The word “cuck” is an abbreviation of the word “cuckold”.
It refers to a man who has been spurned by his woman because of his weakness as she pursues a sexual relationship from a stronger man.
It’s become an internet insult, and it definitely sounds like a very dirty word – whether it’s officially a “cuss word” or not – it’s certainly a word that no man wants to be called, and it describes a position in which no man wants to be.
Men often go out of their way to get the girl. Then they get the girl and they give up.
Improving yourself, working on becoming a better, stronger man will make you measurably more attractive.
Meet her needs
Your spouse is looking for someone to meet her needs – physically, emotionally, spiritually.
Commit together to guard your family
Affairs don’t happen overnight.
Work together to draw your boundaries, and then enforce those boundaries without jealousy and with trust.
Fight Like Hell
I’ve been using the phrase a lot lately. You need to fight like hell to create the kind of marriage that overcomes temptation, that is full of love and respect, that is fiercely guarded and protected, and that is not full of dangerous fault lines and volcanic eruptions.
Today, September 30, is International Podcast Day! Today at Manlihood, we thought it would be a great opportunity to celebrate our podcast for men.
International Podcast Day™ is September 30th and is an international celebration of the power of podcasts.
In 2004, Adam Curry and Dave Winer were credited for the invention of podcasting. It wasn’t until Ben Hammersly wrote about the online audio shows in the Guardian newspaper that the term “podcasting” was coined.
It’s been almost 20 years since then, and we now have 2.4 million podcasts with 66 million episodes globally. There are more podcasts than anyone could ever listen to!
The Manosphere
Blogs centered around personal development for men have been around for quite awhile, but one of the more earth-shaking moments in the manosphere was the birth of The Art of Manliness Podcast in 2009.
In 2013, I sent an email to a handful of men that I respected, and pitched an idea. I wanted to make a website to equip, educate, entertain, and engage men to be better husbands, fathers, and leaders. The men had some great feedback. My hope was that I had just created a superhero team to build this crazy thing, only to find out, that most of them never really got involved.
At first, I was dissapointed, but one of them told me, “Josh, this is YOUR thing. We’re behind you, and we support you. But this is YOUR dream. YOU are the guy that needs to do it.”
And so I did.
Testing 1.2.3.
My first real job was at WFRM Radio in Coudersport, PA at 14 years old. I was running the board for Pittsburgh Pirates games, DJ’ing and announcing on Saturday mornings, recording commercials, and having the time of my life. I went to college for communications, with a broadcasting specialty, spinning plenty of Christian records on the campus radio station. I went on to work at a few more radio stations, as a news director, a DJ, a talk show-host.
Way before all of that, I used to play with a tape recorder, making my own DJ’d mix tapes. Most people hate the sound of their own voice when they hear it played back. I’ve been listening to mine for so long, I’m usually not bothered by how I sound, and I’ve developed the voice and production skills to be able to use it to make a living at various points in my life.
The Birth of the Manlihood ManCast
I always knew I wanted to build the blog into a podcast. But I hesitated for a long time. Part of me was afraid that I was going to be sending it out into the void. Why would anyone listen? Why invest the time, energy, and emotion into something for 20 people?
After listening to other podcasts, I kept telling myself- You can do that. You have all of the skills, the knowledge, the wisdom to create that.
But it was hard to pull the trigger. Self-doubt kept plaguing me.
I was stuck in this place where I knew I could start it, but I didn’t want to fail. I wasn’t quite ready, I didn’t know what would work, or what listeners wanted to hear. I had a plan, but it was just ideas and lots of scrawled notes in a journal, and nothing concrete.
I had a conversation online with Ryan Michler, and he said, “Start before you are ready.”
And that wisdom made a lot of sense. Just do it, and you can work out the details later. You can fix what isn’t working when you actually do something other than thinking and dreaming.
So we decided to get started by recycling some of our blog content into episodes. If you scroll back on your podcast app to the earliest episodes, you’ll see that the Manlihood ManCast then definitely isn’t what it is now! But I started.
Podcasting is important to me. This is the entrance into people’s hearts and minds as I do the mission I’ve been called to do.
What is it that drives Manlihood? Our Purpose, Mission, Vision, and Values.
