Masculine virtues
The Need for as Many Men as Possible to Rediscover the Virtues of Archetypal Masculinity
“A woman cannot feel fulfilled without a man who is her equal. But where can she find such a man, a man who is virile, strong, and true, in today’s world?” — Lauren Bacall
A genuine woman values a genuine man; in other words, she appreciates and respects the importance of a man in her life. A woman knows that, in order to be truly radiant, she must recognize and embrace the qualities of the man beside her. Even though her happiness does not depend solely on the man in her life, she will feel happy living alongside him.
The entire history of humanity is marked by the noble deeds of authentic men who, even after thousands of years, remain worthy examples to follow. This is because they embodied spiritual virtues and values that are eternal, no matter how many millennia pass.
The era we live in is one of chaos and personal identity crisis at all levels. Today’s society faces a worrying and widespread crisis of masculine identity. Never before have authentic, real, and embodied models of masculinity been so absent from our culture. The men of the past—those who knew what they wanted, who displayed specifically masculine virtues, and who fought bravely, risking everything to fulfill their destiny—these men, who exerted a beneficial and irresistible magnetic pull by acting as true beacons in a sea of uncertainty, have been replaced by effeminate, fickle, indecisive, distracted, and insecure men—unsure of what they think, say, or do; by metrosexuals (who display feminine behavior, overly focused on physical appearance—hair removal, tweezers, manicures, pedicures); by homosexuals; by lumbersexuals (the femme fatales of the 21st century, who adopt a studied disheveled look with beards, tattoos, and stylized outfits that give them the air of wild, mysterious, lone wolves); and by satanists, who are now widely promoted by the media as role models.
It is troubling that most men today, who exhibit a devastating childishness harmful to themselves and those around them, are “in love” with themselves—particularly with their outer appearance—while their inner world remains, sadly, a frightening and unknown realm. Moreover, Western moral and spiritual values are under subtle but increasingly aggressive attack.
The man who knows what he wants—because he has a sense of his divine destiny—has been usurped by a bland, nearly sexless individual who is merely male but lacks any real qualities, a sort of insect characterized by a diminished and ever-shifting identity. Lacking character, many young men believe they can succeed in life by projecting a prepackaged external image—one that is, in reality, the cliché of a sad male puppet, however refined in the workshops of the so-called “Great Architect of the Universe.” The metrosexual, in turn, is completely disconnected from any notion of inner life. He shops online and cooks like a Victorian housewife. You’ll find him in shopping malls—but never where he’s truly needed, in times of crisis.
In the same vein, the obesity epidemic has compromised the vitality of many young people, who are now predominantly overweight due to consuming fast food—chewing fries, gulping down burgers, and drinking Coke—without realizing that these are classified by nutritionists as junk food. Meanwhile, muscular young men are constantly encouraged by TV ads to smoke Camel cigarettes and drink Stalinskaya vodka in order to become, supposedly, “real men.”
The man who bravely faces the unknown knows how to give the world a wise meaning, and he finds divine purpose in every experience—whether joyful or painful—that marks his journey. Virility is seen in the man who commits to courageous, high-risk actions for the good of others—not in the man who merely makes noise or profits from others’ hardships. The masculine being is attractive when he dares to act for good and becomes a just and divine anchor in a sea of uncertainty.
The anthropological frameworks of postmodern society can no longer grasp the masculine archetype of the hunter, the passionate fighter, the hero. Without the experience of beneficial risk and the creative joy of adventure, man remains emotionally underdeveloped. Lacking close ties to family and disconnected from the land of his ancestors, the life of the young European is reduced to wandering—an almost constant and meaningless drifting, primarily in search of basic survival.
Over time, the contemporary man has diminished his resistance to beneficial effort and his willingness to sacrifice. Obsessed with lower, carnal pleasures and nocturnal entertainment, the modern man is superficial, lacking depth and true agility of spirit. The drugged-up man who frequents nightclubs or staggers drunkenly through the streets— even in European capitals—has, alongside his arrogance and ridiculous pretensions of being “civilized,” forgotten the freshness of real intimacy with a woman, abandoned the traditions of his forebears, and does more than merely dehumanize and ignore the higher art of love—he scorns it. For him, moral and spiritual hierarchies have been turned upside down, and all he cares about is who won the football championship. For this herd-like individual, the heroic awareness of duty—to loved ones, to fellow humans, to one’s homeland—is non-existent, and religious feeling is dismissed as mere superstition, obscurantism, or “folklore.”
A Bit About Male Archetypes
"Women may resist a man's money, a man's looks, a man's fame, a man's passion—but not the wonderful and inspiring words of a man who knows how to speak to them." — Wilkie Collins
"It may be harder to identify with a superhero, a superman, but we can easily identify with a real man who, in a moment of crisis, proves he possesses extraordinary qualities and even triumphs in the trial he faces." — Timothy Dalton
"A boy makes empty promises. A man keeps his word. A boy blames others. A man takes responsibility. A boy lives off others. A man lives for others. A boy trusts himself. A man trusts God."
In this increasingly feminized world, the need for authentic men is truly urgent. The burden falls equally on both men and women. Contemporary Jungian psychotherapists believe that this current crisis of masculinity stems from the fact that men are no longer able to truly access their inner feminine aspects and qualities (generically and collectively referred to as the Anima—the inner woman that exists in the soul of every man).
If a man does not succeed in accessing this inner feminine aspect—thus achieving balance—he risks becoming either rough, arrogant, selfish, emotionally crippled, and blind to the sensibilities of others, or he represses his masculinity and becomes passive, overly sensitive, or excessively submissive.
From a symbolic perspective, each man must seek and integrate his inner feminine aspect, not to become feminine himself, but to become whole. Only a man who has integrated his Anima will be able to relate harmoniously with a real woman, without trying to dominate her or submit to her. Likewise, he will be capable of developing intuition, emotional intelligence, creativity, and a sense of meaning.
Men who consciously approach the Anima do not become weak, but rather, stronger, wiser, and more centered. They do not become feminine, but more complete as men. Without this inner connection, the man becomes unbalanced, torn between machismo and emotional fragility, often fearing both strength and vulnerability.
The four major masculine archetypes identified by Jungian psychology—King, Warrior, Magician, and Lover—describe the psychological blueprint of the mature, integrated man. These archetypes do not exclude the feminine but include it harmoniously.
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The King represents order, blessing, and responsibility. He is a leader who protects and provides, not a tyrant.
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The Warrior is courageous, disciplined, and acts with integrity for a higher cause.
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The Magician seeks knowledge, transformation, and inner mastery.
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The Lover is passionate, connected to beauty, life, and emotional depth.
In their immature forms, these archetypes become distorted:
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The Tyrant replaces the King.
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The Sadist or the Coward replaces the Warrior.
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The Manipulator replaces the Magician.
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The Addict or the Impotent Lover replaces the Lover.
Therefore, the journey of a man is not to suppress any of these aspects, but to refine and harmonize them—to become a complete man, capable of love, action, wisdom, and leadership.
In conclusion, we are at a pivotal moment in history. The world desperately needs authentic men—men who are strong, noble, and emotionally whole. The rediscovery of archetypal masculinity is not a regression to outdated roles, but a leap forward into a deeper, more conscious manhood. It is a path that requires courage, humility, and inner work—but it is a path that can lead both men and women toward a more balanced, meaningful life.