The Testosterone Crisis

American Thinker ^ | November 22, 2008 | Ed Kaitz

[neverdem]

The sweeping Democratic electoral victory has left many conservative Americans concerned about their children's future.  With the federal government, educational establishment, entertainment industry and media thoroughly in the hands of the left, disturbing questions surface concerning the kinds of values our children will begin to accept as "mainstream."  Matters get worse when one considers what might become forced indoctrination in "community service" organizations as a prerequisite for college admission.

These concerns were on my mind during a recent outing with my young children to a local playground.  While I watched my kids try to scale walls, climb ropes, and navigate through other challenging structures various male voices I had obviously missed on previous visits to the park suddenly resonated.  "Try it on your own" or "you don't need any help with this one" the gaggle of fathers would say as their sons and daughters sized up various obstacles.  And while many of the moms cringed on the benches the young ones tripped, fell, clawed, and cried at times but they usually ended up victorious.

The ancient Chinese thinkers would have called my local park a microcosm of nature -- a dynamic reciprocity between the forces of feminine yin and masculine yang.  It is as natural for the moms to be overly concerned about the bumps and bruises as it is for the fathers to be encouraging independence and self-reliance.  Yin and yang represent two complementary energies in nature, the balance of which determines the health and harmony of a marriage, a family, a village, and even a nation.  These same Chinese philosophers warned however that unhealthy families, like unhealthy nations, are usually the victims of an overabundance of either the feminine yin or the masculine yang.

Chinese emperors for example attempted to head off this underlying and menacing threat of imbalance by castrating their ministers.  Why?  Too much yang testosterone in the palace would lead to dangerous factions and competition.  More eunuchs around the court meant the palace would be a better reflection of the harmony in nature.  Imperial concubines would also be sheltered from potential male rivals of the potentate, but this was entirely incidental to the theory.)

While an excess of yang energy was considered explosive and dangerous, what happens in a country like contemporary America when there seems to be a dangerous oversupply of feminine yin?

In his book The Suicide of Reason Lee Harris argues that our present state of liberal democracy has led to "eliminating the alpha males from our midst, and at a dizzyingly accelerating rate."  Instead of supporting and valuing testosterone's virtues we're "drugging our alpha boys with Ritalin."  In addition, one could view Barack Obama's election as the triumph of yin over yang.  Obama's policies promise to cast the father out of America's parks and replace him with the more "caring" and yin oriented federal government.  For Lee Harris however the feminization of American men comes at an extremely high price:

"The end of testosterone in the West alone will not culminate in the end of history, but it may well culminate in the end of the West."

It was in ancient Greece for example when the West began to associate the masculine yang voice with freedom and self-reliance.  Why?  Because when Athenian citizens perused the known world they noticed something rather curious: in no country other than Greece did citizens enjoy freedom or the virtues of democratic government.  Famous Greeks like the fifth century B.C. physician Hippocrates attempted to explain this fascinating anomaly. What Hippocrates and other Greek observers all tended to conclude was that the rest of the world's subjects must be "effeminate" or else, like the Greeks, they would have demanded -- like real men -- to be left alone by their leaders. 

In his essay On Airs, Waters, and Places for example Hippocrates notes that those who endure life under a despot are "cowardly, as I have stated before, for their souls are enslaved."  Greeks however are "independent, and enjoy the fruits of their own labors," and in addition they "encounter dangers on their own account, bear the prizes of their own valor, and in like manner endure the punishment of their own cowardice."  The good doctor concludes with a rather chilling observation: "A man's disposition will be changed by his institutions."  In short, what Hippocrates argues is that the more "maternalistic" the government, the less the citizenry will value freedom.

We can now start to understand part of Obama's appeal.  Alpha males in this nation have been browbeaten in every profession, most notably in education.  Indeed, the largest percentage ever of young, educated Americans in a presidential contest threw its support behind Barack Obama.  In addition, whereas John Kerry received 51% of the female vote in 2004, Barack Obama garnered close to 60%.  When black Americans overwhelmingly supported Obama to the tune of 90%, how much of this support was a product of race and how much was simply a product of a culture in which 70% of children are raised without fathers?