Purpose:
Because the world needs men to lead in their families and communities, and because so many men have struggled to understand their value, Manlihood exists to help men become better men.
Mission:
The Manlihood Mission is to Educate, Equip, and Entertain Men in an Engaging Way.
Vision:
The Manlihood vision is to create resources to educate and equip men, to foster a thriving community of men, where bonds of brotherhood and accountability form. We seek to help men be better fathers, husbands, leaders, friends. We want to build through Manlihood a financially sustainable architecture that can support itself, but also to incubate ideas and opportunities from within the Manlihood community that support our purpose and mission.
Values:
Men matter.
Family matters.
Integrity and Honor matter.
Personal Responsibility matters. (If it is to be, it’s up to me.)
Men thrive and grow in community and brotherhood with each other.
Truth is everywhere. Wisdom knows how to pick it out.
Men should value and respect women. (People should respect people.)
Perseverance, Self-control and Self-discipline are sacred and essential.
Words are powerful, and how we use them matters.
Leadership is steeped in influence and responsibility. (Everyone is a leader, and everyone should embrace and nurture that role.)
Alonzo talks with Manlihood about the traditional values he believes in, and how it matters that men work to live by and preserve those values.
Leadership matters
“When we promote leaders, we typically promote based on skills other than leadership and this creates dysfunctional organizations. Leadership is a skill that can be learned and my simple and effective method can improve your team quickly.” – Alonzo Pettigrew
Welcome to the Manlihood Podcast Roundup of the episodes that I’ve enjoyed this past month.
Not only do I host my own podcast here at Manlihood, but I listen to a lot of podcasts. This month has been a killer month in terms of great content that has been released into the podcast realm. Please give these episodes a listen!
In this episode, mental health expert John Delony talks to callers about a few topic, the first one is in particular relevance to many men. He talks to a man struggling to come to terms with his trauma, and the way he’s been treating his family and himself. This is a must listen! Check it out!
Order of Man: Ed Mylett – the Power of One More
Ryan Michler’s Order of Man Podcast is one of my favorites for many reasons, including interviews like this one.
Ed Mylett is an entrepreneur, global speaker, and hosts the #1 rated business podcast on iTunes.
Order of Man: Rebuild and Remake Yourself
In this replay of an older episode, Ryan gets emotional as he talks about his family grieving the loss of their family dog.
It’s a little unusual, as Ryan’s typical stoic delivery is not emotionless, but usually not as emotional and real as he gets in this episode.
The advice he gives is amazing, though, and it’s worth a listen.
Ryan Michler is a husband, father, Iraq Combat Veteran, and the founder of Order of Man. Ryan was raised without a permanent father figure and has seen first-hand how a lack of strong, ambitious, self-sufficient men has negatively impacted society. He believes many of the world’s most complicated and challenging problems could be resolved if men dedicated themselves to becoming more capable husbands, fathers, businessmen, and community leaders.
Smart Passive Income Podcast with Pat Flynn: Rewire your Mind for Growth with Natasha Graziano
Natasha Graziano
Natasha Graziano was homeless, staying in a hostel with her son, and working as an online “camgirl” to survive. But something happened that changed her life forever, as a stranger asked her to sponsor a child.
She tells her story to Pat Flynn on the Smart Passive Income Podcast, and the power of her experience could change your life.
She may not be a man, but her story speaks very boldly to all of us, men included.
REAL ONES with Jon Bernthal : Shia LaBeouf
Jon Bernthal is an actor. He plays the Punisher on the Marvel television series. In this episode, he interviews fellow actor (they both started in the war flick FURY) Shia LaBeouf.
Shia, who started out as a child star on the Disney Channel, has been known for his wild man persona and a number of high profile scandals in the past several years.
This conversation may be riddled with some rough language, so if that kind of thing is offensive to you, you may not be able to hear what is a raw and heartfelt conversation about recovery, about making amends, about a man finding his faith, and about a man seeking redemption.
This episode is a very intellectual interview with an atheist and an orthodox christian exploring the nature of morality.
It’s not often that people have conversations like this without it descending into insults, or monkey-like poo-slinging. This conversation is enlightening and interesting – although it’s a bit “heady” – I enjoy listening to the philosophical reasonings of these men.
