Men and Tears

Perhaps you watched the events of President George H.W. Bush’s funeral. It was beautiful, inspiring, and patriotic. One of the most reported moments occurred when President George W. Bush became choked up while eulogizing his father. The clip was sometimes aired as an oddity. Why? Our culture treats a man’s tears as strange, unmanly. This attitude sends a certain message about manhood: that men shouldn’t show tenderness – and certainly not tears in public. Emotion is perceived as a sign of weakness or even mental imbalance. In this episode, Stephen urges a middle way. Your goal is not to be shut down emotionally, but to feel everything and temper your expression based on the context and moment.