Grandpa's generation vs. Our's

James Bond, the quintessential 60's man

As I have reflected over my readings of the James Bond novels and my blog posts one of the biggest things I have noticed is the difference between my generation and his. James Bond novels were written in the 50's and 60's, and the movies have been released continually since 1962. Reading a novel from this era is like stepping into a completely different world, one that is run by men. The only women mentioned are secretaries and the girls that Bond seduces. Most often the women are damsel in distress like figures. Bond is the man in charge always and he always gets the job done without much help from his female sidekicks. Even minor characters give their say about the importance of male dominance in society throughout the novels.
A show that I watch called Mad Men also discusses some of these issues, especially showing the power that white males had in the American business world back then. No women were in charge and in the beginning of the show it was unheard of for women to have a position other than secretary. The show has now been going on for six seasons and it is 1968. Women have just started to take some higher positions in the workplace and it has been through ways that the men don't have to take. A lot has changed since the 60's. The civil rights movement, women's rights, all great things. I am so glad that those things happened because if they didn't my mom, an immigrant from the Philippines, may not have been able to secure the jobs she has had. Those jobs are the reason I am in college today and I owe a lot to the reformations of the past. But have there been some unexpected side effects of feminism? This video is entitled "The Menaissance" and outlines some of the problems men face today:

The video shows that many men today fall into three categories: the metrosexual, the dumb dad, and the man boy. Honestly I agree with those modern day archetypes. I have friends from high school who still have not gone to college or gotten a job, who are living with their parents, and are playing video games all day long. I do have friends that are more concerned with their hair and looks than some girls I know. And unfortunately I have some men in my family other than my wonderful father who have not been the father they should have been to their kids. There are now 25% fewer men that graduate college than women. What happened guys? Later the video talks about going back to the values of hard work and responsibility found in our grandparent's generation. Or the rise of the "retrosexual".

It even talks about the masculinity shown in period dramas like Mad Men. I remember my grandfather talking about the hard times his family went through during the Great Depression and the World War that followed. He talked about how he learned to be independent and thrifty from these hard times. He volunteered for service in the Navy during the Korean War and served the duration of that war. In his generation men brought home the bacon and they enjoyed their role in the home. He was a man in every sense of the word. In fact I bet all of my fascination with James Bond and Mad Men ties back to him. Sometimes its like watching a younger version of my grandfather or at least getting a look at what his world is like. Again many great things have happened since the 50's and 60's. Part of the appeal of Mad Men is to show how much we have changed. But also there is a bit of longing and sadness for the things we have lost because of that change. Although feminism and social change have brought great benefits to society we must go back to some of the values and meaning that men had in our grandparent's generation because of the irresponsibility and loss of identity found in men today.