I’ve never understood why Jordan B. Peterson is such a controversial figure. To me, he’s a reasonable man who wants to explore the nature of truth. He’s intelligent and interesting, and while he’s unyielding on many principles, he seems like a kind man who just wants make people think and live better lives.
Regardless, this episode is very intriguing and worth a listen.
I hope you enjoy these episodes! While you’re at it – make sure to give the Manlihood ManCast a spin at your favorite podcast platform!
Testicular Fortitude means having deep seated masculine courage and strength. Balls. Guts. Manlihood.
Testicular Fortitude on the Manlihood ManCast is where we take a look at men who have beat the odds, men whose courage has left a lasting legacy.
Listen to the Testicular Fortitude on the Manlihood ManCast on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Youtube | or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Imagine taking a lead musketbal to your arm, having it sawn off in a field hospital, and then going on to explore uncharted and impassable rivers on a raft with only one good arm…
As his name would suggest, John Wesley Powell was the son of a Methodist preacher. He grew up with a fascination for exploration and nature, and as a young man, went on several river expeditions to study fossils and geology along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
But then the Civil War broke out, and he earned a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the Union Army. At the battle of Shiloh, his right forearm was shattered by a minie-ball, and his arm was amputated. He continued to serve in the army throughout the war, helping with Sherman’s artillery.
After the war, he assumed the role of professor of natural sciences at Illinois Wesleyan University and curator of the Illinois Natural History Society Museum.
But you can’t keep a man like Powell contained to the classroom.
With one arm, he went on to explore Pike’s Peak and the front range of the Rockies.
In 1868 he put together an expedition to explore the Colorado River from Wyoming down through the Grand Canyon. Powell, along with a crew of hunters, trappers, civil war vets.
He was begged not to go. One arm through dangerous uncharted rapids is dangerous business. But he went anyway. And that trip was worthy of those warnings.
One of the party’s rafts sank in Utah, tanking about a fourth of their supplies and most of their scientific equipment.
Four days later, the party entered the Grand Canyon, and marveled at the beautiful rock formations… but they almost lost another boat, and in that mishap, they lost even more of their food.
Three men left the expedition, tired of the hard journey. Those three men were killed by a band of natives who thought they were invading their territory.
As Powell and the remaining crew made it to area that is known now as Lake Mead in Nevada, he halted the expedition, returning two years later with another crew to make accurate maps of the Colorado River.
These expeditions yielded much geographic information, as well as linguistic and cultural information about the Native Americans living in the area.
Anytime we look at history, we can see positives and negatives. Critics of Powell’s work say that some of his ideas and opinions about the native population dehumanized them and had a large impact on the public policies that would have a brutal effect on their relationship with the US Government and the Westward Expansion.
And while I may not agree with everything Powell said, did or thought, we can certainly agree that he was a man whose courage and relentless adventuring spirit show that he had testicular fortitude!
Do you have testicular fortitude? Do you want to embrace your life of courage?
In our interview with historian Chris Mackowski, we talk about the American Civil War, and the stories of heroism and even villainy that happened during that time.
Chris also talks about his opinions on masculinity, fatherhood, and his passion for history.
Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War and the series editor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series.
Chris has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen books and edited a half-dozen essay collections on the Civil War, and his articles have appeared in all the major Civil War magazines.
Chris is also historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia. He has worked as a historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he gives tours at four major Civil War battlefields (Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania), as well as at the building where Stonewall Jackson died.
Chris serves as vice president on the board of directors for the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, he serves on the advisory board of the Civil War Roundtable Congress and the Brunswick (NC) Civil War Roundtable—the largest in the country—and is a member of the Antietam Institute.
Singer / Songwriter JD Casper (The Voice: Season 20) has released his new single “The Life You Make” – and he sat down with Manlihood for a quick Question and Answer session.
Q: The Life You Make is a moving song, clearly with a message. What inspired this song?
A: I do the best I can to wake up and write in the mornings. Get somewhere quiet, drink my coffee and pick on some chords. This song poured out without much effort during one of those morning sessions. I didn’t sit down and say “Okay, it’s time to write a song for my kids.” It wasn’t intentional. In the moment, I didn’t realize what was coming out until it did. And then I looked & thought, “oh wow, this is really a beautiful sentiment.”