Both political parties now believe that they can garner votes by playing the yin, or compassion card.  We've seen this with the Bush Administration and its heavily statist "compassionate conservatism."  On the other hand, Democrats in congress thought that extending loans to unqualified borrowers was an act of compassion.  An excess of yin is now causing many of our states, like California, to go broke.  Despite these examples an "uncaring" America was the chief rallying cry of Barack and Michelle Obama during the recent election.

In his classic work Democracy in America Alexis de Tocqueville entitled one of his chapters "What Sort of Despotism Democratic Nations Have To Fear."  Near the end of the chapter there is a rather sobering observation:

"It is indeed difficult to conceive how men who have entirely given up the habit of self-government should succeed in making a proper choice of those by whom they are to be governed; and no one will ever believe that a liberal, wise, and energetic government can spring from the suffrages of a subservient people."

Will Americans become so subservient under an Obama administration that a future yang style candidate like Ronald Reagan becomes impossible?  A healthy nation, like a healthy family, should have a proper balance of yin and yang.  Ideally, the relationship should be a balance between yang's independence, competition, and merit, and yin's more gentle, cooperative, and egalitarian energy.  We're at a critical moment in our history however when the forces of yin in American threaten to bury, not complement, yang.  Despite what the radical feminists might tell you, alpha male energy is natural and necessary for many things, including national survival.

There's an eight year old boy in my neighborhood who still rides his bike with training wheels.  There's no father at home.  Is America looking at training wheels writ large?  We know that most contemporary, estrogen-heavy Europeans would like to rid America of its testosterone.  They may just get their wish.

[worst-case scenario]

Just don’t sit her next to raptor29 at a dinner party.

[metmom]

ping

[Lauren BaRecall]

American men need to stand up and be men again.

And American women need to learn how to be women.

[raptor29]

Your thoughts are all very sound, but understand, I’m making my points the way I am making them because all that your recognize in your post needs to be undone and unraveled, and waking people up is part one. All this bs wuss-ass ‘nuanced’ liberal approach to our ‘discussions’ needs to be tossed. Everyone has been conditioned to this and it has to stop. And no, everyone’s opinion doesn’t always count, and we don’t have to listen to it or lend it any more credence than it warrants.

[raptor29]

Better go to page three of your liberal playbook, the ‘this usually works against men who always seem to back down’ chapter. And by the way, ‘there is a near universal truth that the bigger the internet bully.....’ Oh, there is? And your proof of that is about as non-existent as the logic in your arguments. Actually, you have no arguments, you just call people names. Just like a liberal is trained to do.

[upchuck]

Wow, what an unexpectedly good article.

Thanks for posting.

[Revolting cat!]

Testosterone will be criminalized.

Where I hang my hat it has been criminalized. See the rash 'sexual harassment' cases in workplaces. Also, this is a good example of corporatism (fascism), when private businesses implement government inspired or mandated policies.

[Revolting cat!]

And American women need to learn how to be women.

Thanks, Luaren. And, by the way, I do know how to whistle!

[wombtotomb]

American men AND American women need to start being AMERICAN again. I have 3 boys, ages 15,16, and 21. I told them it was not an emergency if you scraped your knee, and they soon learned an emergency meant 1. we couldn’t stop the bleeding with a butterfly bandage 2. Your arm/leg was a different shape then when you started your adventure. 3. The house was on fire (luckily, my 15 year old didn’t start one when he shot FLAMING ARROWS over our HOUSE!)

My boys played ice hockey, hunt, fish, camp,and build “stuff” in the garage. They can fix cars, air conditioners and filet fish. No shortage of men in my home, because I let their father be “the man” and teach them all that gross stuff. I kissed boo boos, and prevented him from killing them when his tools went missing or his gas tank got returned on E. I taught them to read and be nice to girls. I taught them that doing the dishes won’t kill them, and laundry is not hard to do. We also, most importantly, taught them a deep and abiding faith in Jesus and His Church.

One is a personal trainer now, one is going into seminary in a year or so, and one, well(the arrowshooter) he loves computer stuff. None will work with their hands, like their daddy does, but they all CAN if they need to.

Step up men, stand back women, and lets raise wholesome American Children!

[Revolting cat!]

Damn, I should have married a woman like you!

[wombtotomb]

Sorry, too late, one marriage per lifetime, but thanks for the boost :)

[DBCJR]

My son is a West Point candidate. He was re-thinking the whole thing when Obama’s election became almost a foregone conclusion. Hate to cut-n-run, but we have a POTUS that espouses that philosophy.

