succeed despite the odds because their resolve to achieve consumed them. A supreme example of resolution comes from the Macedonian military leader, Alexander the Great and his siege at Tyre.
So You Want To Become a Man
March 20, 2008
Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Cameron Schaefer, author of Schaefer’s Blog, a site dedicated to better living. Make sure to check it out and subscribe to his RSS feed. Cameron is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and flies C-17s for a living.
In the modern techno-industrial culture, it is possible to proceed from infancy into senility without ever knowing manhood. ~ Edward Abbey
Six weeks ago I became a father. This experience has changed my life. But more than anything it has got me thinking about being a man. There are a few events in life that society has deemed as way-points on the road to manhood: graduating college and getting a job, getting married, buying your first house and having a child. These seem to be the big ones and, right or wrong, they are used as indicators of maturity in the lives of men, a measuring stick to judge the transition from boyhood to manhood.
I have noticed this more in the past few years as I’ve passed these points one by one. Slaps on the back from my dad’s friends, nods of approval, choruses of “You’re really growing up” indicating admission into the men’s club. These things have become commonplace in my life recently. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not mocking these occurrences in any way. In fact, I’ve quite enjoyed them. Deep down every young guy wants and needs approval from the elders of the church of manhood indicating acceptance as a member…an equal.
But are these life events really the best indicators of manhood? It seems not, as there are plenty of boys walking around wearing the bodies of men, holding degrees, jobs and a hefty mortgage, but retaining the soul of an 8-year old. So what is it that really determines whether someone has crossed from boyhood into manhood?
Building The Perfect Dopp Kit
March 18, 2008
Unlike many women who require a small suitcase for their toiletries, a traveling man needs only a few essentials to be happy. Nevertheless, a man needs a place to stow these items. Enter the Dopp kit.
The Virtuous Life: Order-Become a Master of the Universe
March 17, 2008
This is the third in a series of posts about living the virtuous life like Benjamin Franklin.
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Franklin chose Order as his third virtue because it “would allow [him] more time for attending to [his] projects and [his] studies.” Franklin understood that if he wanted to get important things done in his life, he had to make sure the little things wouldn’t get in the way.
Almost three centuries have passed since old Ben set out to perfectly live the virtue of Order. The lives of Americans today are far busier and distraction-filled than Ben could ever have imagined. People strive to order their lives so that they can have peace and tranquility. An entire industry has sprung up around helping them to do that. Books, blogs, magazines, and consultants offer advice on how you can clean up your clutter. Yet despite the information out there, people still have trouble living up to this virtue. Why?
Read more
The Art of Manliness Weekly Roundup: Share Your Links Edition
March 15, 2008
Lately, I’ve been getting a lot of e-mails from readers sharing links to different articles that they think AoM readers would find interesting. I really appreciate this. It makes my job finding links for the weekly roundup much easier. However, sorting through all the e-mails does take up quite a bit of time. To facilitate link sharing, I have set up a del.icio.us account under the username art_of_manliness.
What’s del.icio.us? Del.icio.us is a website that allows you to keep links of your favorite articles, blogs, recipes, ect. and access them from any computer on the web. It also allows you to share favorite sites with your friends and family.
To set up a del.icio.us account, go to the how to get started with del.icio.us page, and follow the instructions. Then, if you come across a site that you think would be good for the weekly roundups mark it “for: art_of_manliness” (without the quotes). Next time I log into my del.icio.us account, I’ll see the link. If I think it would be something cool to share, I’ll include it in the weekly roundup. If you have a blog, feel free to send me links to posts you’d like to share with AoM readers.
Now for today’s links:
RossTraining.com Blog. If you’re looking to get into shape, this is the place to go. RossTraining offers articles and videos on high intense, low-tech workouts. Most of the exercises RossTraining suggests do not require expensive equipment or weights, but they’ll still kick your ass.
