Category: Gentleman’s Philosophy

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Gentleman's Philosophy

The Gentleman’s (and Lady’s) Guide to the 2nd Amendment and Gun Ownership

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide here. So, this post will likely be extremely controversial, so if it ends up getting taken down for any reason, let the record show that it was WordPress that took it down, not me or Jonah. Like I said in an earlier post, a gentleman stands up for what he believes in, and even if I get torn apart or even expelled from my university for what I say in this post, it’s staying up. Also, I’ve learned from my mistakes in past posts, and from now on, if I include any information that is not my own, I will put my resources, as subjective or objective as they may be, at the bottom of each post. In any case, I’m sure most of you who are reading this have at least about the shooting and mass murder in Parkland, Florida last week, and to those who were affected in any way by this, whether you were injured or lost a family member to the assailant, I offer my sincerest condolences. This was a tragedy that should never have happened, and my heart goes out to all who were affected by this. With this in mind, unlike what a majority of the mass media has been doing as of late, I won’t be fighting for stricter or more abundant gun control laws. As a matter of fact, I’ll actively fighting against them. Why? Because slightly looser gun control laws than those we have now could have prevented this as well almost all school shootings that have happened in recent years. And in this post, I’m going to give you four (4) facts about gun ownership, the 2nd Amendment and why such things are incredibly important, especially in the United States today.

1. The right to self-defense

The 2nd Amendment reads as follows:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Now what exactly does that mean? Many people view it as gun rights should only be to members of a state militia. And since the US doesn’t use such a state militia anymore, many people are viewing the 2nd Amendment as even more outdated than they think it is. However, the wording of the amendment in and of itself completely disassembles this argument. People seem to overlook five very important words that are included in the amendment: “The right of the people.” This shows that the Founding Fathers had the interests of the people in mind when drafting this, not the military. They realized that humans have the right to self-preservation and self-defense. They also realized that the most effective way to provide self-defense was through use of a firearm. And just think about it; if an assailant is breaking into your home, they’d be more likely to flee if you even brandished a firearm. A lot of times, you wouldn’t even have to fire a bullet. A burglar would be intimidated even by the sight of a firearm because it’s possible that they might get shot. There’s an extension to this self-defense idea that is also just as important.

2. Enhanced security

There is staggering evidence that shows that around 92% of mass shootings occur in “gun-free zones”, where even concealed-carry permits are nullified. And there’s a simple reason for this: gun-free zones are simply the easiest targets. So the simplest answer is to simply get rid of gun-free zones in order to bump up armed security. If campus security, campus police, and even certain staff members were allowed to have firearm training and concealed-carry permits, the amount of school shootings would plummet practically overnight. As counterintuitive as it sounds, the removal of gun-free zones, easy targets for mass shooters, will actually make the US a much safer place.

3. A firearm is a firearm

Many opponents of the 2nd Amendment try to argue that the only thing the Founding Fathers had in mind about firearms were muskets. Well first things first, that argument is just completely wrong. There were other rifles and even handguns invented around the time of the Revolutionary War or even hundreds of years beforehand, that could fire upwards of twenty (20) rounds in five (5) seconds. But all of these details aside, the most important thing to know is that the entire purpose and function of firearms has not changed since they were invented. Regardless of era, regardless of design, a gun is designed to expel either a pellet or wad of lead (unless you use a BB gun or airsoft gun) out of a long metal tube for the purpose of hitting something, killing it if it’s a living thing, human, animal, or otherwise. As such, all firearms need to be treated with the same amount of care and caution, whether it’s a musket, an AR-15, a 20-gauge shotgun, or a Glock 19. Probably the most important things to know when handling ANY firearm are the three (3) most important universal rules of gun use, the first rules I heard when I first learned to shoot a gun when I was eleven (11) years old.

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
2. ALWAYS keep you finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

4. Women benefit from gun ownership as well

I was watching another video from Prager University,  called Gun Rights are Women’s Rights. In it, journalist and author Katie Pavlich talks about how because women on average have less muscle mess and physical strength than men (not to shame or judge women, it’s just biology), the best way for them to “even the odds”, as Pavlich puts it, is for more women to own guns, especially in the US. Like I said earlier in this post, even just brandishing a firearm or showing that you have one on hand will deter most criminals from doing anything to you, your family, or your property. Right-leaning blogger and social media personality Lexie Bess goes even further into this in a video series on her Facebook page, the pilot of which you can check out right here. So for any of you young ladies reading, this may be worth checking out.

