Mandate Mini: Links! Links! Links!
Some fun media from the world of masculinity and mental health
The Mandate Letter, by Jason Rogers, focuses on the intersection of masculinity and mental health. Thanks for being here. If you were forwarded this email, get your own:
Happy Valentines Day! Onwards and upwards with the links!
👨👦 Mandate Media Club: Fatherhood Anxiety in the Modern Age — For the longest time, I did not aspire to be a father. Much of that pessimism was born out of the anxiety I experienced around sex and intimacy. “I can’t picture myself in a happy relationship,” I once thought, “so, how can I picture myself as a happy dad?” I’ve worked through most of that old baggage, but I still feel resistance. I’ve picked some fun media for us to all watch, and I’ll be convening a small group of parents and non-parents (note: this chat is not dad exclusive to men) to talk about their feelings on this topic. — This Thu, Feb 17, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM PST — Free Event Link
🎬 C’Mon C’Mon — This film follows the blossoming of a beautiful relationship between Johnny (an NPR-style audio journalist played by Joaquin Phoenix) and his nephew Jesse (played by the amazing 11-year old Woody Norman). Johnny is emotionally bereft after the end of a relationship and constantly clashes with his sister (Jesse’s mom). However, Jesse’s crystal clear honestly and precocious emotional intelligence help reawaken Johnny’s inner child and teach him how to feel again. — Trailer on Youtube
😭 The Power of a Good Cry — I’ve written in the past about why I find it difficult to cry (although the aforementioned film C’mon C’mon extracted at least a few tears from my ducts). In this beautiful essay, NYT critic-at-large Wesley Morris unpacks the role of tears in art, politics, and sport. “Crying for art is an honor, an exaltation, a salute,” he writes. “It’s applause with mucus and salt." Of note here: he likens the way Tom Cruise cries in Magnolia to a “bench press,” which I think is a particularly apt way to describe the way most men feel about public sadness: If I’m gonna cry, they better be muscular tears! — NY Times Magazine
🔮 The Reformed Tech Bro — This is a brilliant essay by my friend Alex Olshonsky. In addition to offering some superhuman self-reflection, he articulates many of the things that make me uncomfortable within the Men's Coaching space. All too often, it plays host to the tech-exec-turned-bromide-spitting-Burning-Man-bro — the kind of guy who sports the exterior accouterment of a shaman or a “healer” or a mystic and is quick to inform you that he works with clients to help them find greater spiritual depth. This is one of the most thoughtful deconstructions of that archetype that I have seen to date. — Deep Fix
🏹 Hunting for the Planet — Before reading this piece, I wasn’t familiar with MeatEater, the wildly popular media brand which focuses on hunting and the outdoors. On the surface, its flagship videos present as the kind of bro-boosted content you’d see on late night A&E. However, what separates the founder Steven Rinella from other bearded bow hunters is his focus on conservation. Yes, you read that right. By hunting animals, he believes he is saving them too. I remain skeptical, but this article gave me some new things to think about. It’s a fascinating read. — NY Times Magazine
🧟♂️ The Creepy World of “Men” — Let me first say that I love psychological thrillers, which is why I’m a big fan of Alex Garland, the director Ex-Machina and creator of the TV Show Devs. Well, Garland is back with a new film called Men. The trailer is light on details. It seems like he’s channeled the horrors of the patriarchy and harmful masculinity into a genuinely terrifying film. — Youtube Trailer
🧞♂️ The Secret to Satisfaction — This article is an extended explanation of something we all encounter: the inability to feel fulfilled. I experienced this constantly when I was still competing as an athlete. After every major accomplishment, it was only a matter of hours before my mind automatically moved the goal post to the thing I had to do. It’s called the “hedonic treadmill,” and it’s what keeps us constantly running after things just out of our grasp: accolades, money, adventure, drugs. (Dopamine!). But this article isn’t a pure think piece. The author puts forward several provocative tips on how we can want less. — The Atlantic
⚧ Using Prefered Pronouns — For the last few years, I have followed the long-overdue conversation about the gender spectrum with great interest. As a cis, white, hetero man, I feel that it’s crucial that I (do my best to) understand the experience of and advocate for people who identify as non-binary or trans. However, I will admit, there has been one thing that I have been slow to grasp: the usage of multiple pronouns (such as she/they). I thought the IG educational video series “Smarter in Seconds” did a particularly great job breaking that down. — Instagram
📖 The Self Healing Mind — Last summer, I had the pleasure of talking to Dr. Gregory Scott Brown, a psychiatrist and advisor to Men’s Health. He’s got a book coming out this summer that looks at mental well-being through the lens of actionable self-care. I just pre-ordered it and am confident it won’t be anything less than great. — Amazon
😷 The Saga of Joe Rogan — The Joe Rogan saga continues to rage after some videos surfaced on social media of Rogan repeatedly using racial slurs in old interviews. This led to continued backlash and most artists pulling their music down from Spotify. The streaming platform has maintained the position that it will not deplatform Rogan. However, many old episodes have been removed (I believe by Rogan himself), and Spotify said it will invest $100 million (equal to the reported sum of the Rogan deal) in content by underrepresented creators. It’s a good outcome but likely just a Band-Aid on the whole affair. The New York Times’ Daily Podcast a full breakdown on Friday. — NY Times
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