The Mask You Live In Essay

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One of the consequences leads to the feeling of validation amongst other peers, especially other men. Kivel continues to explain that there is this consistent fear of boys in their younger years being bullied and picked on for being a "wimp" or "sissy," leading to a conditioning system that makes boys suppress these "masculine" qualities by taking control of their emotions (Kivel 15). This behavior leads to men living in constant competition with one another. In The Mask You Live In, many boys and men are competition with one another to become the alpha, the ideal man of the group. Which man can be the manliest, who can show the least emotion, who can sleep with the most women at one night; the list goes on and on. But as watching this …show more content…

There is a constant desire of being wanted and having self-worth and dignity within a community (Jordan and Cowan 45). According to the study performed at Wallbrook university, college men believe that relationships amongst other men are "healthy and necessary" for a good college experience. These men in the study said that having those strong bonds helped them make it through tough times as well as socializing with other men becoming a part of their lives (Harris 129). But these experiences don't just lie in college life, they go far beyond. Taking this example from Harris' study can confirm that feeling a sense of acceptance within community (a male community or brotherhood especially) curates a sense of self-worth in men. However, this can lead to unnecessary stress and anxiety. With the feeling of constantly being watched by the gender police, men grow anxiety from just being afraid to show the sides of themselves that may not be expressed as manly or masculine, in fear of losing that respect and community of brotherhood. Because there is a sense of being isolated and lonely. To quote my favorite line from The Mask You Live In, comparison is the thief of all happiness. The Mask You Live In as a whole give modern America hope for boys and men alike; reprogramming the systematic thinking of modern society by having role models and support groups that teach

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