How Definition of a successful man changed in the last 50 years?

January 9, 2016

The definition of success and the mankind itself has both changed for the betterment. A man is always looking for opportunities to adapt and to add in his idea of innovation to all the aspects of life today. It is an ongoing improvement within a man himself that gives advancement to the world as we know it today.

The definition of a successful man depends upon the perspective of the world. The world has remarkably changed in the last 50 years. It may be culturally, socially, economically, spiritually or even naturally. Tammi Vacha discusses in his book “Psychotheraphy with the older men” how the changes have occurred in the lifestyle of a man that has led to the changes in the norms of the society in the decades. He says “Changes happens to everyone, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity” and further elaborates this saying “Societal changes in constitution of family, shifting relationships, changing roles, increase in the medical technology and life issues have increasingly become a matter of importance with age” (Varcha 16). Tammi has deduced that the success of man is found today in these criteria and aspects of life.

We can see ache aspect individually and be able to figure out, compare and contrast the man of the two ages and furthermore evaluate that the growth can be seen in the future prospects as well or not?

TRANSFORMATION IN BUSINESS

Men as leaders have changed significantly and their ways to handle business has also transformed during the decades. Five decades ago the most successful of the men in business were of a particular legend such as Howard Luch Gossage, America’s most influential advertising genius. Those were the times with labor intensive work like agriculture but nowadays we find technology to be the face of the future so names like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates inspire the minds of the recent generations. Technological edge is the greatest factor that constitutes to the success of a man these days. World has an heightened sense of interconnection, interdependence and integrated links. The urge to know more and to innovate has also increased.

With these came in the society different mind sets that have changed the attitude about a man and how he struggles on the road to success. According to Douglas LaBier in his article “The rapid transformation of Business leader is Underway”, he evaluates the fact that academic background and hierarchy of success has been getting closer and much leveled. The boss during the 1960’s was to order the staff and staff had to follow precisely. Noawdays the employer keeps in regard the opinion and input of the employee. Team work has increased since the interdependence and diverse integrated web of connections has allowed one voice to be equal to the other. Social mediums like Facebook, twitter and youtube has led to a revolutionary path where the society no matter how diverse has been given the voice to be heard loud and clear. (Ph.D 112) .

In an interview with Jena McGregor to Washington post term of “altorocentric” leader has been used. This type of leader is the one who takes his taskforce with him and do not just order the procedure but makes the procedure and does not want to be in the limelight. 50 years ago a man was considered successful if he had people who follow his orders. The man today gives more regard to a personal sense of space that he needs for himself. The work- life balance has become a great matter of importance to the man today.

Technological advances, media, news and internet have made an environment where innovative and creative ideas can be born. The advantage for a man today to be successful is that he is well aware of his surroundings and the job opportunities in the market. But what deemed to be a successful man may not be a good role model because now a days according to the congressional record of June 20, Volume 11, the successful is much more materialistic and self absorbent. He is not the happy guy he used to be 50 years ago. Rather he craves for popularity and fame rather than power and authority (Records 14330). He exactly knows his worth to the industry and knows how to develop more to achieve more. All of the factors have shifted the outlook on life and lifestyle of the man in this generation.

TRANSFORMATION IN THE ROLES OF MEN

The gender roles conversion has to be focused if looking at the success of the man in the given days. Women with their exponential growth in the labor market have changed the norms of the society, the economies and the lifestyle drastically. 50 years ago a successful man would be the one who is the soul bread winner of the family. He would be the one fulfilling all the financial needs of the family. This ideology is now obsolete as men are deemed to be on equal footings with women when it comes to family and work. Parental-friendly policies have been established all around the professional world such as maternity leaves, vocational leaves with family etc. According to (Jenkins) they represent that a successful man should be the one who caters the family not only with the monetary bases but also with quality time and family treatments.

A successful man deemed today is the one who allows the wife to work and be a co–operative parent as well. According to website of Marketing Charts Staff father in the dual –earners couples are reported to spend more time with their family then they used to 30 years ago. A successful man is not deemed with his IQ levels but with his EQ levels. Emotional stability is a significant factor to the life of a successful man and this stability depends upon his spouse and children. According to (www.marketingcharts.com) the statistics show that 35% of men were deemed successful on the criteria of 1977 whereas on the 2008 evaluation of a successful man 58% were judged successful. But the data also shows some setbacks to the roles of the genders that had metamorphosed during the decades and that is the work-life conflict has increased in the men out of the two genders. A man can still be called successful even if he depends on a woman.

TRANSFORMATION IN THE SOCIETAL NORMS

The integrated web of connections has given rise to different norms in the society. In 1960’s only white men were destined to be successful due to their industrial revolutions. But now the diversity in the ethnicity is seen more as an asset to the company. It shows how men has changed its opinion about how to judge a person capable to be successful.

A very detailed description of mental evolution is given in Damon’s book : Strategic Diversity Leadership, where he debates the ideology of men and their opinions. In his topic Deficit & Assimilation Theses of Genetic & Cultural Inferiority he explains that skins other than white were judged unsuccessful as to the opinions of the people now. A general conception was that the poor or the minorities lack the mental ability to gain success in life. Such discrimination in the evaluation of a successful man has diminished, no matter if it is the president of the United States if he is the United States he has all the mental capabilities to lead the state as much as any other man.

The areas of success is not only limited to the two genders but people with different orientations are also deemed to be successful on the basis of their popularity and equity. It can be George Takei from Star Wars or any other person. All can be awarded for their personal and professional struggles. The world today has diminished its sense of discrimination, rather there are stereotypes but these stereotypes and labels do not stop a person to be judged as an unsuccessful man. But there are questions that are raised and if answered logically are well considered.

CONTRAST OF THE MEN OF THE TWO AGES

An interesting article by Ruth Styles gives a distinctive contrast to the men of yesterday and today. He did this by comparing the fathers with their sons. Today the rapid growth in technology, roles and norms has created a huge gap between the orthodox thinkers of 1960’s and the new generations (Styles). Many showed empathy to the younger generation admitting that the world today due to globalization has become aggressively competitive. High interest loans and credit cards leading to the subprime mortgage crises have led the generation in fear of the losses and their hype. The stress levels have increased significantly and so the responsibilities on the generations.

The current generation is much more image conscious, work conscious and money conscious. A successful man nowadays needs to be fit and healthy, needs to have a good designation to his name and needs to be earning enough to have a hearty life. Men of the 60’s used to have more of a stress free life. The main concerns were that their needs to be fulfilled and love to keep the world going. But now man has become more materialistic. At an early age, man starts to build his career opportunities. Saving and Spending have become old school. New approach to life is Investing, Saving and Spending. With the derivatives market the future is highly secured. Risk and the returns both establish the future of a successful man. Being married at early age is seen as a sign of overdependence and people look for already successful men and women. Starting a family at the early age is a sign of a unhealthy financial future so parenting is considered ot be started at late twenties.

The definition of a successful man is multi dimensional. The millenials see the success as monetary security, stable marriage and a flaunting lifestyle and image. A successful man is much healthier in all areas of life. Future security is a major concern for a man who wants to be successful. Job security was the concern of 1960’s now its innovative thinking, entrepreneurship, decisive analysis and mental stability.