I have lived in a society where taboos are taken very seriously and breaking one would very easily earn you outcast status. These range from stealing to killing and everything in between. Most of the don’ts were hidden in tales, especially for children, to make sure they stuck in their heads at all times. Things like ogres were invented to make sure that once mentioned, they instilled enough fear to last a lifetime. One of the famous don’ts is crying for men. Since early in our lives, we were made to believe that for men, the eyes are solely used for sight; nothing more! Even at tender ages as boys, crying was unheard of. It would bring one a very precarious reputation. Wait until you cry in front of girls and you are done. For crying is strictly a reserve of women! Boys don’t die, let alone cry! It was that strict. At the point of circumcision, it got worse. Even after the white man having brought the concept of anesthesia and “proper” hospital procedure, we still were taken to the river early in the morning and chopped using stone-sharpened blades – to become “real men”. Shed a tear and you are a living shame to your family and age mates!
All this because men do not cry, whatever the circumstances. For crying is a sign of submission and weakness. It is conceding defeat in the situation at hand. I read somewhere that when a man is fired, they don’t cry; but rather, they shake hands and head out to plan revenge. Just like Tupac Shakur would have it, when thugs cry, they don’t shed tears they shed blood! This is very parallel with the movie heroes shed no tears, for in their eyes, every man is a hero. Bring a woman in the picture and the man becomes not just a hero, but a savior, a god in some way! That is my society, and we are not very behind as far as civilization goes! The disassociation of men with tears has for a long time been considered as a universal phenomenon. But not anymore!
I've passed the plains, endured the rain!
I've crossed heights, without minding terrain!
I've walked the rocks, never considered the strain!
Yet grown man at lenient pinch, wanna breakdown in pain!
I've crossed heights, without minding terrain!
I've walked the rocks, never considered the strain!
Yet grown man at lenient pinch, wanna breakdown in pain!
Today many men are turning to crying as a resolve for their “little matters”. Ironically, these are the same ones that froze all the tears in their eyes some years back. Many men today are crying over failing relationships! Like we see in the movies. I have even heard arguments that when a man sheds tears over a matter in their relationships, it most certainly a genuine case! So my question is; are these men shedding real tears? Or is it just crocodile tears to get their dirty way out?