warmaker : The idea of being a man to me represents someone with strong character, moral fiber, and convictions. To me a man takes care of his responsibilities and his family, is authentic (Honest) and never diverts from what he needs to do.

It isn’t always as simple as that though. Often many guys make mistakes when their young and I freely admit I’ve made my share of mistakes and errors of judgment in the past so I certainly throw no stones there. I do believe though that it takes someone messing up sometimes to mature and become better. Least that’s my experience.

bvd1022 : very well put. I respect you for that.

If I am to add anything at all to what either of you have said, it would be that I have learned that a man never runs from his problems (not saying he should fight, just saying running from problems in life isn't the way to go), and he always takes the blame for his own decision, even if it was a mistake. Finally, a real man tries to resolve conflict without fighting, as any and every jerk can swing his fist or run his mouth.

large klein boxers and raging hormones etc.

Failing that, its what society thinks males should conform to.

Tbh as a good human id demand a sense of morals regardless of gender.
As a guy id expect them not to b*tch all the time, the one thing i hate, guys that moan all the time.

Eirinn : I agree with you. As I said I throw no stones because I have messed up plenty of times and really screwed my life up when I was a teenager. I didn’t get the wake-up call that I needed until I was in my early 20’s but I accept the blame for everything. I often say no one is as hard on me as I am on myself and that is a fact.

I also agree with you in regard to fighting. Violence isn’t the answer and people (Not just men) need to be peacemakers and try and resolve things while still on a verbal level. It is different than sport obviously but if you ever watch a Boxing match or an MMA bout, the fighters go in heated at each other; maybe even displaying genuine dislike for their opponent. 90% of the time however they always leave the ring having more respect for each other than they went in. I think as a society the world would be a lot better off if we could just learn to be kind and respectful to one another. At least that’s my opinion.

There are a few people I can think of that know the direct definitions people would like on this subject.
George Carlin, Jamie Maddox, And Chuck Phalinuik. There's also the dude from the T.V. show "Mail Call." But I like to stick to people that write books.
If real life is not your thing then there are endless top ten lists of characters to look up on "You-tube."
For those of you who are currently trying to define your life?
Get a girlfriend and ask her to define it for you. The rest of us are working for a living. So should you.
The new generation of kids I see asking this question give me a slight amount of hope for the future. The Many different ideas of what makes a man a man has been addressed through all the ages until recently. The role of sole provider of others was once the best definition. Then it was altered and updated to the one who speaks for others with a direct message and ability to follow through with his promise. Later it had an overhaul to the one that has something to say. then was altered and updated to the one who has a plan among others. In all of these definitions the job of "Leader" is always implied. Recently It's been overhauled to exclude allot of Leadership abilities from the very definition due to unqualified people having "Issues" with the job but still having the "Technical Anatomy." With this newly devised lacking of definition many are a little confused. (Man has always needed a mission.) Don't fret. It just gives you the chance to get "creative" with the convention of definition. Like the classics but think they are too rigid? Make new rules to keep in mind with personal loopholes that might catch on.
Things like "Always honor a promise." "Till some one tries to Play you with your word."
Dig?
There are no real guidelines but I think any person that graces the title "Man" when referring to himself knows that twist in the guts that I like to label "responsibility."
Without that gut twist in mind with words or actions, the status of "Man" is revoked.
The modern rules may be different, but I think this outstanding principal should not be forgotten. In a manner its been the "Yard-stick of civilization" for many centuries.
I have no idea where we would be without that one principal.
Then again.. The rules are different now. You decide what's best for you.(Any and All Persons. I'm not your Dad.)
Good Luck To All.
I'm done. Stick a Fork in me.
Peace.

My late grandpa who was a WWII veteran always told me when we parted : "Stay a man!."

For me that always meant being responsible and honest ,though I never asked what it meant to him. Or what he would have asked if he had any female grandkids. Would have staying "as a lady" been any different?

Manliness is an ancient idea than annoyingly drags on into modern day society. Basically, it's the idea that men are the stronger, more brave sex out of the two. "Manliness" should be done away with, but the underlying traits (braveness, strength) should stay.

