Who in Russia does not know Nekrasov’s famous lines about Russian women who can do something that, as a rule, is characteristic only of men!
At the same time, the poet does not at all claim that the entire female population, as they say, without exception, is capable of this. When he writes that “there are women in Russian villages,” then he is talking about the individual, the chosen ones, who symbolize some kind of extraordinary opportunity. For the simple reason that it was the duty of the men to stop the horse and enter the burning hut.
The Creator – for believers, nature – for atheists, had a certain intent, because of which a single humanity is divided into two halves according to the most important psycho-physiological features, and no one has disputed this until now. But today men can be effeminate, women can be like men. Similar travesty was found in pre- and non-Biblical cultures, homosexuality was known in Ancient Greece and Ancient India.
But only recently has it become the norm that was not considered as such before. That which in the first half of the XNUMXth century determined the tragedy of the individual and was carefully concealed, is now on display.
If a man has a sense of responsibility, then you no longer need to think about who will enter the burning hut
All these considerations help me approach the seemingly banal question: “What does masculinity mean today? What is it for modern man? (consciously I don’t write – for a man). For us, the first post-war generation, there was no doubt: our fathers and grandfathers were courageous, who defeated the Fritz. In mothers and grandmothers, we valued beauty and femininity. And probably, they did not really understand that they are courageous no less than our men.
In general, Soviet life – even in its most harmless manifestations, such as obtaining a certificate from the ZhEK – required courage. If I now begin to assert that the masculinity of a man is physical and moral strength, a willingness to solve any problems, to help the weak, the ability to love and the ability to support loved ones, then, of course, I will run into objections not only from desperate feminists, but also quite moderate fighters for women’s equality.
Today, women have the same socio-psychological qualities as men, and can completely do without us, even in the matter of procreation. And men have not yet learned to give birth. What is our courage? I will answer extremely subjectively, but honestly: a modern man must have a sense of responsibility. It can be congenital or acquired – it is absolutely irrelevant.
It is only necessary that it always determines our decisions and actions – this is much more important than the ability to hammer nails or smartly drive a car. And then there will be no need to think about who will enter the burning hut.