[dropcap]I [/dropcap]see it’s all coming together nicely these days. The presentation and focus of the men’s movement is getting more and more refined, the general public and power brokers are paying more and more attention, and the issues we face, and the reactions we advise, are all coming more into focus. This is where the real leg work begins.

For the first time in, well, history that I’m aware of, men are actually shaking off their gender role expectations. They are refusing to get married, refusing to feign ambition, doing what they believe in or feel like rather than what they are told to do. Some call them man-children, some call them slackers. Some call them Men Going Their Own Way.

[quote float=”left”]The concept of Zeta Masculinity, nebulous as it is, promises to be of Earth-shaking importance should it catch on.[/quote] On the extreme end of the scale, these men are out and out disaffected, both with society and with women, and have withdrawn from each. The bulk of these men go through life as perfectly affable, yet somewhat distant to women. They don’t dislike women, they’re just afraid of what can happen if they make a wrong move. And what can happen if they make the right move, but with the wrong girl.

They tend to be of the ‘doing their own thing, wish I could find a girl I could trust’ variety. And while it is a stereotype, it is also fair to say that the bulk of these men have not had significant interaction with women for most of their lives. This is not to say they’re 40 year old virgins; just that they have had few relationships, usually that ended badly for them to some small degree – leading to a gun-shy attitude.

[box type=”note” icon=”none”]There’s a small subset of this group of men; small but growing. I will get into them later.[/box]

First I want to address another group of men in the Manosphere that come into play here: the Pick Up Artists (PUAs). PUAs are essentially students of human nature, and salesmen…you may think that’s redundant, but it’s not.

Pick Up Artists, at least the best kind, truly understand the motivations, the ‘innermost desires’ of women. That’s why they are successful with them. Note, I said the best kind. A really good PUA “guru”will spend most of his time teaching other men about observation, and linking that to an understanding of what the subject is thinking/feeling. The very best PUAs will run you through a whole regimen of this instruction, coupled with self-analysis/improvement, and instill a genuine appreciation for women’s natural characteristics – keeping the pickup lines instruction to a minimum, and late in the regimen.

[box type=”note” icon=”none”]There’s this other small subset of men; small but growing. I will get into them later.[/box]

Many of the issues facing men are both social and institutional in nature. The wide ranging effects of these sociopolitical forces touch the lives of every man out there. And, individuals as we are, we react in different ways and to varying degrees. An extreme form of the men among us is the anarchist, the social misfit, the bad boy.

And then, taking issue with society on one level or another, others among us become political activists – become more engaged, hoping to effect change. And still some of other men drop out of society altogether in frustration.

[box type=”note” icon=”none”]Still, there is a small subset of men; small but growing. I’ll get into them later.[/box]

The future that faces us, as a whole society, looks awfully bleak right now. The face of injustice and inequity is everywhere. There are collapsing economies around the world, growing iniquity between rich and poor, stagnant wages and a declining standard of living. Families are being dissolved in epic proportions, and abuses of every kind are so common their reporting becomes a steady drone on the idiot box. Some men crumple in despair, while others blame everyone around them, demanding succor from all who will listen. Still others live in denial, or quietly accept the ‘new reality’ and get on with their lives.

As you may have guessed, there’s a subset of this group of men, small but growing. You may have guessed as well, clever folk that you are, that this small subset is one and the same group of men. This subset is what is referred to as the Zeta Male. Zeta males, near as I can tell, strive for the following ideals – even if they likely never put it in this way.

A zeta male is:

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Aware of female sexual impulses, motivations, and proclivities. He can maximize his appeal along these lines, keep the interest of his partner, etc… But, for that matter, he can also spot a cheating bitch as well.

A better judge of character, but accepts women for what they are. A zeta male does not make chasing pussy a lifestyle, or even a goal, but does not shy away from a woman he is interested in either. He does not seek female approval, but appreciates respect when given, especially if it’s given while naked.

Living a life of his own, he doesn’t rely on membership in a couple to feel fulfilled. He doesn’t take a lot of chances romantically in terms of legally suspect actions, but doesn’t outright avoid women either. He does not ‘apologize for being male’ and believes he has intrinsic value as a person on par with that of any other person, including women.

Aware of the world around him, and takes an active hand in trying to shape it for the better. He doesn’t tolerate injustice, but believes in the right of others to oppose his efforts. He has strong beliefs but is not dogmatic or rigidly determined to be right. Compassion and understanding are balanced by integrity and a refusal to coddle in the zeta male. And justice – or at least moral consistency – is something he demands.

Unwilling to be forced into a pre-determined social role. A zeta males believes that he, and he alone, has the right to determine the course of his life. He goes his own way, and posits that whatever his choices in life may be, he has the right to make those choices with his interests fully in mind. He does not have to make the sacrifices his forefathers did. He is no less of a man for simply refusing to take up the burdens of others, and in fact scoffs at the notion of his manhood being measured in the first place.

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A zeta demands payment for his efforts, and value for his risks, and will not be shamed into serving another’s agenda. A zeta male will not be manipulated into servitude.

And as you may have guessed, a zeta male is essentially an intersection of most of the manosphere’s subgroups…a very specific spot in that intersection, to be truthful. The real trick is to define, and refine, the concept; to get the balance right. And that, as always, is up to you.