So that’s it for the list. Again, to any of those who were affected in Parkland last week, I offer my condolences, and I am fighting to help you. It’s just that seeing how so many people react to something like this and try to push for things that have never worked and never will work just gets my blood boiling. This is just my take on it and why I feel that so many things that the left is pushing for are complete nonsense. In any case thank you for reading. I would truly appreciate it if you shared this post, and go the word out. Also be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. This is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time.

Resources

Crime Prevention Control Center: crimeresearch.org/2014/09/more-misleading-information-from-bloombergs-everytown-for-gun-safety-on-guns-analysis-of-recent-mass-shootings/

Politifact: politifact.com/florida/statements/2017/feb/21/richard-corcoran/do-most-mass-shootings-happen-gun-free-zones/

Louder with Crowder: https://youtu.be/CquUBWHU2_s (yes, I get Steven Crowder is more of a comedian if anything, but I trust him more than most mainstream media sources)

Prager University: https://youtu.be/2iKBEJp92CA

Lexie Bess: facebook.com/officiallexiebess/videos/884689121713489/

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Gentleman's Philosophy

A Gentleman Stands Up For What He Believes In

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! So, one of our latest posts, The 1950s: The Greatest Generation for Families, has received quite a bit of heat lately, which isn’t very surprising. Now, we here at The Young Gentleman’s Guide are always open to a thoughtful and cordial conversation, and we were made aware of quite a few differing opinions. On Instagram, a few commenters were saying that I should’ve done some more research into how women and minorities were treated in the 1950s, or how women today can and do live happy lives without starting a family or having kids. Now what would you do in this situation? I would guess that some people would either take the post down or issue an apology for offending anyone. But that is not what a gentleman would do, and that is not what I want to teach to my readers.

Now, I will fully admit that I should have done more research into the era of the 1950s, and I should have also addressed to role of women today. Don’t get me wrong, if you are a woman and are happy with working and not getting married or starting a family, then I’m fine with that. And guys, if you also want to focus on your career and not worry about finding a lady to settle down with, then that’s fine! Pretty much everything I mentioned in that post were just statistical trends, not absolute certainties. However, I have no plans to apologize for what I said or take down the post, because I still stand by the core message of the post: that traditional family values are important and should be preserved, despite them being dangerously undermined in today’s society.

I believe it was Ron Swanson, a character from the TV show Parks and Recreation who says “If you believe something, you sign your name to it.” I’m prepared to take that sentiment to the bank! Caving into the demands of your audience or the people who disagree with you, just shows that you don’t actually believe in what you said. Also, if your first reaction is to resort to violence as opposed to having an open discussion (as is, more often than not, the case with politics or religion), that’s not upholding your belief, that’s just a display of cowardice. Again, that goes completely against what I’m trying to teach our readers. Like Ron Swanson says, “If you believe something, you sign your name to it.” Sure, it is inevitable that other people will have a different opinion than yours, but that’s ok. You should willing to hold an open and cordial debate about your differing opinions. Whether or not one of you end up agreeing on everything shouldn’t matter. As long as you can both stay level-headed and find at least a small amount of common ground, that’s what matters.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, and follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook and Instagram. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!

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Gentleman's Philosophy

On Friendship, From the Norse

Evening Gents! It’s Jonah here form The Young Gentleman’s Guide. Today we return to our series on Norse mythology and the many lessons for gentlemen held within.

Today we discuss friendship and its importance. Do you have a few bros? Maybe there are a few guys at school who you see regularly, or a few fellas who go out for drinks with you. But do you have real friends? Men who you aren’t afraid when they see you as you really are?

Image result for friendship

Picture Credit: Google Images

In just two verses, the poet of the Sayings of the High One explains to us the importance of choosing friends and being intentional about our friendships. Keep in mind this just scratches the surface of what the poem has on friendship. Here you can find all the verses: https://www.artofmanliness.com/2016/01/31/the-80-wisdom-sayings-of-the-vikings/

The Sayings of the High One say,

  1. I was once young,/ I was journeying alone,/ and lost my way;/ rich I thought myself,/ when I met another./ Man is the joy of man./

And back up a bit:

  1. Know, if thou has a friend/ whom thou fully trustest,/ and from whom thou woulds’t good derive,/  thou shouldst blend thy mind with his,/ and gifts exchange,/ .and often go to see him.

