Alright, about a month ago I showed several examples of video game mentors. I asked you for examples in the comments, and it wasn’t a complete botch.
You readers need to get a little more hands on with my stuff! I don’t think I ask for that much do I? A little criticism here, a little suggestion there. Just some basic communication guys. Ahhh don’t worry too much about it. I don’t have trouble coming up with my stuff, though I will after this next bit. I’ll list the mentors you’ve mentioned and how they can mentor the player as well as their charges.
Before that though, I have something that may intrigue some. A concept of how to effectively convince successful pillars of the community to mentor the less fortunate young men of their communities. Oddly enough this model has been in existence since 1843: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol!
Now, I know what you are thinking “Alex what are you on about this time? How does a grade school level novel show us how to get old men to mentor?” Well the story gives us a good way to approach it. I assume everyone has at least watched one of the various adaptations before this so as always, let’s Hammer this in!
To begin, Scrooge was obviously a miser who didn’t care about his community, then eventually became a full pillar and respected humanitarian. Convincing older men to take interest in supporting youths in learning can be done in a similar manner. I know that the atheists among us are wondering “Isn’t the whole book centered around faith?” The allegories they use can be done in a secular manner. Even though some appealing to the spirit may help, I don’t think its absolutely necessary. Let me describe what I mean in three easy steps, much like the three spirits.
First, ask about their childhood, how they were brought up and how they came into their success. This will tap into some of their nostalgia and perhaps eventually give them lessons they can teach their charges once they are brought in as mentors.
Second, ask how useful they feel as a whole. Chances are they might feel something is missing even if this is only time with their own children.
Third, ask how they feel their legacy will be received, what effect will remain upon the world after they are gone. Will there be any mark remaining afterwards? If not, then why not start a line of mentoring so their success will far outlive them through their proteges?
This is how I’ve interpreted the lessons of the three spirits of Yuletide from the Dickens story over all and why I do see it as a story that can and does far outreach its Christmas based origins. While the tapestry of Christianity does surround the story I can state quite clearly that its lessons are by far universal in nature. I might be saying this partially due to the origin of a lot of Christmas traditions being pulled from various pagan faiths including my own, but the Spirit of Giving commonly interpreted as Santa Claus is something that can be embraced without dependence on religion, though many would also agree a sense of spirituality at least helps. If memory serves, Sam Harris was promoting a book on how atheists can positively approach spiritual endeavors such as meditation without embracing a religion when Ben Affleck got triggered by his views of Islam. Why do I bring this up? Because like I mentioned earlier, a bit of the following of this site is atheist and I want you to not be afraid of using some of these concepts just because they came from a religiously themed source. I’m not trying to convert you to a religion, most definitely not Christianity. Its a core tenet of my own beliefs that one is born into their sense of faith and as such I have as much of a chance of making you a witch as you have of making me into a Sith Lord. It just isn’t gonna happen, nor should we try. That said, I’m always open to the questions of the curious so don’t be afraid to ask me anything.
That last paragraph is a prime example of how YOU can open someone up to a new point of view. Show examples clearly while saying at the same time that you aren’t gonna shove anything down their throat, but that you will answer what you are asked. Overall, the best mentors from my experience have always been the ones who open the door to the knowledge and ask the student to come to it, particularly with men and boys. A lot of women tend to do well with the forced repetition while men have to approach by example. This is how even someone as old and stubborn as Ebeneezer Scrooge was brought slowly and through invitation, not force, to a new frame of mind. From selfishness to selflessness, learning from his three mentors to become a true mentor in his own right and taking Bob Cratchit and his son Tiny Tim as his charges to teach at the end.
Now that we’ve gotten through my concept on starting to mentor men I want to touch upon the mentors from video games you’ve left in the prior comments: We have three submissions to put forth from two games that are from the previous generation.
First is from the Tomb Raider reboot in the form of Conrad Roth. As an ex-military man he is a sample of how a good male mentor is for women as well. This is a good thought because since so much of the troubles we have are based around unbridled gynocentrism we will need to consider re-thinking how we raise women. My wife was raised primarily by her grandfather and father, and as a result she is self sufficient and not easily discouraged like many trained under feminism’s model. (Source: http://tombraider.wikia.com/wiki/Conrad_Roth )
The next two are both from the Dragon Age series. The first being Duncan who conscripts the player as a Grey Warden. As one of the order he is the one who trains and advises your character through out the game, at times advising restraint and composure and at others questioning their direction. The other mentor from this series we are covering, Irving, takes a much different approach since he is a mage. In essence he is the opposite of a Grey Warden. However, he tends to feign modesty, either due to the nature of his position or simply because it is best for the most powerful, the most skilled to keep humble. This is a lesson many in our very narcissistic day and age need to learn.
You will find that more people come to your causes by keeping humble and admitting fault than being haughty and arrogant. Some may think I am self-important or inflate my own sense of self. If this is the case I’d like to know what they are looking at because I know I’m no genius nor do I have the drive needed to be an intellectual type. I am simply a father, a gamer, and someone who has understanding of these subjects and sees how they can connect to men’s rights. Point is no matter what you learn or what you can do keeping humble will at many times keep you calm and collected so you do not get sloppy with what you are doing. Humanity is not a collectivist species but we have a capacity for teamwork as individuals. (Source: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Duncan ; http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Irving )
With that all said and done like always, I want everyone who reads this to put forth something of their own into the building of this idea. This is to prepare our children, after all. So we can bring back strong friendly communities all over. Perhaps even using this method will get affluent members of our communities to spread Badger Caves all over the world for promoting a more honest equality than the unreasonable facimile with which feminists have been killing the Western world. Lets all become mentors together as well in our own rights, and remember to Game Freely!
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