The Art of Manliness had a Sunday Thought piece entitle "Permission to Be Wholesome, Granted". It is a short read (maybe five minutes) and worth your time.
The gist of the article is that people these days almost need permission from some to pursue a wholesome life, rather than a life which tracks the current Zeitgeist as one of "disaffection, indifference...a little edginess...not naive...cultivating this kind of world-weary insouciance", to pursue a life which may be punctuated by actually liking your family, not participating in things like the bulk of the world does, to enjoy simple activities, to actually be grateful.
Initially when I read the article, I thought "Well, that seems a little odd". But then I started thinking about it more. And, gosh darn it, the McKays are right.
Do not look to our society or even most of our institutions to support this sort of contented lifestyle or thinking. Our modern society largely seems to built on being discontent with any number of things, starting with our appearance and our things and ending with the world and the way it is. Sure, there is a movement to push towards greater simplicity and contentment, but there too often seems to be an edge on this, an underlying sort of smugness that pursues a thing not for its positive values, but in opposition to the current practices and thought. It is one thing to say "I am simplifying my life because I can spend less money on unimportant and unnecessary things and more on the things I truly want"; it is another thing to say "I am simplifying my life because people are awful and only the selfish waste resources".
And in terms of our entertainment (of which, to be fair, I am blissfully ignorant of current trends), I cannot think of a role model that is publicly celebrated that lives in such a wholesome manner. Are they out there? Certainly. Does our (or Western) culture celebrate them? Not really.
So if you are one of those folks looking for some kind of sign from the Universe or official blessing to live that way - to conscious pursue things like innocent entertainment and time with the people you love above the social friends of Media, to actually have conversations and entertainment that can be profanity free and uplifting - if, my friend, you need that sign, consider it given.
Life a life you can look back on without embarrassment.
Hmmmpfffff. I gave up on those guys years ago when they concluded that homosexuals could be “manly”. I think those guys over there tend towards the ‘metrosexual’ myself.
ReplyDeleteI was raised by folks that are unwholesome. They resent it and will even try to stomp it out when they see it. In their eyes, Christians are unwholesome as are old world traditional values. Sadly, these days, anyone trying to clean themselves up and fly right is in for a struggle.
Agreed that the World - both in the general sense and the Christian sense - is pretty much against any sort of wholesomeness. That said, it is still worth fighting for.
DeleteThanks for referencing this. I just learned about The Art of Manliness a couple months ago when one of its writers was a guest on a podcast I listen to sometimes. Somehow they’ve created content that acknowledges every man is not the same, for which I’m greatly appreciative! I had not yet read this, but now I have. As you point out, it makes a lot of sense. As I approach my “golden years,” I want to be intentional about how I spend my time. This gave me good food for thought.
ReplyDeleteBob, they certainly cover a wide variety of different topics that two generations ago was knowledge taken for granted. I also (overall) very much like their focus on the active, family oriented, "wholesome" (there is that word) lifestyle. Few do these days.
DeleteGlad it gave you food for thought. That was the point.
We live a fairly simply life compared to most of our peers, mostly because both of us were brought up with fairly simple lives. I would suspect, a lot of how people are can be traced back to how they were brought up by their parents.
ReplyDeleteEd, I think you are correct. I find that as I grow older, I am finding greater joy in simpler activities not influenced by modern entertainment, mores, or expectations, like my parents.
DeleteTB, I think that's the overall message of your blog: a man living, and thinking about, a wholesome life, including some eccentricities. Keith
ReplyDeleteKeith, High Praise indeed and you have made my day. Thank you!
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