What is the Man’s Compass and can I get one?
A mission statement and an invitation to contribute
The Man’s Compass aims to help men find their place in the changing world. It has a positive spin and focuses on guiding personal growth.
It is a space where men can level up their virtues, find out how the world gets rebalanced, and share their views, emotions and experiences. A space where criticism of men must be constructive and expressed in a non-violent way, inspiring openness and reflection.
A space where men can grow without the fear of being judged.
Who is this for?
Men who want to level up. Men who want to live a better, fuller life where their needs can be fulfilled and they feel seen, valued and respected.
Men who might be confused, make mistakes, or struggle with finding their way and expressing their masculinity — but who are willing to revise and improve.
Women and anyone who wants to better understand what playing Life on man-mode is like and help men with the challenges they face.
Focus
To acknowledge the difficulties men face and the fact that the old world came with a walkthrough but the new one doesn’t. To move away from telling men what not to do and instead offer guidelines on what to do.
To create narratives in which men are a positive force in a balanced, fair and equal world, where their needs are seen and opinions valued, and where they see and value the needs and opinions of others.
Topics include
- Men’s place in a world of changing cultural values
- Expectations of men and masculinity
- Traditional male traits and skills in the new world
- What makes a good man
- Relations between men and between genders
- Men’s needs, emotions and experiences
- Developing traditionally masculine and other virtues
Tone
The discussion should be non-judgmental and open to different perspectives.
The following 8 rules will facilitate this:
- Assumption of good will. If you find what others say wildly problematic, treat them as confused, not evil.
- A curious attitude. Try to understand the people you disagree with. Ask questions, inquire into their motivations, and keep an open mind.
- Similarities over differences. There is more that connects us than divides us. Finding common ground fosters understanding.
- Only constructive criticism. Focus on finding a way forward, not finding someone to blame. No misandry, no misogyny, no ad-hominem attacks.
- Nuanced thinking. The world is complex, nobody is entirely good or evil, and there are no simplistic solutions.
- Avoid generalisations. Implying that all members of a group are so and so is usually unfair and always divisive.
- Avoid divisive language. Terms such as toxic masculinity or femininity are often misused and effectively prevent constructive discussion.
- Mistakes are learning opportunities. We all make them, but we also have the capacity to grow, become better, and help each other.
Writing for us
You are welcome to submit texts which fit our profile.
The Man’s Compass aims for quality rather than quantity. I invite you to submit your best writing and I will help you edit and improve it further.
A particular project you’re invited to submit to, is Simple Questions. You can find more about it here.
- Texts by authors of any gender are welcome.
- You can submit forms other than essays, including poetry and stories.
- Make sure your text is well-written. Proofread and use Grammarly.
- Reading time: up to 10 minutes, 4–7 preferred.
- Format your text for readability: switch up short and long sentences, avoid long paragraphs, add pictures, etc.
- Follow the Medium rules.
To be added to the publication, write mans.compass@gmail.com, including a link to a draft text you’d like to submit. If your text is rejected, you are welcome to try again with a different one.
Your work will be featured via my social media outlets. If you do not want that, you need to clearly state this in the editing process.
About the Editor
Simon Fokt holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and currently lectures at HTW Berlin. His academic work focuses on aesthetics, ethics, and metaphilosophy.
He is the founder and manager of the Diversity Reading List, a leading online resource which promotes equality in the academia. He is also the director of TELdesign Limited, which designs and develops academic and corporate online courses and training programs.
Apart from writing, Simon enjoys playing the double bass, travelling in his van, and woodworking.
Temporary addendum: I tag you below because I found your texts inspiring and I think you would be great contributor to the publication. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
A Strong Woman Weak, April Hawkins, Ask A Bitchface, Argumentative Penguin, Benjamin Davis, Celine Hosea, Chris Fritz 🔥⚒️, Elle Beau ❇︎, Gareth Broom, Jack Brown, Jeff Hayward, John Henry, Jordan Shapiro, June Kirri, Laura Wellington, Matthew Bates, Matthew Maniaci, Michelle Teheux, Mona Lazar, Nicole Mackenna, Oludascribe, Ossiana Tepfenhart, Renata Ellera Gomes, SC, Steve QJ, Ted Bauer, Teri Nickels’ Straight Shot, Toni Hargis, Trey Hamilton.