I’ll focus on two little bits. First, from verse 47, we learn that “man is the joy of man.”

Gentlemen, nothing will give you joy like other people. That is why to be a gentleman relates entirely to people and how you interact with people. That is where our joy derives – from each other. Never forget that!

Now here’s the friendship-specific bit, verse 44. Let’s break it down:

“Know, if thou…”

Already we have something. When thee, thou, thine, and thy were in common usage, the thou form denoted closeness. Spouses would say “thou”, and friends, while authority figures would be addressed as you. The poet is addressing his audience as a close person or a friend.

“Know, if thou has a friend whom thou fully trustest…”

Do you have a friend who you fully trust? Think for a moment – trust them completely? Who you could tell anything…? If you do, I feel profoundly good for you. If you don’t, then we may be in the same boat. Let’s continue – this one verse is pure gol.

“…and from whom thou woulds’t good derive…” Are you deriving good from your friends? Are you getting advice; genuine, wholesome fun; and a renewing of your spirit? Do your friends challenge you to be a better man?

Or do your “friends” disparage your decisions and pressure you to lower your standards? Do they try to get you drunk, just because it seems cool? Do they try to get you to live short of your commitments in order to hang out? If they do these things, sorry to break it to you, but they are not good friends – or even friends.  

But true friends bring out the good in you.

“… thou shouldst blend thy mind with his,/ and gifts exchange,/ and often go to see him.”

To “blend thy mind”, and “often go to see him”  – what does this say? We must be intentional about our friendships. We must put work into them. We must spend time and effort. We must be magnanimous when our friends can’t hang out because they need to handle their responsibilities. Not only that, but we must support them in their responsibilities.

We must choose wisely. Choose men who challenge us to be true gentlemen. Men who are truly fun to be around. Men whom we trust, men for whom we would put in all the effort and stick through thick and thin.

If we want to be friends with those men, we have to be those men.

On that note, I’m Jonah with The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time.

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Gentleman's Philosophy

The 1950s: The Greatest Generation for Families

Afternoon gents, it’s Max from the Young Gentleman’s Guide here! So I’ve made it abundantly clear that I love just about anything having to do with the 1950s. The cars, the music, the fashion, and probably my favorite thing, the emphasis on the family! I’ve also made it just as clear that I was born and raised in a traditional family, with both biological parents still married and living under the same roof. And of course, in the 1950s, a traditional family like that was essentially the norm, not the exception as it seems to be today. Now, I’m not going to act like everything in the 1950s was all sunshine and rainbows, but it has been shown to be a generally happier time. And while that can be attributed to any number of reasons, it’s my firm belief that the biggest reason is that traditional family values were a huge emphasis in American society. I’ve stated many times that I’m a huge advocate for traditional family values because said values are what’s important to every single member of the family. Protest or undermine them all you want, but traditional family values and gender roles are what’s best for society. Children who are raised with both biological parents living under the same roof are less likely to commit crime, drop out of high school, and live in poverty. Women who are housewives and stay-at-home moms have consistently been shown to be happier and more satisfied with their lives. And most importantly for our readers, a man who works to provide for his family is taught some of the most important things in his life: responsibility, leadership, work ethic, and how to care for others. And what era had the greatest emphasis on all of these things? The 1950s!

1950s Post 2

The 1950s were a time where men acted like men, women acted like women, and children acted like children. It sounds like a far cry from today where people are aiming to not have any differences between any of those three things. Not only that, but as of 2014, approximately 24% of children grew up in fatherless homes, and it’s likely that percentage has increased in four (4) years. That’s more than twice as high as that rate in 1960, 11%. The value of the family is being dangerously undermined in our current year 2018. With modern social justice and universities trying to teach young people, especially women, that marriage and starting a family is obsolete, I’m hoping we can go back to the 1950s. If a woman wanted to try to call out someone for advocating being a sexist or a bigot for just arguing common sense and science, she might ask him “Why don’t we just go back to the 1950s?” But is someone were to ask me that right now, I would say “Yes, we should. Because life was better back then for men, women, and children. Sure racial relations weren’t the best, and we were slightly worried about nuclear armageddon, but people were happier. Men were real men, women were real women, and the family was going strong. I wish families today were as strong as they were back in that day. Families are the cornerstone of a prosperous society, and the 1950s had that in troves. Plus everything in general was just better back then. The cars, the music, the movies, and especially the government and economy.” Sorry for rambling there, but hopefully I got my point across. In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s post. Please be sure to share the post, follow the blog, and follow The Young Gentleman’s Guideon Facebook and Instagram. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!

