Free The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man by Brett Mckay, Kate Mckay Page B

decades fraternal lodges began to disappear completely.
    Why Modern Men Should Join a Fraternal Lodge
    This manly tradition need not fade away. Fraternal lodges aren’t just for your grandpa. You, too, can take part in these manly institutions. Here are five reasons you should look past the silly hats and become a member of a fraternal lodge:
    1. You’ll be taking part in a storied tradition. This tradition is shared by some of the greatest men in history. George Washington, Isaac Newton, Ben Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt were all Masons. How awesome would it be to join the ranks of these great and noble men?
    2. The ritual. Our modern world is sadly lacking in ritual. Even churches are dumping their rituals in order to be more hip and edgy. But ritual is an important part of the human experience. Through ritual we can learn important truths, explore the mysteries of the universe and quiet our busy minds. Also, if you feel like you lack a rite of passage into manhood, the ritual of fraternal lodges can provide one for you.
    3. You’ll make new friends. Sure, these new friends will probably be seventy-five years old, but who better to glean manly wisdom from? What’s great about fraternal lodges is that they attract men from all backgrounds, but who all have the same goal of becoming better men. So you’ll get to interact with a wide variety of people. Lodge brothers are extremely loyal to one another and will always have your back.
    Figure 2.3 Lodge brothers are extremely loyal to one another and will always have your back.

    4. You’ll become a better man. While most fraternal orders require a belief in a Supreme Being (which is open to personal interpretation), very few require adherence to any set creed, church or political system. Instead fraternities exist to promote and inspire values that all men can get behind such as brotherhood, charity and loyalty.
    5. You’ll have an opportunity to serve your community. Most men want to give back but don’t know where or how to do so. Fraternal lodges will give you the motivation and direction you need to get off the couch and start serving your fellow man. While lodges still provide social activities like sports leagues and parties, their main function these days is to plan and carry out service projects from Habitat for Humanity to pancake breakfast fund-raisers. Giving back to your community is definitely a manly thing to do. And you might even get to pop a wheelie in the local parade.
    How to Help a Friend With a Problem
     
    If you see your buddy going through a rough patch in life, it’s only natural to want to offer some advice on how to remedy the situation. But helping a man friend with a problem can be a sticky situation; men don’t like heart-to-hearts, they’re often too prideful to ask for help and a marathon of watching Sex and the City reruns and eating pints of Ben and Jerry’s won’t soothe their troubles. So when helping your friend with a problem, you must walk softly and carry a fishing pole.
    Go do something together. Men tend to be uncomfortable with baring their souls. So instead of sitting your friend down and gazing into his eyes, go jogging, take him fishing or bowling, or play some pool. It’s easier to unburden yourself when you’re sitting looking outward, instead of face-to-face. In between fishing casts, ask your friend about his problem.
    Figure 2.4 It’s easier to unburden yourself when you’re sitting looking outward, instead of face-to-face. Go jogging, take him fishing or bowling, or play some pool.

    Get the facts. Before you can successfully help someone, you need to know all the facts about the problem. Harness your inner news reporter by asking who, what, when, where and why questions. And make sure you listen attentively while your friend speaks.
    Enable your friend to discover the solution himself. Men are most likely to follow through with something if they feel like they thought of the idea themselves. And oftentimes a