21st Century Man Handbook

START HERE
Confusion
Head
Communication
Heart
Spirit
Sex
Body
Pairing
Brotherhood
Fatherhood
Community
Path Forward

Men helping men GET FIT
in all areas of a man's life
so the best in life shows up

You've never seen anything like this before!

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson • All Rights Reserved

ChatGPT - What Is Masculinity?

If you have access to ChatGPT, ask it “What is masculinity” and here is its reply…

“Masculinity is a complex and multifaceted concept that varies across cultures and societies. Broadly speaking, masculinity refers to the set of attributes, behaviors, and roles traditionally associated with men and boys. These can include qualities such as strength, assertiveness, independence, courage, and leadership. However, it is important to note that the understanding of masculinity has evolved over time, and there is increasing recognition that it is not limited to a fixed set of traits. Different cultures and individuals may have their own interpretations of what masculinity means, and there is growing awareness of the importance of embracing a more inclusive and diverse understanding of gender roles.”

Clearly it reflects the confusion that exists in our world. This explains so much, eh?


© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

Labels And Terms

We’ve learned from the ClearThinkingCampaign.org website (see the Head Area) that the number one thing to remember is…

Oversimplifications CREATE Confusion

A man’s greatest adversary is confusion, and the English language is packed full of confusing terms that our world has made a mess of. The handbook is a self-contained space in which we have the opportunity to dissolve the confusion.

 

This is a quick reference for the labels and terms both used and avoided in the handbook. 

The first two are the only terms we continue to use in the handbook and we give them their proper definition even though we know full well we’ll never be able to change the definition in the outside world:


Man

A MAN is a human whose gender identitiy is predominantly male, he feels like a man, he feels comfortable in the world of men, and feels he belongs in the world of men. Full stop.0


Masculinity

MASCULINITY refers to the following collection of “chunks” of human attributes (characteristics) almost always amplifed in men.

  • Brotherhood (multiple, loving, bonded, non-sexual, unforced relationships between men that last a lifetime)
  • Tribal (deep bonding into pairs, groups, clubs, fraternities, tribes, armies, nations that create the OPEN SPACE in which the next three attributes thrive…)
  • Explore, Learn, Discover, Solve
  • Create, Build, Repair, Improve, Destroy
  • Play, Fitness, Compete, Organize, Lead, Control, Fight, Kill
  • Logic, Reason, Integrity
  • Independence, Freedom, Solitude, Quiet
  • Provide for others, Protect family, Look after others
  • Constant intense horniness, Seek variety, GOMO (get off move on)
 
The handbook tries to avoid the word masculinity and instead uses the phrase “male flavored” which is more descriptive and avoids the bad baggage that the term “masculinity” continues to have in all of our heads, along with the confusion it perpetuates.

Labels And Terms We DO Use In The Handbook

These terms are new replacement terms, or unique to the handbook:

  • Boners – “Erection” just sounds too clinical. Plus, the intentional “feel” of the handbook is that it’s just between us guys and relaxed. So we’re using “boners” which refers to an actual physical sexual response that’s very obvious.
  • Male Flavoring – the set of male characteristics amplified in most men, but amplified to different degrees in all men.  

Labels And Terms We DON’T Use In The Handbook

These terms are not used because they’re oversimplifications (oversimplifications CREATE confusion), and have too much bad baggage, all which perpetuates the confusion each time they’re used:

  • Straight – too often used as a shield. The new term is “opposite-sexual” keeping the focus on what gives us a boner.
  • Gay – unfortunately a weaponized term, and also includes references to a gay subculture. The new term is “same-sexual” which drops any connection to a lifestyle. Actually the majority of same-sexuals are invisible and don’t particularly participate in the “gay subculture” as stereotyped in the media. It now simply refers to a sexual response.
  • Porn – This is a seriously damaged term. Too many think that if we stop watching porn our lives will be better, forgetting that “porn” is always available in our imaginations too. The new term is “stimagery” or “stimulating imagery” which includes ALL sources such as online websites, advertisements, books, movies, tv shows, people walking around, statues, and everything in our vivid imaginations, some of which we’d not do in real life.
  • Alpha / Beta Males – There is no such thing as alpha males and beta males. It’s a bullshit term used to trick young men and boys into thinking it’s something to aspire to, or avoid.
  • Lies, Truth, Always, Never, Totally, etc – Oversimplifications CREATE confusion, so we avoid absolute terms of all kinds. The list is long. There are occasions when we use an absolute term in the handbook, and you can bet there was a discussion about whether to use it or not in that instance.
  • Vulnerability – We avoid this term because it’s not at all clear what it refers to. It creates confusion. Instead, we will be specific as to what’s going on at the moment.
  • LGBTQIA+ – We use “The Hand Thing” (described in the Sex Area) to better indicate the landscape of human sex-related characteristics and avoid this awful list of ad hoc terms that both overlap and leave gaps. The Hand Thing does a better job, and it’s fun too.
  • Homophobia – The replacement term is the FoG (“Fear of Gay”) that’s the symptom of a cause – the Manhood Confusion Attack (MCA).
  • Minorities – The mere mention of this is what perpetuates the idea that something is lesser. Just ignore this word and move on.
  • Racism – A famous man once said, “If you want to end racism, stop talking about it.” This word along with many others, like minorities, perpetuate the very thing people are trying to get away from.
  • Morality – A difficult word that’s become heavily wrapped up with shame and control. It is a fact that human beings are able to understand what is not acceptable behavior without the need of organized religion.

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

WYNSALT - Why You've Never Seen Anything Like This!

It looks like the handbook catches a lot of people offguard. A video is being made that gives a proper introduction to what is unusual and different about it. And it has to be this way like it or not.

Here are the elements that are a part of why no one has seen anything like this before.

  • R&D – Thiis is a topic of interest of Mark’s throughout his lifetime, plus all his speaking gigs over the past 15 years where many ideas were developed and tested, and ultimately the discovery seven years ago that apparently this is his calling and destiny – to make the handbook real.
  • Reset – Walk away from conventional thinking in a sweeeping way. Start over.
  • Structure – The Map of a Man’s Life was developed to structure information for the first time.
  • Adversary – Confusion is a man’s only adversary. There is no other.
  • Tap into an instinct – Brotherhood, allowing us to easily bond, band together and look after each other as we help each other learn and grow all throughout life, rasing all boats.
  • Point Of View – We try to be consistent about taking an outsider point of view, like we’re an alien trying to understand the human race. 
  • Managed Language and Labels – This is one of the most significant things to be mindful of because to a great degree, the English language and all the labels we use are a huge part of the confusion we must endure. The handbook would just end up with more of the same confusion unless we ditch problematic language, labels and terms agressively.
  • Methodology – Consistency, integrity, critical thinking skills, logic, reason, no pandering to the lowest common denominator whatsoever, no fear, and no shame.
  • Men are left with…
    • Belonging to a community (can only be in one gang)
    • Resilience and Anti-fragility
    • More Meaning in their lives
    • Restored Connections to People and Planet
In addition, some of this stuff may be before it’s time. As Wayne Gretzky says, we’re skating to where the puck is going to be.
 

First Responders

Years ago I started assembling a list of no more than 150 men, the size of a tribe, whom I personally know and who have expressed interest in the handbook. It’s now time to engage this tribe and have them start experiencing the handbook, in the incomplete state it’s in now, and help refine it before it gets exposed to the open internet of millions of men. 

Thanks to all my brothers, buddies, friends and professional contacts who stand together with me now to help see this sailing ship finally become seaworthy enough to be pushed away from the dock and set out to sea in the coming month(s).

I’m so privileged and grateful. Thank you!

