What is the youngest age of a male, that you consider a "MAN"

[Big_Bill]

Tommie's books gut me to thinking about this.

What is the youngest age of a male, that you would consider a real "MAN" !

A "MAN" like your grandfather or uncle. Strong ideals, never backing down, hard as nails, you get my drift !

Bill

[Bogey]

Problem is that many so  called 'Men' will never be a 'Man".   No matter what thier age.   They will never take responsibility for thier actions.   Never fail to blame others for thier problems.   You get the drift.     It is difficult to pick a certain age.    We have all known 8 year olds that had more  positive character than many 30+ year olds.

And, "Man  up " applies to females as well as males.

[Gene_SC]

I have to agree with you on that one Mike. Very well put!

[VINNY]

Bogey, you nailed it.Everybody is different. Age has nothing to do with it. My ex- wifes son was more of a man at age 7 than most of the "adult" males I have worked with. We still keep in touch and I love and respect him very much.

[bil601]

When it comes to guns & toys. There are no men just old boys

[Big_Bill]

As I look around today, I haven't seen manymen that could hold a match to me ! And I couldn't hold that match to many of the "MEN" that I have known.

It seems that at least here in South Jerkey, the gene pool is running weak.

I have met some of the soldiers coming back to the Gulf Wars, and some of them, do seem to come up to the mark.

But if you never had the opportunity to meet one of these GREAT MEN ! How would you know ?

Bill

[crowpopper]

well that is all the opinion in the eyes of the beholder
Alot of people would say my dad is a great man
I say hes a weak minded controlling POS
he tries to put the fear into ppl and make them think he is smart in reality he is weak minded and too high tempered
Rant over gotta go my 3 yr old just woke up

[djmyers]

I agree you cant put an age on whos a man and who's not. I have more respect for my 6 yr old than some "grown" men. The terd my X wife left me for, while I was in Iraq, was a "respected doctor" but when I finally cought him he sat on the foot stool and wouldent even look up. Just sat there staring at the floor while my x told him to sit there and not to answer me. What a little B word as my son puts it.
And its not just in Jersy or a particular job. I have active duty Marines that wont come to work on time and complain to the CO about you picking on them when you yell at them. I have Marines that complain about not getting enough time off while on a combat tour in Iraq! I was giving them 1 day off every 10 days, it was 1 person a day. plus if they needed time to go down to the other side of the base to call mommy or whom ever we let them. We gave them every chance we could to decompress and relax but they still complained to the Sgt Maj and dropped an anymouse that they wanted more time off. I took 1 day off in a 6 month deployment. I went early and stay after they were all gone. And I got told to give them more time off. SO every body got 5 days on 1 off, to be nice to them. F%$# being nice its COMBAT! I could go for pages about stuff but will leave it at this,

Some adults will never be men.

[bil601]

So what is a man? war hero, family man, but hes Gay. Is he a man? Another guy acts like a woman, & thinks like a woman. Has also served his counrty. is he a man? 15 year old gang banger, drug dealer, killer. He takes care of his mother, brothers & sister. Makes sure they stay out of trouble & go to school. Man or just a punk? We all like to think of ourselves as men, but do we always toe the mark? Who are we to be judging anyone.

[North Pack]

Takin' care of business, putting "first things first" - gettin' up at 3: 00 AM to go to work if necessary, day after day, year after year. Protecting your family, to the very best of your ability, - financially or physically if necessary.  Standing up for your true beliefs, religious and/or political, - and NOT being intimated by anyone, especially the pc crowd. - This can start at almost any age, hopefully early in life - but NOT at 5 or 6 years old. Yes, I do understand the point being made. NOT trying be be something you're not, - and that includes "sensitive". Most of todays "young men" have been raised by watching movies/sit coms and especially commercials that insult or put men down every five minutes. There has been a change in the last generation, and being 32 years old, living in your parents basement playing video games is NOT "putting first things first". - Drug dealers are not heroes, family men or anything but what they are, criminals.

[rocker1]

i  have seen all sorts , but i quess you would  say a true man is a man of honor no matter who he is race, *_*_*_*_*_*uality ,religion or path of life he has chosen.

[Magnum]

This is probably an eye of the beholder thing. I think alot of men can just exist without a clue for a multitude of reasons,  they just dont get it,  have lost the plot so to speak or feel like they are owed something!  I think 21 is the normal age on paper "given the key of the door"  if you like..Not everyone knows how to use it.

[VINNY]

Bil601 has a good point-BUT the definition of man is different to everyone. Honesty is in part of my definition. Doing all those things you mentioned is wrong and cant be made up for by taking care of mommy. Thats called an excuse. There is a right way and a wrong way to do something-thats not it. I need to stop with this one..

[bil601]

Our fathers did more with les than we do now. They had it harder than we do now. Thier fathers had it harder than they did. does that make any of them more or less of a man. If someone does everything they can, but still cant take care of thier family. I he still a man for trying, or not a man for failing. How about a woman with nothing. Raises her childeren, works three jobs to put them through school. All the things you say makes a man. Is she a man? Another point is you dont have to be a good man to be a man. Even a bad man will do good things, & a good man will do bad things. The best of men will lie. We all do it. Is that the way a man should act? John Wayne Hard working, hard fighting, did what needed to be done, but  never served in the military, & cheated on his wife. So who gets to say who is a man & who is not?

[Big_Bill]

Well Bil601,

John Wayne in his acting rolls, was my roll model ! But I was fortunate to know men that made him look tame.

One was Frances O'Rourke, a WWI veteran, that had a heart of GOLD and a stare that could warm your heart, or turn you to stone !

Another Was Bob Bone, a WW II vet that was a tough as steel, until you could get to know him, and then you could see his better side. One H3ll of a MAN !

Then there was my uncle Jack, He would silence a bar by just walking in ! He had that 10 mile gaze that can't be imitated.A lifer in the army, started off in the Marines, fighting in the Pacific Islands,then re-upped in the Army to go to Europe. He was in every conflict we had from Korea to Vietnam. His first injury was in Georgia, putting out the trash, he fell down the back steps and broke his arm.

My idea of a "MAN", is someone that does what's necessary when necessary, Would die to protect his family, Speaks the truth, His WORD is His Bond !, Doesn't bully anyone, and will not tolerate anyone that would, and speaks his beliefs, whatever they may be !

It boils down to a man that is HONEST, TRUTHFUL and STRONG in body and mind! all in the right ways !

It seems that being 59 years old, I havemetsuch men ! And have had the honor to know some of them ! Knowing them has made me strong and encouraged to be all that I could be, and do whatever I needed to do ! Living, breathing, role models, in real life !

I mention their name here so that may live forever !

Bill