Will the real Real Man please stand up?

I’ve been seeing a lot of articles lately on what it means to be a “Real” man. Usually, these lists are compiled by sensitive types who are desperate to be included in the category, or neo-troglodytes who revel in bodily functions.

My own list is pretty short, and falls in between those two extremes.

· A real man supports his family: financially, physically, emotionally.
This is his primary objective. All else is secondary.

· A real man keeps up with his friends’ lives.
Shared joy is doubled; shared sorrow halved.

· A real man treats real women as ladies.
And he knows which ones are worthy of it.

· A real man owns at least one weapon with which he is proficient, and knows how to keep it in good repair.
Mine’s a crowbar. Before you scoff, they are one of the best weapons in Half-Life. They don’t run out of ammo, and you can pry open locked doors with them. They are as effective on zombies as shotguns (but you do have to get closer).

All other lists aside, I’ve always liked this one from Robert Heinlein’s Time Enough for Love (you’ll notice he doesn’t specify Men or Women):

"A human being should be able to

· change a diaper
· plan an invasion
· butcher a hog
· conn a ship
· design a building
· write a sonnet
· balance accounts
· build a wall
· set a bone
· comfort the dying
· take orders
· give orders
· cooperate
· act alone
· solve equations
· analyze a new problem
· pitch manure
· program a computer
· cook a tasty meal
· fight efficiently
· die gallantly

Specialization is for insects."

As of today, I am 17/21. I need to get busy.