That would be about my age thenI wish I was 10-15 years older.(must not show swmbo this forum..)
... move aside BOY .. 
Macho?
- Thread starter Wayland
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... move aside BOY .. That blacksmith lass is gorgeous , as for a macho craft? I would put hunting a Bear with a pen knife eating its meat and making weapons and a nice hate out its bones as pretty macho.
If you survive
Cal
If you survive
Cal
Stumbled on this thread while looking something up and it reminded me that I need to make some wool trousers before the winter sets in.
Nice thread it is, too.
It reminds me of the time I persuaded some hip-hop types who took things way too seriously that sewing was not only macho but something all "true gangsters" should be able to do... after all, someone has to sew up the bullet holes.
Bowyery could definitely count as macho. In fact, pretty much anything involved with weapons and traps would probably count.
That said, I really couldn't care less about such things and would argue that a wide range of skills is FAR more macho than someone who does little more complicated than the traditional birtish macho activities of eating pies, drinking beer, fighting and leering at women.
As for cooking being a woman's job... what in the world could be LESS macho than being dependant on a woman* to take care of the most basic need they have? It's about as pathetic as it gets and anyone who takes pride in being unable to cook a frozen pizza without burning it is a particularly sad case.
Good luck with the trousers, Wayland. I could probably do with something like that myself... think I've got a job for the missus.
* said in context, there's no chauvenism from me here.
It reminds me of the time I persuaded some hip-hop types who took things way too seriously that sewing was not only macho but something all "true gangsters" should be able to do... after all, someone has to sew up the bullet holes.
Bowyery could definitely count as macho. In fact, pretty much anything involved with weapons and traps would probably count.
That said, I really couldn't care less about such things and would argue that a wide range of skills is FAR more macho than someone who does little more complicated than the traditional birtish macho activities of eating pies, drinking beer, fighting and leering at women.
As for cooking being a woman's job... what in the world could be LESS macho than being dependant on a woman* to take care of the most basic need they have? It's about as pathetic as it gets and anyone who takes pride in being unable to cook a frozen pizza without burning it is a particularly sad case.
Good luck with the trousers, Wayland. I could probably do with something like that myself... think I've got a job for the missus.
* said in context, there's no chauvenism from me here.
Margaret taught ne all I need to know about Machismo. She was the farmers wife until the farmer died sadly (he was older than her). I met her shovelling hardcore into the lane one day. I offered to do it for her. "Thanks" said she "we'll do it together". Four hours later my knees were buckling at her relentless pace, the sweat was pouring off me and I was bug eyed.
She thanked me for my help and went on her way.
Three weeks later BB baked her a bithday cake - for her 80th birthday,
Red
She thanked me for my help and went on her way.
Three weeks later BB baked her a bithday cake - for her 80th birthday,
Red
Old school, my parents were the same, didn't stop till they were done, and then Mum/Dad would would continue with whatever project they had going, us kids would stagger to our rooms exhausted, till dinner time. (Olde time thought) That was when we as kids were never in, we disappeared right after breakfast and played outside till we were called in for lunch/dinner/bed or the dreaded chores.
We were fit, as kids, and our parents could run us into the ground without trying, take a 12 year old back 40 years wonder how he/she would would cope with their peers, far less what their parents would expect him/her to do.
Interesting thought no ?
Stephen
Stephen,
Definitely interesting.
When I was a nipper (in the long and distant 1980s and early 90s) I could be out roaming for a whole day with no bother at all. As you say, I could run rings round a lot of "kids nowadays"...
...but up against my folks? Against my granny? (both were farmers)
Not a CHANCE!
Red - that story made me chuckle. Thanks for sharing it.
It's probably been repeated all over the world for generations too!
Each generation that sees an advance in technology (that'd be most then) probably got that bit weedier than the preceeding one. "How did you ever manage without scythes?" "How did you ever manage with only one blade on the plough?" "How did you manage without hoses?"............"How did you ever manage without phones?" "How did you ever manage without mobile phones?"
I dread to think what my kids will be like... that's decided it... I'll be putting the little beggars to work! Haha.
Definitely interesting.
When I was a nipper (in the long and distant 1980s and early 90s) I could be out roaming for a whole day with no bother at all. As you say, I could run rings round a lot of "kids nowadays"...
...but up against my folks? Against my granny? (both were farmers)
Not a CHANCE!
Red - that story made me chuckle. Thanks for sharing it.
It's probably been repeated all over the world for generations too!
Each generation that sees an advance in technology (that'd be most then) probably got that bit weedier than the preceeding one. "How did you ever manage without scythes?" "How did you ever manage with only one blade on the plough?" "How did you manage without hoses?"............"How did you ever manage without phones?" "How did you ever manage without mobile phones?"