Q: It sounds like you are addressing your children in the second verse. What other things do you want your kids to know?
A: I just want my kids to always stay true to themselves. Pursue a meaningful life and don’t get caught up in the negativity out there. Life is to short so enjoy every bit of it. Wake up and pursue your passion everyday. And always be a kind, forgiving person. The high road is the right road.
Q: The first verse says, “Any given day is an opportunity and a chance to make your dreams come true” Does this mindset drive you?
A: Yes. I think it should for anybody with a dream or a specific life goal in their mind. There were multiple avenues my life could have stayed on and I would have never gotten to where I am now. It took leaving comfortable jobs. Comfortable living situations. Moving away from friends and family. And staying disciplined. Treating my passion like punching a clock and grinding away. I feel like if you know what you want to do with your life then the only thing standing in the way is your self doubt. You shouldn’t settle on anything short of the vision you have for yourself. And once you get there, then the finished line gets moved further away and the expectation for yourself grows.
Q: I know that sometimes you play with a band, sometimes you are the band. Did you work with other musicians on this?
A: This song was written on my own. I took it to the studio with a finished product. We just set up the microphones and captured the performance. Q: Many men today find themselves unable to express how they feel. Does music give you an outlet for those emotions? A: It definitely does. Something very therapeutic happens when I write out my feelings. I start with a chord structure, then I will start singing whatever words come out in the moment. Before long, it’s a meaningful song that somehow represents how I felt in that moment. It’s really an amazing thing and I’m so fortunate to have found something that works for me.
Q: Since we last interviewed you, you’ve had a pretty exciting experience – I’m sure we’ll talk about it more when we interview you in person for the podcast – but after appearing on NBC’s The Voice for a brief stint – what opportunities did that open up for you?
A: Quite a bit. It was a really amazing opportunity that I’m grateful for. Just so surreal watching yourself on TV like that. My phone was just blowing up in real time when it aired. It was the first time I’ve ever experience that kind of exposure and I really learned a lot from the experience.
Q: While this song may have been written to your kids in particular – it’s good life advice. What other life advice do you have for the Manlihood audience?
A: I would say always check your lug nuts. If even 1 lug nut loosens, your tire will turn uneven and before long, all your lug nuts will be loose. At that point, your whole wheel could fly off on the highway at 80mph. It’s up to us to safely check ourselves and our friends to avoid major catastrophe. And I mean this literally and figuratively.
Q: What is the best way for folks to show their support for your new song?
A: Stream it on Spotify. Subscribe to the Youtube Channel. Follow on Instagram, Facebook. Anything. My goal in creating art is to be heartfelt and true to myself. Put it out in the world and hope it finds the ears that need to hear it. As that’s what my favorites songs & artists have done for me.
Men. If you listen to the narrative that is being slowly woven into the cultural landscape, you’ll hear that you don’t matter. That your masculinity is irrelevant and unnecessary.
I need you to hear me clearly.
YOU ARE NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER.
In your DNA is a hard-coded desire to lead, to create, to fight, to provide, to give and receive honor.
We need to boldly reject the notion that these tenets of masculinity are cultural.
Certainly, there are cultural norms and expectations. And our constantly churning sense of cultural values has muddied that for us. It looks like a smoothie made with creek water.
But there is an innate desire in the bones of a man – to seek virtue, to lead, to love, to conquer, to adventure, to solve, to improve ourselves and those around us. (Surely, some of these things are in women, too.)
Men are dangerous.
While I love the Jordan Peterson discussion about “good men are dangerous” – I’m speaking about something different here. Men are dangerous to folks who want to rule with nefarious intent. Men are dangerous to systems that want to oppress. Men are dangerous to political and philosophical systems that enslave people. Why? Because men crave justice.
I believe that what has happened in our culture is an intentional attempt to make men feel useless, to beat down the innate courage and resistance of men, and replace it with docile compliance or at least with fattened, numbed, porn’d, and dissolutioned men who don’t step up and do what is in their very nature today.
We are not victims here.
