Balancing personal and professional life is tough, especially for Black men facing emotional dysfunction and trauma. This book provides strategies to overcome these challenges.
The Fight Against A Flawed Idea of Manhood
The book Cry Like a Man exposes the flaws in manhood as defined by Euro-centric, American imperialists. Jason Wilson shares life lessons and challenges the ‘pull yourself up by the bootstraps’ mindset that leads to men feeling inadequate, emotionally unstable, and reliant on unhealthy social lubricant like alcohol and drugs. Not that bootstrapping and doing for yourself is entirely wrong. Understand, however, that You don’t have things figured out until You do, and not knowing it all doesn’t make You less of a man. All the wandering through life that we do, whether with direction or aimlessly, is part of figuring life out, the dusting off process to reveal who we are at the heart.
Confronting the Past and Building a Fulfilling Future
Wilson highlights historical racial trauma and economic struggles faced by Black people in European-Settler Colonialist societies. He explores the emotional burdens and subsequent challenges that still linger from generations enslavement and their effects on upward mobility for Black males today. The impacts of racism in over-policing of black bodies, economic and educational disenfranchising policies have led to lack of resources and opportunity for blacks. Wilson shares relatable experiences and addresses societal pressures on men to get money, power, respect and women, ultimately offering a corrective lens through which to view these challenges.
Who’s in Control, You or Your Emotions?
Having committed to a belief in Christ, Wilson emphasizes emotional growth and shares his spiritual guidance. He shares his journey toward virtuous life, guided by a righteous moral compass, which shaped his mature decision-making and selflessness. To balance accomplishment and fulfillment, Wilson highlights how importance of embracing change can enable You to thrive as a husband, father, and contributor to all your interpersonal relationships.
The Strength of A Man is His Ability to Fortify His Weaknesses
Jason, also an award winning social-change maker and director of The Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy (CATTA), suggests that men (and society) put down the idea that crying makes men (especially Black Men) feminine. He encourages us to adopt the more comprehensive sense of manhood that allows us to harness the strength and resilience to endure the journey to internal peace. To fortify himself, a man has to first acknowledge that he is not always strong, that he is not always at his peak. It requires the acceptance of the wisdom that comes with consistent self evaluation, and the knowing that we give and take with our energy and resources, so they must be directed where needed most at any given moment to manage the tasks of the moment.
Summary
Cry Like a Man is 20 thoughtfully paved chapters that lead to understanding how generational trauma and past experiences affect men and how trauma can lead to habitual mismanagement of our emotions. Jason Wilson shares impactful strategies for gaining the confidence to live authentically and thrive as a husband, father, son, sibling, and community member.
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