I know it's almost certain that being a man nowadays is a) superfluous and b) certainly sexist and c) probably illegal unless you are gay, but I was most taken with some words about the son of an immigrant and a madwoman. He rose to great wealth several times, and ultimately lost it all. He despised most of his family, except one, who managed to start just a little bit up the ladder rather than beneath it.
People mostly hated him, and talked about him behind his back, but as long as he had money they took and took and took from him. He was perhaps the best true friend anyone could have, but that friendship was very sparingly given.
It takes madness in the blood to get things done. That's one of the reasons everything now is such a mess, and sooo drawn out. Noone dares have the madness. Paper shuffling to cover your backside has taken the place of forward movement. Hence the Czars and reports as produced by Nulabour. It's why the schools, hospitals, police and anything else you care to mention are not actually improving.
He is described as being " a man". It's a very old fashioned concept, but one that bears reviving. There are very few. There are lots of hard men ( John Reid's tough guy stance springs to mind) but I would never grace him with the epithet of being " a man". The French have " un homme serieux" and the Germans " ein mensch".
If you are a man, you do your uttermost for those around you - friends, family, work colleagues, people who are affected by your behaviour.
You do NOT - as we now have - people who hide behind weasel words and abrogate and deny responsibility. You carry it as a permanent burden that you overcome.
So who is this man? His name is Eugene Malou. He was a man.
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