While I’m clearly painting a picture of a villainous entity, I can’t exactly give that entity a name. It’s not just one philosophy or strategy (it’s easy to blame Marxism or “woke-ism”).
I think there are certainly outside forces that want men to be weak and docile.
I also think the bigger enemy is our own apathy… Our own discouragement.
If we were truly at war with Marxism and Woke-ism (or whatever other philosophy or force), we really have already lost.
No, we are at war with our own indifference.
It’s time to rise up.
We start by taking responsibility – which is the first pillar of manhood.
The world won’t change until I change.
Wake up, you sleepers.
Let’s show the world what a good man looks like.
Let’s show our families what an engaged and loving father looks like.
Let’s show our wives what a dedicated and committed husband looks like.
Let’s show our neighborhoods what a good neighbor looks like.
Let’s show the father-less what a good father looks like.
That’s what changes the world.
Dedicated men, willing to fight off their own temptations, their own demons, and willing to lead and love and serve.
Let’s take a look at the best podcasts for men in 2022!
Obviously, I’m biased, and I’ll recommend The Manlihood ManCast as the premiere personal development podcast for men that you should all be listening to. The Manlihood ManCast is in the Top 50 Podcasts for men according to Feedspot. But today, I’m going to share with you the OTHER podcasts for men that you need to check out.
Ryan Michler interviews amazing guests about what it means to be a better man. In 2022, he has interviewed Terry Crews, Tim Kennedy, Cameron Hanes, Jack Carr, Tim Tebow, Phil Robertson, and more. Michler hosts three shows a week, including an “Ask Me Anything” show he typically hosts with Kipp Sorensen. My favorite part of the show is actually Ryan’s solo shows – Field Note Fridays, where he explains his take on approaching the world through a masculine framework. Ryan’s perspective is simultaneously fresh and old-fashioned, and I think it’s a much needed voice in today’s upside down culture.
Brett McKay approaches the world through a stoic view. He interviews guests on a variety of topics, including history relationships, and personal development. The show emphasizes a classic masculinity that transcends politics and focuses on individual responsibility.
Jim Ramos heads up this Christian podcast with an emphasis on men taking their faith, their role as husbands, fathers and leaders seriously. In 2022, Jim interviewed guests including former porn star turned pastor Joshua Broome, Stephen Mansfield, Larry Hagner and more. He delves into relevant topics that men need to discuss, but that the church may often skirt around.
Warren Peterson of the Significant Man Recharge has focused in 2022 on solo shows which he calls “Five Minute Fridays” where he talks about manhood from a Christian perspective. Peterson is a level-headed and practical podcaster, and his podcasts helps to recharge and build up the Christian man with an accessibility that anyone regardless of faith can relate to.
Larry Hagner of the Dad Edge Podcast (formerly known as the Good Dad Project) places an emphasis on personal development for fathers. A man that becomes the best version of himself can help his children become the best version of themselves. Larry is a dad himself, and he pulls from his experiences with his kids, and from his experience growing up without a father to help dads overcome the hurdles of fatherhood. In 2022, Larry interviewed Steve Weatherford, Gary John Bishop, Tanner Guzy, Dr. John Delony, and more.
Leadership is something every man needs to learn and embrace. John Maxwell is a leadership expert, and his podcast, while not specifically geared toward men, it’s chock full of leadership advice that will certainly help men.
Mike Yarbrough of Wolf and Iron is an amazing podcast host. His southern gentlemen approach to life, along with his encouragement for men to live up to their potential makes for amazing insights. His interviews are stellar, but his “Truck Talks” while he unpacks his own perspective on life are worth the listen
Stephen Mansfield is an author and thought leader who speaks on politics, religion, and issues surrounding manhood. He tackles current events, and what a man’s response to these events should be.
Dr. Jordan Peterson is a renowned clinical psychologist and author from Canada. His book “12 Rules for Life” is groundbreaking as it explores traditional western philosophies from a contemporary perspective. He speaks a lot about masculinity and culture, as well as a stoic approach to life.
Joe Rogan’s podcast is arguably the most popular podcast of all time. He is no stranger to controversy as he has come under fire for his views and his guests views on current events. He frequently interviews comedians and fighters, and he often explores the value of a traditional view of masculinity.
