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In the mega-hit Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, there’s an entire song and dance number (“Turn it Off”) where a group of young men share their strategies for suppressing emotions with one another. One young man, who is struggling to accept his same-sex attractions, sings the following recommendation:
“Imagine that your brain is made of tiny boxes,
And find the box that’s gay and CRUSH IT,
Okay?”
Even if sexuality isn’t the specific issue they struggle with, most men can relate to the idea that there are many, many thoughts and feelings that they must pack in boxes and hide in the darkest corner of the mind’s dingy basement. Otherwise, they risk being shamed, bullied, or ostracized by the family and friends for failing to properly demonstrate male emotional toughness.
Mark Greene, Senior Editor at the Good Men Project, is on a mission to help men throw out all of those boxes, leaving space to store more Relational Intelligence. His latest book, Remaking Manhood and the social media outreach efforts around it are aimed at helping educate the public about the epidemic of male loneliness and emotional suppression, and to give men tips on how to find and express their authentic selves.
In this episode of the podcast, he and Dan talk about how men can form stronger friendships and more intimate marriages and relationships. They also talk about what it means to be a father and how men can help their children develop their own Relational Intelligence. Be sure to check out the videos Mark has made available on RemakingManhood.com and share them with your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.