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Gentleman's Philosophy

Lessons in Manliness from the Vikings: Temperance

Image result for food big plate vs healthy sized plateDoesn’t this just look great? It’s probably too much to eat healthily.
Evening Gents, it’s Jonah from The Young Gentleman’s Guide here!

First off, Max and I apologize (again) for the inconsistent posting schedule. Breaks for Christmas, school, and a massive fire that attacked our hometown have thrown things for a loop. But like manly men, let’s get right back to improving ourselves with vigour.

Today we continue our series on lessons from the Norse, especially Norse mythology. Our source material again is the Hávamál, or Sayings of the High One, and our topic is temperance.

“Temperance, Jonah? Never heard of it.”

The virtue of temperance relates to eating and drinking moderately.This affects both normal food and drink, and the consumption of alcoholic beverages, for those of us 21 and over.

“But Jonah, the Vikings were rowdy warriors who feasted and drank, partying ‘til daylight! Isn’t that manly?”

Dear Sir, the schools have not taught you the full truth about the Norse! They valued discipline in limiting one’s consumption of food and drink. Which is timely, I think, to remember around this holiday season. Let’s see what the Norse had to say:

Sayings of the High One

  1. A greedy man,/ if he be not moderate,/ eats to his mortal sorrow./ Oftentimes his belly/ draws laughter on a silly man,/ who among the prudent comes.

And to go back a few lines:

  1. A worse provision/ no man can take from table/ than too much beer-bibbing:/ for the more he drinks/ the less control he has/ of his own mind.
  2. Let a man hold the cup,/yet of the mead drink moderately,/ speak sensibly or be silent./As of a fault/ no man will admonish thee,/ if thou goest betimes to sleep.

So, now for some context and breakdown! Remember that in the time and place of the  Vikings, one’s reputation was important to your success. It was a more dangerous time, and food and other goods were somewhat scarce, so friends and connections were important to maintain in all areas of life. As aspiring gentlemen, we also ought to care what some people think of us (a detailed topic for a later post!) as well. This is why verse 20 talks about “laughter on a silly man”.

Remember also that  to admonish is to reprimand, especially publicly.

The Norse poets and scholars, arbiters of culture, understood that to eat moderately was good for one’s health and reputation, and is polite to others. To eat excessively, especially at a party or large dinner, shows thoughtlessness for everyone else at the table, but to eat moderately sized portions makes sure everyone gets some of each dish.

Thus, to eat and drink temperately also shows that you are not overly concerned with yourself, but more concerned with others, which is the core of gentlemanliness. To do so is to master your appetites and build discipline.

What’s more, it is better for your health! Most Americans eat until we are overfull. This practice, combined with awful food from the big industry and a sedentary lifestyle, has created the obesity epidemic, which top military leaders now judge a national security risk. You can easily find lots of information on the health risks of being overweight, and the benefits of being a healthy weight.

However, the good news is there is a simple start to the habit of temperance:

“Eat when hungry; stop when full.”

–Brett Mckay, The Art of Manliness blog

When you actually start feeling full, stop eating. Your body is telling you it has enough; listen to your body. When you are no longer thirsty, stop drinking. Getting fast food? Get a single burger instead of a double, and a medium drink instead of the jumbo whatever.  Then really enjoy it (especially if it’s In N Out!); taste the flavors.

This extends to all of your appetites, not just food and drink. The video game you’re playing stopped being fun a half hour ago? Put it down and go do something else. Nothing that is actually interesting or edifying in your Instagram feed? Put your phone away and go interact with someone face-to-face. You’ve started to wake up in the morning? Get up promptly, even if – especially if – you’ve slept later than usual (hello, weekends!). No one felt more energized from lazing around in bed.

This way we train ourselves to consume only what is truly satisfying – whether food and drink, a fun video game in a moderate amount, (another topic for a future post!), some interesting tidbits in our Facebook feed (another future post about your social media feeds!), restful sleep, or any other pleasure or luxury especially available in our modern age.

We also train ourselves to appreciate these good things more.

So drink of the cup moderately, in the most satisfying amount. Your health, physical, mental, and spiritual, will thank you for it; and you will be practising a great tenet of gentlemanliness.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading tonight’s post! Be sure to share the post, follow us of Facebook and Instagram, and pass it along to your fellow aspiring gentlemen. This is Jonah from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you in my next post!