Ewing traces role of manhood over time, forges new pathways

What is a man's role in a changing world? Award-winning journalist, inspirational speaker and author Jim "Pathfinder" Ewing allows the readers in his seventh book, "Redefining Manhood" (2015 Findhorn Press.) to answer this question for themselves.

In this book, Ewing rejects outdated male archetypes, developed during Roman times, and creates a new, more giving paradigm based on the past civilizations and societies.

He does that structuring the book in three parts: The first chapter explains that he wrote the book due to man's muddled and confused role in modern society. The second explores how our view of men and men's relations with others have become skewed. He does this through an exploration of Roman history and the history of early Christianity. And the third chapter "delves deeper into obsolete archetypes and suggests traits that should be emphasized in male development."

I worked with Ewing for nearly 15 years when he was the editorial writer for The Clarion-Ledger. I watched his journey as a father, husband and a man. And I'll admit, there have been times when I've disagreed with Ewing politically (and he with me). But like his editorials, Ewing's arguments and observations in "Redefinining Manhood" are backed up with thoughtful research.

His ideas are relevant for the times.

Since the 2008 Great Recession, men have been laid off at a higher rate than women. Women are breaking the glass ceiling and are storming the corner office. So a paradigm from "Mad Men" doesn't exactly work in today's changing world. With easy access to the Internet, societies are changing more rapidly than ever.

Ewing grounds his ideas in societies from the past. He looks at Native American societies where being a warrior wasn't a full-time occupation. Where women were land owners and leaders. He tells of early women in the church and how their leadership played a big role. Ewing paints a picture of what a new world could be like.

He also tells personal tales where he learned lessons form personal experiences. Knowing his family, I particularly liked hearing about his Greatest Generation father and mother. But I also enjoyed the story of his lawn mowing business and how a simple white lie came back to bite him many years later in the form of Karma. Ewing also tells warm stories about his own son and grandson. The stories add heart and humanity to his research.

But what I enjoyed most about the book was Ewing's practical exercises at the end of each chapter. He introduces he reader to the concept of "The Power of Recapitulation," which allows a person to "release past emotional baggage and disengage memory looks to create new ones based on positive emotions." It allows you to master who you think you are.

He has lists of questions so you can answer who your role models are and what behaviors you maintain that mimic these models. The exercises open your eyes to habits and behaviors that control you.

That's a good way to describe "Redefining Manhood." It opens your eyes. You may not agree with everything you read, but you will agree that Ewing makes a spirited argument for his ideas and observations.

And his ideas definitely make you think. We live in changing times. Ewing suggests that men should move away from the "men are dominators" model to a more giving and thoughtful one instead.

Marshall Ramsey, longtime editorial cartoonist at the Clarion-Ledger, is the author of "Fried Chicken and Wine" and "Banjo's Dream."