We live in a male dominated society, and it is statistically proven that there are more male criminals than female. Why is that, since society is created based on male views? Why do males find it harder to cope with the rules they make up, while females at least statistically, adapt to them easier? Does masculinity in the contemporary world burden the males with mixed views creating them to be more deviant or is it more of a biological reason?.
First of all it is important to understand what masculinity for men means. It has been reported that although men from all over the world vary, there is a surprising similarity in what is considered masculine. An article in the American Anthropologist reviewed four books written by anthropologists explaining acts of masculinity. According to anthropologist Raphael Ramirez, the presumed definition of masculinity is that men are aggressive, oppressive, narcissistic, insecure, loud-mouthed, womanizers, massive drinkers, and persons who have an uncontrollable sexual prowess. Ramirez however believes that there are two "dimensions" of masculinity, power and sexuality. To achieve power, Ramirez emphasizes that men feel they must work hard to gain success and that they need to contribute to the community, which goes against the perceived notions of masculinity. When it comes to sexuality, Ramirez states that men are very sexual and that they need to show it. It is the insecurities of men's sexualities that create problems (Synnott, 2001).
Since we live in a patriarchal society it can easily be assumed that patriarchal beliefs such as power and sexuality are prevalent. The quest in obtaining power is both hard and stressful and in many cases may lead to violence. An article in the Journal of Marriage and the Family addresses the violence that occurs in families due to the stress of the hard working male. According to the writer Scott A. Meltzer, "workers bring home the attitudes, skills, and behaviors promoted at work.
