Is it wrong for men to cry?

I have to admit, I kinda teared up tonight.

I realized I'm too nice for this world, and for every good person I've met, there ten others with terrible intentions and terrible things to say. I would render my life for the closest people to me because I know they would do the same, but I understand that a time may come where we are no longer friends and I'm alone again. I don't like the feeling of dread...

Then I begin to watch this documentary [link] and it hits home more than ever: the world is impersonal and inhospitable. I want to find comfort in some existential work but this headache prevents me from doing so. Instead I began to weep like a baby.

Would you consider compassion to be a negative trait in men, or were The Cure right when they said Boys Don't Cry?

Real men only cry at the ending of Old Yeller.

Originally Posted by John Henry Eden

Real men only cry at the ending of Old Yeller.

But if they can't even do that, what does that make them? Is it even possible?

Hmm.... well I haven't cried in about nine years, shall I try the Old Yeller technique now and test it out?

On topic though, in real morality, no it is not wrong for men to cry. It is usually good for people to cry, and not bottle things up. But in manlaw, as JHE stated, real men only cry at the ending of Old Yeller. I instinctively follow manlaw as a way of survival through the bull**** of life, repressing it to ease the pain, which is natural human behavior. I think there is a problem of people poking fun at someone who cries, however. Unless it is over something trivial, crying is no laughing matter.

Originally Posted by Xeves

But if they can't even do that, what does that make them? Is it even possible?

Hmm.... well I haven't cried in about nine years, shall I try the Old Yeller technique now and test it out?

Then you aren't human.

On topic though, in real morality, no it is not wrong for men to cry. It is usually good for people to cry, and not bottle things up. But in manlaw, as JHE stated, real men only cry at the ending of Old Yeller. I instinctively follow manlaw as a way of survival through the bull**** of life, repressing it to ease the pain, which is natural human behavior. I think there is a problem of people poking fun at someone who cries, however. Unless it is over something trivial, crying is no laughing matter.

This.

Originally Posted by John Henry Eden

Then you aren't human.

I think I cried for a minute when I watched District 9, and that's kind of like old yeller...

I'm a robot, aren't I?

I personally see nothing wrong with a man crying. It is terrible that it has become such a stigma than a "real man" dosen't cry. I don't believe anyone should cry over trivial things, but if the situation calls for it I see absolutly nothing wrong with a man shedding tears. I 've been raised with people telling me men and women have equal rights, when did men loose the right to shed tears? Many men nowadays have become incapable of crying, it's a very sad thing that has happened by that point, it means that these men have lost a part of themselves that they will likely never get back. I know I said it once and I'm going to say it again. I personally see nothing wrong with a man crying.

No? We all have tear glands for a reason.

Real men cry. Real women cry. Humans cry. It's natural, it's necessary, and it's not a weakness.

If anything, sticking to the maxim "real men don't cry" is being weak, because then you're letting societal/cultural stereotypes dictate how you should act, rather than being yourself.

Originally Posted by Astarael

Real men cry. Real women cry. Humans cry. It's natural, it's necessary, and it's not a weakness.

If anything, sticking to the maxim "real men don't cry" is being weak, because then you're letting societal/cultural stereotypes dictate how you should act, rather than being yourself.

Thank you for stating that so eloquently Astarel. My post was much longer and you just said all of what I meant in a few short sentences.

There are no men or women, only people.

Why wouldn't men cry? Are you implying that when a dearly beloved family/friend dies we're to suck in the tears and act like "a man"? I don't think so. It's natural for men to cry, it's not a matter of pride or anything, it's a fact that people are meant to cry.

I'd love to see a crying man. It'd make me sure that I'm not a sentimental silly girl.

I think crying shows weakness.

Men should be the tough ones, that don't show weakness.

Eomen are the dlicate ones, who mus tshow it....

I kid.

I do think it shows weakness though. I hold it in, and repress it.

I always thought the notion of 'crying = weakness/inability to control your emotions' to be complete and utter crap.
We're meant to display our emotions. If we're upset, crying helps us cope. It's natural.
Society's built up this silly notion that manly men don't cry.

I think, it shows more courage than anything, to feel comfortable enough to cry in front of people.

Nothing wrong with it at all, and I don't think that anyone really does. Typically though, crying and mourning for men tends to be regarded as a private activity, whereas for women it's a much more public thing. A woman bursting into tears over a trivial event, for example, is far more likely to be accepted than a man doing the same. The circumstances we find those gendered behaviours acceptable are different, and as such there is still a double standard.

I didn't cry when my baby brother died. That being said, I don't think there are many things in this world that are capable of making me cry.

I think crying is a healthy thing, a sign of emotion, and is a natural thing. Sure, boys cry less, for whatever manly reasons, but everyone human cries.

Crying is normal. If a guy cries big deal.

I don't cry.

When I'm sad I stop being sad and become awesome instead. True Story.

Any man can cry, except for Chuck Norris. The only thing that comes out of his eyes is lava.