  1. Adam Markle
  2. Alberto Bautista
  3. Alex (from gym)
  4. Alex Fazekas-Paul
  5. Alex Rennie
  6. Andre Doucette
  7. Andrew Day
  8. Andy Bayon
  9. Austin Barrett
  10. Benaiah Koskovich
  11. Bill Bermudez
  12. Bill Persky
  13. Bill Plenefisch
  14. Bill Rocco
  15. BJ Lawrence
  16. Brad Cushman
  17. Brad Hoag
  18. Brent Weiss
  19. Brett Serwalt
  20. Brian Clark
  21. Brian Jessup
  22. Bruce Hartman
  23. Calvin Tom
  24. Cam Richardson
  25. Carlos Martinez
  26. Cedric Terrell
  27. Cesar Bohorquez
  28. Charles Washburn
  29. Chip Milligan
  30. Clay Tschudy
  31. Craig Robertson
  32. Dalton Minard
  33. Dan (neighbor)
  34. Dan Axlerod
  35. Dan Gallien
  36. Dane Dormio
  37. Daniel Hauk
  38. David Alvarado
  39. David Gao
  40. David Highly
  41. David O’Brien
  42. David Santana
  43. Demetrius Atuña
  44. Dennis Stein
  45. Duane Stanton
  46. Eddie Meyerholtz
  47. Eric Hernandez
  48. Eugene Baronilla
  49. Fergal O’Doherty
  50. Francisco Zepeda
  51. Garth Corbin
  52. Geoff Thomas
  53. George Lapole
  54. George Tubon
  55. Grant Tom
  56. Hector Martinez
  57. Hector (gym owner)
  58. Israel Ramos
  59. Izac (gym)
  60. James Labrie
  61. James Person
  62. James Segers
  63. Jamie Colter
  64. Jason Kordestani
  65. Jaylen Braiden
  66. Jeff Simonds
  67. Jesse Palmer
  68. Jim Riggenbach
  69. Jody Mitchel
  70. Joe Gregore
  71. Joe Lucero
  72. John Alexander
  73. John Gardiner
  74. John Rumsey
  75. Jon Block
  76. Jon Weimhoff
  77. Jonny Valamehr
  78. Jose Mendoza
  79. Jose (gym)
  80. Josh (Wall Builder)
  81. Josh Arce
  82. Justin Lee
  83. Karl Kyler
  84. Kevin Waldrop
  85. Lael Corbin
  86. Lap Luu
  87. Loren Freestone
  88. Marcus Block
  89. Mark Ghitman
  90. Matt Baker
  91. Matt Carpinello
  92. Matt Luria
  93. Matt Ritchey
  94. Matty Valdespino
  95. Michael Floerchinger
  96. Michael Plouff
  97. Michael Schaeffer
  98. Michael Scott
  99. Mick Macklemore
  100. Mike Hrostoski
  101. Mike Simms
  102. Mo Bidair
  103. Nathan Haas
  104. Patrick Hudspeth
  105. Patrick Hurley
  106. Paul Spaeth
  107. Paul Tomcavage
  108. Paul Robbins
  109. Peter Larson
  110. Peter Shin
  111. Philippe Drolet
  112. Rayan Boujaram
  113. Rene Hererra
  114. Reuben Limon
  115. Richard Gaskin
  116. Rick Sainz
  117. Rob Rundle
  118. Robb Harvey
  119. Robert Houghton
  120. Rusty Bresser
  121. Ryan Brolliar
  122. Ryan Conroy
  123. Ryan O’Connor
  124. Ryan Stock
  125. Ryan Swedlund
  126. Ryan Warnock
  127. Sasha Turovsky
  128. Sean Hudson
  129. Sean Yoshikawa
  130. Sebastian Hernandez
  131. Skott Jones
  132. Spike Dale
  133. Steve Hernandez
  134. Steven Cooper
  135. Steven Worth
  136. Thaddius Donnarumma
  137. Thomas Swope
  138. Tim Geraci
  139. Tom Demich
  140. Tom Duncan
  141. Tom Hepler
  142. Tom Hymes
  143. Tom Waidzunas
  144. Trentamus Briggs
  145. Trevy James
  146. Warren Reed
  147. Wayne Delano
  148. Will Metivet
  149. Yudi Andiwinata
  150. Zarek Pilakowski
 

A “tribe” is a group of around 150 people. It’s a special number because for humans, that’s about the limit of how many people we’re able to get to know and feel like they’re part of our community.

There are companies where when a location grows past 150 people, it will split off into a new location so that the employees at any location will all get to know each other well and work together as a tight knit community with all the productivity benefits that yields. Belonging is a powerful human instinct and need.

 

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

Quick Comment

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

This Is A Popup

This brings up some information like a definition, a long list, an image, whatever. 

Click the red arrow at the upper right to close it.

If you wondered about this photo, it’s a picture of the the crew of an aircraft carrier. The crewmen in brightly colored jerseys work on the flight deck and their role is color coded. Check out the orange References and Notes Show/Hide bar at the bottom of this START HERE section for more details on what the colors mean.