   If a man calls them self manly then there a parasite. but manilness to me is more femine, sweet,compasionate,caring, the knid of man you fell safe with.

orionfoxgibson : George Carlin is my idol. I learned a lot from watching him over the years and although I will acknowledge that he may not be for everyone and wasn’t for some, the world needs his wisdom now more than ever.

He could be quite vulgar at times but if you read between the lines of the vulgarity he always struck a cord with what he had to say and more often than not was right about the things he’d talk about. Like the political system and financial system here in the US. I would love to hear what he would say about how things are right now in regard to everything since one of his recurring themes over the years was the system is collapsing and everything is slowly breaking down. It’s a crying shame he’s no longer with us to give his opinion. The man had a way of using language and controlled anger to poke holes in things, break things down and often times exposed hypocrisy. He was the master. I patterned my writing style after him although I don’t nearly have the freedom to use a full spectrum of language like he did.

I am grateful that I got to see him live in person a few years before he passed. I waited twenty years to see him live in person, it was well worth the wait.

In regard to what you said I think it boils down to someone who is responsible, has strong character and moral fiber. I do agree with you though that there is no real guidelines and it pretty much boils down to the individual.

To the question, "What does it mean to be a man nowadays," it's one that I can only answer second-handed because I myself do not qualify for the standards that I'm about to discuss.

A man is a character of great moral fortitude, one who walks the walk and talks the talk. What a man says is what a man means, and a man loves beyond himself, understanding that the world is much bigger than he is and that he is only playing a small role in its development. A man forgives those who wrong him despite their actions.

A man works hard, sweats harder, and pushed forward despite all circumstances. I read a story between two men during World War II, one who suffered from emaciation because his body could not keep from urinating and defecating on himself due to severe illness. The healthier man would take his buddy down to the ocean every day and clean him up. But the kicker is what the guy said to the groaning soldier: "Stop being a faker and take a salt tablet." And you might not believe it, but the guy recovered because he wasn't being coddled. He pushed through and survived the war.

A man isn't afraid to tell the truth, but he also isn't afraid to shut his mouth when the situation calls for it. A man gives respect but does not expect respect, as though he is entitled to anything. A man understands appreciates the trial and the ability to persevere through the trial, as it gives him a chance to test and sharpen himself. A man is capable of many things. Nothing, no duty, is beneath a man when there is a need. A man will change a diaper. He will clean a car. He will hold the very world on his shoulders if it comes down to it. He will even ask for something if it is needed.

A man is humble, even a position of authority. He allows others to excel and does not take their credit, and even if they take his. But a man will not let someone run all over him, because a man values justice above all, and if the situation calls for it, he will confront the issue and handle it through whatever means.

A man treats his lady like a princess and his children like they are worth more than his most prized possession. But most importantly, a man does not allow the title of a "man" define his life. He is merely doing his duty, what he has been called to do, what his friends and family - and the world - needs him to do.

Being manly in my opinion is essentially looking after your loved ones and protecting them no matter what.. I don't think that habits or appearance has anything to do with manliness.. Whilst a "real man" would be willing to sacrifice himself to protect what he cared about the most.. 

so yes if you really loved your country that much and you died trying to protect it I would consider you a man... 

anyone who judges you on not being an athletic, muscular charming prince is not worthy to judge anyone... after all.. It's not a secret that most people who naturally excel at physical things, are usually egotistical.

Chuck Noris

This is a good one. 

I believe that manliness is not just brawn. You have to have respect for woman. You have to be old school, like opening doors and pulling out seats for your significant other. I guess what I am trying to say is... you can't be manly unless you act like a gentleman. 

warmaker : There's multiple ways that a man could find themself manly. The thing for me isn't about how I treat women, it's about what I do in terms of responsibility and owning up to my actions. Men should be able to admit defeat even when it isn't something we like

The only way we define a real man is how much of a mustache they have, Flanders has a manly-ish mustache but a teacher at my school had the ultimate man mustache. He then became the most manliest person we knew

Honour, respect, and strength,

This reminds me of my thread on being a man, I must get to writing in it,.

I believe a true man must be a gentleman, always conscious of making the people around him feel comfortable. But he is also strong, skilled, and competent. That is put in it's simplest form.

Manliness is whatever you take it as. For different people, it means different things. For me at least, it means that you are muscular, protective, and have a soft spot somewhere under all that muscle.