I dread to think what my kids will be like... that's decided it... I'll be putting the little beggars to work! Haha.
LOVE to cook, can't sew, but wish I could. Would like to learn to knit one day.
I thnk those bushcrafters who are too concerned about remaining macho miss out on alot.
I thnk those bushcrafters who are too concerned about remaining macho miss out on alot.
I like that story. I remember seeing some documentary or something a while ago. As part of it a bunch of big fit young men had to trek in to the jungle, in Southeast Asia somewhere. After a bit one of them was really struggling and one of there porters, a little old lady, offered to take his pack. She just picked it up and put it on top of all the other stuff she already had in a basket on her back and strode of up the hill.
She was about 4 foot 6 and it termed out she was 80-90 years old. I bet he didn't feel very macho after that
As far as I understand the Romans had a big inferiority complex about the "barbarians" because of that. Roman men were generally fairly short and weedy where as the "barbarians" were huge bemuscled worriers. That's what comes of living in a city eating bread all your life I guess
.Sounds about right.
It probably does a lot to explain why the roman war machine, as scarily modern and efficient as it was (with such ahead-of-their-time things as triage, battlefield medics, hospital tents and that rarest of rare creature - soldiers who get to learn from their mistakes!) had such a hard time with the "barbarians" who resembled something closer to a crowd of football hooligans!
It probably does a lot to explain why the roman war machine, as scarily modern and efficient as it was (with such ahead-of-their-time things as triage, battlefield medics, hospital tents and that rarest of rare creature - soldiers who get to learn from their mistakes!) had such a hard time with the "barbarians" who resembled something closer to a crowd of football hooligans!
(Apparently I can't just leave it at that... needs to be 10 characters or more)
Yes, true in the more general case too.
As far as I understand the Romans had a big inferiority complex about the "barbarians" because of that. Roman men were generally fairly short and weedy where as the "barbarians" were huge bemuscled worriers. That's what comes of living in a city eating bread all your life I guess
All that lead in their wine and food really didn't help either...
BigShot said:
Actually, much of the Roman war machine was made up of "barbarian" mercenaries, especially towards the latter stages. Some of them (such as Arminius, aka "Herman the German") used the military experience they gained in the service of Rome to great effect in rebellion. Most of the notable "barbarian" victories over Roman forces were won by leaders (and soldiers) who had served Rome at one time or another. It's not really that much different to the frequent in-fighting within the Empire itself...
Aye, there was a large amount of conscription and mercenary work.
I suppose the thing in the rebellion was the football-hooligans using proper military tactics and triage too.
I suppose the thing in the rebellion was the football-hooligans using proper military tactics and triage too.
Then in what respect would they be "something closer to a crowd of football hooligans"? They may not have had the strictly hierarchical model of political organisation favoured by Rome, but that hardly makes them "football hooligans", and in military terms, their organisation and tactics were as good as those of Rome, and in many respects superior - which is why Rome hired them in the first place.
The idea of the "barbarians" being an undifferentiated, unruly and disorganised bunch of savages is pure rubbish, based largely on Roman propaganda.
The idea of the "barbarians" being an undifferentiated, unruly and disorganised bunch of savages is pure rubbish, based largely on Roman propaganda.
It's nothing whatsoever to do with political organisation. I'm talking battlefield here.
Look at the strict rank and file of rome's army and compare it to the approach the people they were invading took - it was not a judgement, not condescending, just an observation on the differences between the roman military formations compared with the more brutal (and that is NOT a value judgment) approach of some of their opponents.
There's nothing about better or worse in what I've said and I honestly don't know what the problem is.
If it's the choice of words that offended you (and the tone of your words make it seem like you've been offended somehow) then read what I've said but replace "football hooligan" with something that suits your taste.
Other than that I'm not getting into an argument about a throwaway comment about the aesthetics of a blatantly effective military approach compared with the invading army or the time.
Wayland - I'm laughing already... I don't have the time for that thread though
Look at the strict rank and file of rome's army and compare it to the approach the people they were invading took - it was not a judgement, not condescending, just an observation on the differences between the roman military formations compared with the more brutal (and that is NOT a value judgment) approach of some of their opponents.
There's nothing about better or worse in what I've said and I honestly don't know what the problem is.
If it's the choice of words that offended you (and the tone of your words make it seem like you've been offended somehow) then read what I've said but replace "football hooligan" with something that suits your taste.
Other than that I'm not getting into an argument about a throwaway comment about the aesthetics of a blatantly effective military approach compared with the invading army or the time.
Wayland - I'm laughing already... I don't have the time for that thread though
I'm not offended, I just like to try and puncture myths and misconceptions. When you describe the various "barbarian" forces opposed to Rome as "something closer to a crowd of football hooligans", you sound like you're buying into a whole bunch of them.
