"Tim, I just don't see you as a car guy." This statement was vomited at me when I proposed to one of my friends the idea of selling off my jacked up regular cab Silverado. In some respects it is a compliment in another angle it could be taken offensively. I had started contemplating the economic efficiency of this blue metallic beast and was externally processing the prospect of transforming it into a smaller more gas friendly road dweller. The inception of this idea has created a fascinating reaction internally for me and others, more than I had anticipated. 

You see, I realized after that whimsical passing statement which pierced my intellectual core, I found a sense of masculine security in driving my truck. Now you see, this truck ain't nothing special, but it is a good looking rig. What I am trying to say is the monetary value which it holds is not large by any means, I feel it is a modest truck. When I was initially in the market for acquiring a 4x4 mud shredding tool hauling machine, I had my eyes set on a drop dead beauty of a GMC diesel. It took months to talk myself out of it but finally I met myself in the middle with the truck I currently own at the time of writing this article. I'm attaching a photo of it below for your sake hahahhahaha. 

The epiphany of me finding some masculine security in my manly truck hit me with little to no grace. I think a direct punch to the temple would have been more enjoyable. Once this realization settled in that I felt a sense of security and manliness in the fact that I owned a good looking truck, I wondered if this was a good or bad thing? Like is it okay for a man to feel a small boost in masculinity from a truck? Is that normal? Should I sell my truck just to mess with myself?

So I did what any good blogger, photographer, millennial would do. I started sorting through the wisdom of the web, and what I found was not surprising at all. If you have nine minutes, watch this youtube video.

I found this article talking about the perception women hold of men who drive trucks are more attractive.

And this one on women’s attraction to trucks.

So as an attractive single male it appears that it is in my best interest to maintain ownership of a truck merely for the vain purpose of being perceived as more desirable. 

This whole idea got me wondering about what other things I own that makes me feel masculine? My jeans? My boots? My gun? Why do these things translate into man cards? Why does society have me programmed in such a way that material possessions have a small impact on my self-perception and other’s understanding of my masculinity? You cannot tell me that you have seen an individual wearing tight pink pants get into a Toyota Prius and silently drive away blaring Nickelback and instantly have the thought "Damn, that is one manly man." NOOOO!!!! You didn't if you were honest!!! But why is that? Is that okay? Is that wrong? Is it right? Is it okay for our society to develop a concept of what it means to be a man acceptable? Have you ever given it the time of day to even think about it?

These questions and thoughts started to plague me. It was as though some unintelligent kid set off a bottle rocket in the valley of some snow-filled mountains and an avalanche was triggered, and here I was in the center of it all. Questions, ideas, accusations, and much more coming my way at the speed of thought. 

What articles in the past did men find masculinity in? Horses, guns, wagons, animals they hunted, how many people they killed, and I am sure the list will keep going on and on. So is this innate desire to qualify my masculinity through a myriad of objects all that new? NO! Does that make it right? 

So to wrap up this article like a Chipotle artisan handles a burrito at the end of the assembly line. In the midst of all this questioning, I feel a sense of security in the fact that it's okay to find a small sense of masculinity in objects and achievements. What isn't okay is making those the foundations to who I am. As a man, my core beliefs are not established or dismantled by whether I drive a truck or ride a skateboard to work. Who I am is much more than the tangible items I possess. What I believe should not be swayed by my immediate surroundings, but hopefully are established by thoughtful time invested into who I am and what I desire to become. 

What are your thoughts? Have you ever felt more masculine while holding a sword or gun? Please take the time to comment and share. It would mean the world to me.

Cheers,

Timothy