Fathers are seen as largely unnecessary for child-rearing both by Feminists and Manospherians. They both see the father essentially a sperm donor, with little other value to the family structure. However, it was not always so. There were actually a significant number of dramatic productions set around the single father. One such character was Lucas McCain, the main character in the ABC television series, The Rifleman.
The Rifleman aired from 1958-1963 and was one of the most popular Westerns of the era. McCain gets his nickname from his service as a sharpshooter in the Civil War, and for his modified Winchester rifle which he can fire as quickly and as accurately as any gunfighter can with a pistol. As an interesting side note, Chuck Connors---the actor who played McCain---was also a gunsmith who built the rifle used in the series.
McCain moves West after the Civil War, married with a son, and hopes to begin the peaceful life of a rancher. His wife dies, however, leaving McCain to raise their son, Mark, on his own. And McCain doesn't find much peace as a rancher, either. His reputation with a rifle comes to the attention of Marshal Micah Torrance, who enlists McCain's services in dealing with the lawless elements of the West.
The program is a wonderful contrast to the negativity surrounding fatherhood today. What is portrayed by the contemporary Manosphere as a fatherly image is that of a controlling bully who rules a household without love. We get from them a picture of selfishness---where might means right and the ends always justify the means. We see in McCain a defender of the weak, a stern but loving father who teaches Mark from the Bible and, most importantly, always leads by example.
Small boys always look up to a father as a hero, and in McCain's case, he actually was one. It's telling to note how many Western aficionados remark that they admired McCain as a hero while watching the series, and now---as grown men and fathers themselves---still look up to McCain's character as a father. That's one of the significant differences between past and present in the entertainment media. The past presented us with an idealism that depicted eternal values. Now, ABC---the same network which ran The Rifleman, offers garbage like this as examples of supposedly excellent parenting.
The Rifleman gives us a picture of masculine dedication to duty in the face of adversity. It's excellent to watch McCain bring justice to the Old West then sit at the table at the end with son to a dinner, like any other hard days' work. That scenario sums up what being a complete man really looks like---a far cry from the phony and superficial Alphas presented to us in the contemporary Manosphere.
The Rifleman is a series with compelling storylines, plenty of action, and even better, always a high moral code. It is available on DVD and some episodes on Youtube and other sites.
I really enjoyed this. I married a man who enjoys the rifleman to this day and I can really see how those old westerns shaped his idealism and made him such a good man. That's the power of our myths and legends, our entertainment.They help to build and shape our culture.
ReplyDeleteThank you---it's so interesting how these older programs and films reinforced our cultural values instead of tearing them down. People could identify these heroes as people who always did the right thing and were great role models.
DeleteIf your husband likes 'The Rifleman' you should check out our feature from June 3rd---that series was a spin-off from The Rifleman.