Why is masculinity so often linked to violence? How have changes in media over time changed out perceptions of masculinity?
Masculinity In my opinion is so highly linked to violence because its in relation to the food chain. When you think of a food chain you think of the weakest link being on the lower of the todem pole and the toughest or "masculine" of them all being at the top. To defeat the weaker you must be stronger. Over time this thought of being strong and most powerful became related to masculinity. So the food chain can be of violence. A tiger will maul a zebra because they are faster stronger and essentially more masculine than a zebra. So the buffer and more athletic human would be considered more masculine than the smaller scrawny human becasue he/ she would be able to dominate violently ( as in a food chain) over them.
Changes in media over time have changed drastically! The perceptions of masculinity have grown and litterally "grown". In the vidoe "Tough Guise" they had photo examples of the james bond characters and the gun sizeds. As they years went on and on the size of the gun that the spy has in his hand gets larger and larger seemining more tough or masculine like. Another example is the super heros. Batman was once a slender fit man who faught crime successfully, but as the newer Batman came out his character became buffer and more idealized as a masculine figure. Again masculinity over time became bigger and bigger.
But a male lion doesn't hunt. Female lions do. The example you give doesn't really hold up for humans. Lions are considered more "manly" because they can kill. They are considered only well-fed.
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