In my mind, the first rule of manliness is that you always watch your brother’s back, because he’s the one who will make sure you get home if something happens, and you owe it to him to do the same for him. Of course, this rule requires that we accept our vulnerability and mortality, which is incredibly frightening.

Anyway, thanks again for the article, and Boomer Sooner!

I hate it when people go “me to” just so that they can post something in regards to an article, and simply being able to go “I broadly agree with this statement” takes a lot of boredom out of reading and re-reading the same posts with very little difference between them,

However, I was reading through the comments, and I noticed how some people were talking about how kicking back and watching a movie or reading a book are so inactive. I believe that such a line of thinking can be disasterous to a healthy life style. Yes, we need to be active, we need to be in the ring, rather then just on the sidelines. But spectatoritis doesn’t necessarily apply to EVERY book read or every TV show watched. These are forms of art that are created to be consumed, if we were to stop watching movies, why would they make them? If we stopped reading books, why would they write them? The danger is in over-indulgence. If you watch TV simply for the sake of watching a movie, then it’s almost saiting an addiction. If you watch a movie because you wish to enjoy the art and the story, let’s take Lord of the Rings for example. When I watch The Lord of the Rings, I imagine myself in the shoes of Aragorn, I see his struggles, his triumphs, and I walk away inspired, thinking ‘I want to be like that.’ Another is Battlestar Galactica, and Admiral Adama. Two iconic characters that ooze manliness, and I try and take their lessons and apply it to my own life.

What I’m trying to say is all things in moderation, including moderation itself. You have to let loose once in a while, the key is the time and the place, and the attitude. “Work hard, play hard, sleep hard.” is my motto.

We started only going to amateur sporting events and I think spectatoritis has alot to do with it (now knowing what that is!). Better to go watch a high school football game with a few others than college or pro (same thing in my book!) with 10′s of thousands.

I need to also add that I don’t like most of what I read on this site. It’s devoid of one of the most critical values of REAL MEN: Faith.

I do however have a problem with one thing the Brett has to say. I enjoy watching movies. Brett wrote how he jokingly is still the snob without the tv, but watches Hulu. I have a friend who enjoys ribbing me about the same thing. The only thing is just because you don’t watch a TV show on a television set doesn’t mean you aren’t still watching TV. As I said earlier, I enjoy watching movies and documentaries. And, unlike sports I feel it’s a completely different scenario. Regardless of the outcome in sporting event nothing in life changes. Life would have continued on just the same if it had never happened. However a movie with a well drawn script, a decent cast, and an interesting plot can make you think and give you scenarios to discuss afterward with people who also saw the movie. You can develop real what ifs and hows. After watching it, just like sports, nothing really changes, but you’ll leave a theater with a thousand things running through your mind. Now with that in mind, I’m not saying this will happen when you pop in Super Troopers or any Farrelly brothers movie. But think about the classics, movies like Citizen Kane or something similar. Just like a good book, a movie can stimulate your mind and creates discussion. Now, please don’t think I am trying to lump movies into the same category as books. I understand the importance, value and timelessness of a good book as opposed to a good movie. But please, please, please for my sake, don’t lump movies into the same category as sports.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with watching sports or having a favorite team(s), but I believe these should be forms of recreation to help us recharge from the rigors of positively impacting our world. The real problem arises when spectating becomes our way of life.

It seems to me that one of our root issues is the lack of a God-given vision to touch those around us in some meaningful way. This amongst other things leaves us lacking a sense of significance and so it becomes easier to feed off of the glory of others.

Personally, I want to leave a mark on this world, some type of a legacy that will last beyond my days. It is my hope that I would be motivated by love and not just some vague sense of doing my duty so that I can get back to my real passion of watching the game.