The current society plays a vital role in raising men who disregard the ideal traits and behaviors that society expects of males. Boys are forced to acquire a different perception of a man which entails being aggressive, tough and shun emotional expressions. This aspect has resulted to emergence of poorly raised men who do not care how their actions may be a social problem. This essay will analyze how the Tough Guise 2 film analyzes the concept of violence media and masculinity as a social problem, the pop culture construction of a “real man” and gender identity and socialization.
The documentary’s central point is to educate the public about the myths about manhood that have led young men to act violently and destructively against themselves in an effort to establish their masculinity. It aspires to put an end to these masculinity stereotypes and build a more peaceful and understanding society in the future (Kanopy, 00:03:50 – 00:06:10). The movie goes in-depth on what “real men” are and ought to be, according to society.
Social violence is the social problem that is being addressed. It is evident from the film that the young men are executing violent crimes that are disrupting social peace. The shooting near the school left many people injured and dead, endangering their lives, their health, and the social stability (Kanopy, 00:12:36 – 00:18:45). Due to their aggressiveness, the young men are producing societal instability in their attempt to demonstrate their manhood, which is a social problem. Their crimes are a societal issue since they have an impact on society as a whole rather than just one person. The issue of social violence includes a larger range of acts of violence, such as homophobic harassment, violence against women, mass shootings, gun violence, and bullying (Kanopy, 00:00:50 – 00:03:10). The notion that “boys will be boys” or the instruction of young boys to act irrationally, without emotion, or with violence are some of the beliefs that underlie social construction in society.
Popular culture constructs the image of a “real man” as one who exhibits little emotion appears harsh, violent and puts up a false front. In order to prove their masculinity, “real men” are expected to put on an act of toughness, violence, and self-destructive conduct (Kanopy, 00:49:00 – 00:52:10). The film reinforced the idea that a “real man” should be able to appear strong, be dominating, and do tough things. Such things drove many boys and young men to commit crimes and behave violently in order to demonstrate their masculinity (Kanopy, 00:25:00 – 00:30:10). According to popular culture, one who acts violently or destructively against himself is a real man.
The problems with gender socialization and the emergence of gender identity in society are portrayed in the film. Boys in this culture are raised with preconceptions that mislead them and encourage them to disregard the ideal traits and conduct that society expects of males. Boys who are unable to display the fake toughness that society expects and who refrain from engaging in aggressive or destructive behavior are likely to be misinterpreted, leading them to doubt their masculinity. Women will also develop a dread of males as a result of the violence they have seen men participate in throughout their lives. It contributes to a great deal of misunderstanding about gender identity and socialization, which has an impact on societal expectations going forward.
In conclusion, it has been evidenced that the societal expectations of a “real man” is a wrong one and needs to be changed. There is a need for boys to grow up properly while understanding how their actions affect the society around them. Additionally, a “real man” is one who acts in a rightful manner and shuns away from crimes and violent behaviors. Similarly, to realize gender identity and socialization, the society should raise boys with good well-defined preconceptions.
Works Cited
Kanopy. “Tough Guise: Violence, Media, & the Crisis in Masculinity (1999)“. Kanopy, uploaded by Media Foundation Education, n.d. Web.