208: Composure: One Measure of a Man

REDACTED Culture Cast

Rudyard Kipling's poem "If" often finds home on the wall and in the minds of great men. It leads the reader through a series of character traits that make a man, opening with the line
"If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too; "
Throughout history, mankind has asked what it is that makes a man truly a man. Sometimes this question boils down to metaphysics, asking what it is about a being that makes them a man. In recent times even biology has been called into question, albeit comically. Yet the most personal context of this question often eats at the hearts of men as they live their lives in search of and fulfillment of the answer.
The concept of composure has found itself baked into mens fashion, and different eras of masculinity. We find something truly great about a man who can keep a cool head under pressure, and have even seen the rise of attacking that point of vulnerability to set a trap.
This episode has been sponsored by Obsidian Arms, a manufacturer of tools, parts and firearms, as well as operating as an OEM shop for those looking to bring excellence to the market. Their Minnesota-based shop builds and cuts parts out of U.S.-sourced materials. Their gunsmith tools, custom firearms, and capabilities can be found at www.obsidianarms.com
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