Documentary Analysis: The Mask You Live In

“The Mask You Live In”
I watched this documentary twice, once by myself and once with my wife. I wanted to do this so I could get her viewpoint on the documentary and its effect on the male adolescence. Viewing this we both discussed the issues affecting young men from our different viewpoints and how our parents could raise us.
The first issue we discussed in the documentary was the issue of showing emotion in adolescent men. Our opinions were similar in some ways and coincided with the viewpoints of the documentary, particularly that it is not wrong to show emotions it is just our view of the context of how our adolescent men show emotions were different. I feel that my wife and the documentary were under the assumption that emotions female

emotions were undesirable. From the documentary’s investigation, they are correct, but I see this more of a lack of a positive role model in some of their lives to explain how they are beneficial or control them. This is where my wife and I disagree on how emotions are displayed for not just adolescents but adult men also. I see the point and the effect of holding back emotions having a vast negating effect on the individual, and exposing yourself in public should not bare as much of stigma in society as it still doses. I was taught this viewpoint form the male remodels during my adolescents that there is nothing wrong with emotions or even crying but you should try to control them and be mindful of your environment. Their reasons for this mindset is that what good are you to your family or the people that you are working for or protecting if you cannot take control yourself?
I know this is a harsh mindset to have but if you look at the roles that are available to adolescence and even adult men, the class text even covers this with the concept of culture condition men to provide and protect for their loved ones or people. The text called this the self-made man and this was the area that my role models grew up in where you were still expected to be a protector and provider for your family and loved ones. You can compare that to the era of the passionate man where it is more acceptable to show emotions much less control them and seeing the results of lack of control from the documentary.
The documentary touched on one aspect that exacerbates this problem of adolescents controlling their emotions, how young boys are disciplined in school. Watching this portion of the documentary reminded me of my school experience growing up, and my experience working in the school system itself. Eventually, after being beatdown many time boys would shut down and hold all that energy in. All the energy dose goes somewhere, usually in what schools consider negative behavior and the usual method of dealing with these types are placed in an extended resource room or expulsion for the school. This leaves the boy or young man with little positive guidance and support for understanding his emotions.