“We showcase this article by our beloved partner, Rinaldo Brutoco, President of the World Business Academy, whose life and work also illustrate the very best of true masculinity!
Hazel Henderson, Editor”
A Perspective on Masculinity
By Rinaldo S. Brutoco
A major battle broke out between a bunch of Irish fishermen from County Cork Ireland, and the pride of the
Russian navy. You may have missed the news story, so it is worth spending some time looking at what
happened, why, and what lessons we can take away from the exchange.
Russian navy. You may have missed the news story, so it is worth spending some time looking at what
happened, why, and what lessons we can take away from the exchange.
The story begins with a major Russian naval armada scheduling full-scale war games in international waters
off the Irish coast. That seems like a relatively normal activity in Russia’s increasingly frequent use of
military “exercises” to flex their military muscles. Think of the 115,000 troops massed as an “exercise” on
the borders of Ukraine.
off the Irish coast. That seems like a relatively normal activity in Russia’s increasingly frequent use of
military “exercises” to flex their military muscles. Think of the 115,000 troops massed as an “exercise” on
the borders of Ukraine.
The “exercises” on land near Ukraine’s border, and at sea off the Irish coast (read the United Kingdom’s
immediate neighborhood), are the type of muscle-flexing we’d expect of any autocrat. The sort of
performative masculinity that a bare-chested, horseback riding, muscle-flexing, hockey-playing Russian
president (dictator?) Vladimir Putin clearly relishes. He is the absolute poster boy for old-fashioned
stereotypical images of domineering “maleness”— projected in uniquely overstated displays of aggressive
masculinity. This model of being “strong” has been the cornerstone of the paternalistic masculinity that has
over the centuries led to countless wars and other acts of aggression time and again.
immediate neighborhood), are the type of muscle-flexing we’d expect of any autocrat. The sort of
performative masculinity that a bare-chested, horseback riding, muscle-flexing, hockey-playing Russian
president (dictator?) Vladimir Putin clearly relishes. He is the absolute poster boy for old-fashioned
stereotypical images of domineering “maleness”— projected in uniquely overstated displays of aggressive
masculinity. This model of being “strong” has been the cornerstone of the paternalistic masculinity that has
over the centuries led to countless wars and other acts of aggression time and again.
There is no bigger “bully” on today’s global stage than Putin, and he wants everyone to know it. He is
constantly telegraphing this exaggerated masculine stereotype to his own people as well as to every other
leader on the world stage. Putin’s anachronistic displays of manliness would be comical if they hadn’t
already proved so deadly. For example, in the Donbas region of Ukraine over 10,000 have died, and continue
to die currently, as a direct result of his aggression. And let’s not forget how Russia already seized by
military force the entire Crimea from Ukraine: the first time since Hitler’s World War II aggression that a
European nation’s borders were altered by military force. Yes, Putin is a dangerous masculine ego operating
on the world stage with little restraint on him.
constantly telegraphing this exaggerated masculine stereotype to his own people as well as to every other
leader on the world stage. Putin’s anachronistic displays of manliness would be comical if they hadn’t
already proved so deadly. For example, in the Donbas region of Ukraine over 10,000 have died, and continue
to die currently, as a direct result of his aggression. And let’s not forget how Russia already seized by
military force the entire Crimea from Ukraine: the first time since Hitler’s World War II aggression that a
European nation’s borders were altered by military force. Yes, Putin is a dangerous masculine ego operating
on the world stage with little restraint on him.
Contrast that with Patrick Murphy, a humble Irish fisherman and the chief executive of the Irish South and
West Fish Producers Organization. When confronted by Putin’s “war games” the naval armada planned to
operate right in Murphy’s fishing grounds, he issued an ultimatum to Putin that few thought would succeed:
when fishing season legally opened on the first of February, he intended to fish his ancestral fishing grounds
150 miles offshore of Cork where his boats were moored. Russian war games or not, when the fishing season
opened, he and his fellow fishermen would be heading out.
West Fish Producers Organization. When confronted by Putin’s “war games” the naval armada planned to
operate right in Murphy’s fishing grounds, he issued an ultimatum to Putin that few thought would succeed:
when fishing season legally opened on the first of February, he intended to fish his ancestral fishing grounds
150 miles offshore of Cork where his boats were moored. Russian war games or not, when the fishing season
opened, he and his fellow fishermen would be heading out.
