Machismo in Everyday Life

American media is FULL of machismo images directed toward men. Magazine covers explode with pictures of greasy, spray-tanned men flexing their biceps and ripped abs for the camera. Television commercials try to sell razors by showing a toned man running barefoot through a jungle, performing a few pushups and successfully defeating the (unseen) chasing enemy with a clean shaven face. News stories constantly report of athletes using anabolic steroids. Even advertisements on the internet show a macho man mowing the law or barbecuing. Men see these images every day, multiple times a day. What was once the definition of a superhero now looks like the definition of a skinny class nerd. Below are images I collected around the Ann Arbor area. I view them as the media's attempt to promote machismo in everyday life. The pictures demonstrate the physical definition of masculinity and what it means to be a "real man."

These pictures seem to be the epitomy of masculinity - pinning the "macho" on the MAN. I suppose penis size determines whether or not a man is "macho". Also notice the muscules.

Real men don't get the flu. 

Men's interest.... do they even have a choice?

Boost your testosterone - implying that a lack of testosterone will make you less of a man. Physiologically, this has merit. Women do not have testosterone which makes them women, instead of men. But boosting testosterone does not have the machismo effects this ad implies it does. Increasing testosterone does not also increase masculinity. But this ad implies masculinity can be achieved through high levels of testosterone. In addition, I am sure it is no coincidence that the ad for boosting testosterone (and thus boosting "masculinity") is placed over the man's crotch area.