An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up (@ nytimes). Ah, the push-up. It’s an old standard that gym classes and football coaches have been using for decades to strengthen athletes. This New York Times article discusses why the push-up is the ultimate fitness barometer. Also check out Cameron Schaefer’s blog. He wrote an excellent article on the how’ s and why’s of the push-up. (@ schaefer’s blog)
5 Manly Sports That Will Seriously Kick Your Ass (@ just a guy thing) This is a pretty awesome list. I’m thinking about building a tough guy survival course in my back yard.
Stuff White People Like This has nothing to do with manliness, but it’s pretty damn funny. Everyday the author of this blog presents a product or thing that white people seriously dig. Examples include expensive sandwiches, water bottles, and having gay friends.
14 Ways To Affair Proof Your Marriage
March 13, 2008
Photo by HarveNYC
This week New York Governor Eliot Spitzer was forced to confess his involvement in a prostitution ring. The story has been all over the media and many blogs have done posts compiling lists of other prominent men’s fall from grace. But some of the most important questions aren’t being asked. Mainly, how does this happen, especially to a man who has spent his life crusading against corruption? And how can other men avoid falling into the same trap?
The Sptizer case, while certainly high profile, is hardly a rarity. 25% of all American men (and some studies put the number even higher) will have extramarital affairs during their lifetime. Will you be 1 of the 4? Or will you be able to stay true?
Many people look at infidelity as if it was a natural disaster; no one could see it coming; it just inexplicably happened. Perhaps this
is because we are country that has abdicated its belief in personal responsibility. The truth is that not only can men see it coming, they can prevent it from happening as well.
It is possible to affair proof your marriage. Will it be a lot of work? Yes. But that’s what you signed up for when you decided to marry your sweetheart.
Read more
Make Your Resume Pop
March 13, 2008
March 13, 2008
Photo by seychelles88
Every six months or so, it’s a good idea to update your résumé. Even if you’re not in the market for a new job, it’s something you should do. You never know when an opportunity for advancement within your current organization will arise or when you’ll get that dreaded pink slip. It’s at these moments when an up-to-date résumé comes in really handy.
While you’re updating your information on your résumé, why not take some time to make some small changes that can really make it pop?
Get rid of the Microsoft Word Templates. Part of making a résumé pop is having a unique layout. It’s hard to be unique if you use the same template that every other candidate is using. There are plenty of great résumé templates out there. Take the ones you like and mesh them together to make your own unique layout.
Use bullets, bold, and italics effectively. You want to make your résumé as scannable as possible. Use formatting to assist in this.
Give figures and be specific. In your past job descriptions or volunteer section, give specific figures of what you accomplished while holding that position. For example, I used to train third party verifiers for gas and electric companies. Instead of just putting “trainer”, I put “Trained 15 new employees on how to perform third party verifications.” If your only job experience are part time jobs during college, put down how many hours you worked during a week while going to school full time. This shows employers that you know how to multi task and manage your time.
Be confident. Your résumé is not the time to be modest. Your goal is to sell yourself to the interviewer. If you have a big accomplishment, make sure to include it. Be proud!
Read up on copywriting. Copywriting is the art of writing to sell. By studying copywriting you can learn which words are the most effective and powerful in getting your message across. A great place to start is Copyblogger.com. Also, go by your library. There are tons of books on copywriting.
Don’t lie. This is a given, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who fudge their résumés. You can make yourself look good without having to be dishonest. Nothing can hurt your reputation more than lying on your résumé.
Check for grammar and spelling errors. Repeat. Then repeat again. Remember, your résumé is a reflection of you. If it’s full of typos, recruiters will automatically assume you do sloppy work. Take the time to edit your résumé again and again. Have your friends take a look at it as well for editing purposes.
Give your résumé a face lift. Head on over to LifeClever for some awesome tips on how to spruce up your résumé. They offer several design tips in order to make your resume easier on the eyes.
If you liked this article, please bookmark it on del.icio.us or vote for it on Digg. I’d appreciate it.
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