[fr_freak]

All this bs wuss-ass ‘nuanced’ liberal approach to our ‘discussions’ needs to be tossed. Everyone has been conditioned to this and it has to stop. And no, everyone’s opinion doesn’t always count, and we don’t have to listen to it or lend it any more credence than it warrants.

I don't know if your "nuanced" comment was directed at me, but let me be clear here. When I say not to be disrespectful to your wife, I am not saying to beat around the bush and be in anyway unclear in stating your position. What I'm talking about is the difference between telling your wife "shut up, bitch" and telling your wife "I understand that you feel that way but you are wrong, and we are going to do it my way, lady". And this applies to marriages, specifically, although serious relationships could be included. Telling your wife "shut up, bitch" to me is a sign of weakness, that you are unsure of your position and have to reinforce it with hysterics, which is the same manner in which women often get their way.

As I said before, this principle of respect applies to marriages. They are sacred. I do not see it as being as necessary to give the same respect to strangers, although I recommend maintaining some level of class and dignity, as long as it doesn't interfere with you getting your point across.

[Eaker]

I’m a woman and telling me to shut up would be up there on the ‘things you don’t say to me’ list.

I tell my wife, TheMom, to shut up all of the time.

She doesn't seem to be able to do so.

[Squantos]

First few years ya try and teach em to talk and walk and then ya spend the rest of yer life trying to get em to shut up and sit down .......:o)

Vicious circle of life......

[raptor29]

No, I was agreeing with your thoughts on the subject. But at the same time, for the others, I am going overboard to shake it up, because frankly, our side needs to be shaken up, not just on this issue but most issues. We have let a much more aggressive opposition rule the day for about 4 decades and it’s time to stop. And unfortunately, sometimes you need to shake people up to wake them up.

[TheMom]

I tell my wife, TheMom, to shut up all of the time. She doesn't seem to be able to do so.

Excuse me Eaker, did you say something?

[goldstategop]

Without strong males, no country can succeed. Women are good with love and compassion but they lack strength and endurance. That's what men provide as way of correction to an overly "soft" view of the world.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[jacquej]

Ok, here is my old grey head take on this subject.

There is a need in our children’s lives for both yin and yang. Infants and toddlers need a whole lot of yin to develop basic self-confidence. That means lots of very close nurturing from Mom, the giver and sustainer of the human infant.

In our culture, we deride that, putting infants and toddlers in day care, separating them from the one human being who is their whole world, who has to work to help keep up with the Jones.

Dad’s job during these early years is to provide protection and support for Mom, loving and admiring her for meeting the baby’s demands on her energy and psyche. He makes sure she has a break from time to time, so she can sustain her energy for the full time task of mothering, which is a 24 hour a day job.

When a child reaches a natural age for separation from Mom, (and he/she will do that on their own, believe me), and turns toward playmates in the neighborhood, Mom begins to let go, so Dad can come into his own.

When Mom gets overly upset about the rough and tumble of early childhood play, Dad can remind her that these are early life lessons, and that her good mothering has given the child the resilience to recover from these upsets.

Since the child is now verbal, and has, thanks to Mom, a good sense of basic trust in his parents, Dad will be even more admired and respected as an authority.

Mom is still a nurturing supporter, but encourages the child to listen to Dad’s wisdom, and as she shows respect for her husband’s leadership, the child will have the benefit of both “yin and yang”.

This dance between mother and father goes on throughout the years. Mom offers sympathy (and some comfort food) after a bump on life’s highway, while Dad encourages getting back up off the ground, and giving it another try.

[Yaelle]

This is perfect, what you said. I am the yin, and I can tell you that if you are not rushed toward pushing your kids into early formal education, they cling for a good long time to Mommy, and I put so much love and affection into them (while at the same time teaching them to be well-behaved) that their hearts fill up with love. I know they will love hard, long, and well to all their special ones in their future, because I showed them how.

They soon blossom, like you say, and get out there with a ton of self-security, and make things happen. My kids are good, confident kids, once they are ready to leave the shelter of Mommy’s arms.

I couldn’t be a Daddy (yang) if I tried. But I don’t want to delegate the Mommy part of it to any hired help or school. It is too important to me, them, and the rest of society. The more well-loved kids out there, the better for us all.