Extra Credit: There are a few women in this picture. Can you find them?

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

Life's Journey

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

Hunter S. Thompson

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

No Two Humans Are Alike

If we say for a moment that each of these independent human attributes listed below was only an on or off, one or the other, binary kind of thing, then to calculate the number of combinations of human beings that are possible, this list of 60 items can be calculated as 2 to the power of 60…

     260 = 1,152,921,504,606,846,976

or over 1 quintillion combinations of human beings.

But there are actually far more combinations than that because most of the attributes are spectrums, ranges, and sometimes multiple choice. And this list keeps growing because now there are 71 items below. But we’re in the general ballpark.

Long story short, no two human beings who have ever lived are alike.


Visible Human Attributes

  1. Body type
  2. Face
  3. Age
  4. Race – Asian, Black, Caucasian, etc
  5. Ethnicity – Jewish, Eritrean, Japanese, hispanic, middle-eastern, etc
  6. Fashion  – clothes, hair, makeup, bling
  7. Mannerisms – masculine, feminine, animated, reserved
  8. Fitness – from couch potato to fit physique
  9. Sex – physical appearance is male, female, or combination
  10. Voice
  11. Physical injuries, disabilities

     

Invisible Human Attributes

  1. Sexual orientation – same-sex, opposite sex, both
  2. Genetalia – male, female, blend of the two
  3. Gender Identity – Identify as a man, woman, or a combination
  4. Sexual experiences – each person has a different set of them
  5. Sexual Activity level – from once a year to once a day, includes sex with self
  6. Fetishes – this list usually gets longer over time, and is very unique to each person
  7. Sexual styles – traditional, wild, rough, slow, intense, spiritual
  8. Emotion – from very sensitive to seemingly dead inside
  9. Empathy – the ability to connect with other people’s experiences
  10. Shame – how much is imposed on us and how we deal with it
  11. Negative experiences – any traumas that impact one’s life
  12. Fears 
  13. Addictions
  14. Optimistic to Pessimistic
  15. Who a life partner is to us – from best friend and soul mate to…
  16. Love – the many people we love deeply and would do anything for them
  17. Diet – from junk food to veganism
  18. Exercise – from sedentary to gym junkie, hiker, walker, runner, etc
  19. Play – what we do for fun
  20. Sleep and Rest – getting enough sleep has a big affect on our lives
  21. Habits – daily habits and our routine
  22. Self-improvement – from stuck in our ways to always learning something new
  23. Rhythm of life – harmonious, discordant, inconsistent, repetitive
  24. Tidy to messy
  25. Ambitions
  26. Creativity
  27. Talents – art, music, speaking, juggling, comedy, teaching, crafts, cooking, etc
  28. Experience – comes with age, hopefully
  29. Wisdom – comes with age or from study
  30. Clear Thinking Skills – we’re improving them now!
  31. Strongly Held Beliefs
  32. Limiting Beliefs – things that hold us back and stop us
  33. Integrity
  34. Discipline
  35. Languages – other languages we may be able to speak
  36. Communication Skills
  37. Achievements
  38. Quirks and eccentricities
  39. Self-expression – from bookworm to skydiver
  40. Introvert to extrovert
  41. Loner to gregarious
  42. Culture – Mexican, Jewish, Italian, Chinese, etc
  43. Parents – both mom and dad, just a mom, just a dad, neither
  44. Siblings – only child, only brothers, only sisters, both brothers and sisters
  45. Ecomonic status from childhood to current
  46. Neighborhood from childhood to current – rough, scary, pleasant, posh
  47. Religion
  48. Extended family – from small to large
  49. Nurturing
  50. Protective of others
  51. Mentors and Idols – the people who’ve had a big influence on our lives
  52. Education – public or private, college, easy/rough/difficult schools
  53. Job History – from entry level jobs to careers
  54. Books and Movies
  55. Social Media
  56. Physical Illness – from minor chronic problems to life-threatening
  57. Mental Illness – from minor neuroses to being bipolar, schizophrenic, etc
  58. Comfort zone – how often we will leave our comfort zone
  59. Friends – the people who know us and we can turn to and count on
  60. Curious and Inquisitive

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

Life's Journey

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”

Hunter S. Thompson

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved

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Reference

© 2018-2023 Markus Halvorson
All Rights Reserved 

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