Murphy’s action was to protest non-violently against a massive, unrestrained military force. He had no
weapons. His ship was tiny, but still, he was willing to sail into the midst of Russian warships, engaged in
a “game” being directed by a megalomaniacal, chest-thumping dictator, seeking to display his “masculine”
ability to restrict anyone, anywhere from resisting his command.
weapons. His ship was tiny, but still, he was willing to sail into the midst of Russian warships, engaged in
a “game” being directed by a megalomaniacal, chest-thumping dictator, seeking to display his “masculine”
ability to restrict anyone, anywhere from resisting his command.
As negotiations broke down between the Irish government and Moscow, Murphy declared to Politico on
January 25:
January 25:
“Our boats will be going out to that area on the first of February to go fishing…When one boat needs to
return to port, another will head out so there is a continuous presence on the water. If that is in proximity to
where the [military] exercise is going, we are expecting that the Russian naval services will abide by the
anti-collision regulations.”
return to port, another will head out so there is a continuous presence on the water. If that is in proximity to
where the [military] exercise is going, we are expecting that the Russian naval services will abide by the
anti-collision regulations.”
Politico reported that having boats “continuously in the exercise waters, the fishermen would—peacefully—
prevent the Russians from conducting the exercise.”
prevent the Russians from conducting the exercise.”
The military name for what Murphy was fighting is “Russian grey-zone aggression”. In this case, an
outrageous re-construction of something even more disproportionate than David’s run in with Goliath. There
is also a military term to describe this non-violent approach to overcoming aggression, which Murphy and
his fishing cohort had probably never heard of even though they skillfully deployed it. It’s called
“asymmetric deterrence.” Murphy was no fool. He understood that acting aggressively toward the Russian
navy would only give them an excuse to do damage to their fishing vessels. His deterrence was simply his
unarmed presence in the field.
outrageous re-construction of something even more disproportionate than David’s run in with Goliath. There
is also a military term to describe this non-violent approach to overcoming aggression, which Murphy and
his fishing cohort had probably never heard of even though they skillfully deployed it. It’s called
“asymmetric deterrence.” Murphy was no fool. He understood that acting aggressively toward the Russian
navy would only give them an excuse to do damage to their fishing vessels. His deterrence was simply his
unarmed presence in the field.
Murphy knew what was at stake for his family and the entire fishing community of Cork. He had to fish. It
is the only way he and the other fisherman have to feed their respective families. In his own words, “This is
the livelihoods of fishermen and fishing families all around the coastline here…” He analogized his situation
the way a simple farmer would anywhere in the world, “This is our ground,” said Murphy, “this is our farm,
this is where we earn our living. Why should somebody be able to come in and do that in our waters?”
In the end, it was Putin and the Russian navy who flinched. Days before the start of the season, Russia
announced it was moving its war games to a different location.
is the only way he and the other fisherman have to feed their respective families. In his own words, “This is
the livelihoods of fishermen and fishing families all around the coastline here…” He analogized his situation
the way a simple farmer would anywhere in the world, “This is our ground,” said Murphy, “this is our farm,
this is where we earn our living. Why should somebody be able to come in and do that in our waters?”
In the end, it was Putin and the Russian navy who flinched. Days before the start of the season, Russia
announced it was moving its war games to a different location.
In seeing the conflict this way, Murphy was demonstrating a very different type of masculinity than what
Putin packages and sells. He is taking the role of a nurturing husband and father who needs to take care of
his family and is willing to put his own life on the line to do it. That level of nurturing, devoid of any
testosterone-driven machismo, is the very antithesis of Putin’s chest-thumping, strongman, posturing.
A man braving the elements and a harsh environment to feed his family out of a sense of duty to them and
his “tribe” are as old as the first “caveman”. It is brave conduct borne of a sense of responsibility regardless
of the danger. That’s authentic masculinity.
Putin packages and sells. He is taking the role of a nurturing husband and father who needs to take care of
his family and is willing to put his own life on the line to do it. That level of nurturing, devoid of any
testosterone-driven machismo, is the very antithesis of Putin’s chest-thumping, strongman, posturing.
A man braving the elements and a harsh environment to feed his family out of a sense of duty to them and
his “tribe” are as old as the first “caveman”. It is brave conduct borne of a sense of responsibility regardless
of the danger. That’s authentic masculinity.
Thank you, Patrick Murphy, for demonstrating the contrast of your way of being male with that of a man
who would be Czar—at any cost. The latter is merely a caricature of manhood, that only a true bully would
choose over authentic strength. Thank you, Mr. Murphy, for demonstrating this truly alternative expression
of healthy masculinity.
who would be Czar—at any cost. The latter is merely a caricature of manhood, that only a true bully would
choose over authentic strength. Thank you, Mr. Murphy, for demonstrating this truly alternative expression
of healthy masculinity.