Metrosexual Not New Concept

The news sources blaze with references to the "new" man, the metrosexual. Here is a man who prides himself on his appearance. This is not just a trip to the gym, though that is part of the image. This metrosexual man is a man whose appearance is everything, and, like some women, will do anything to maintain the façade.

This metrosexual man will endure shaving, waxing, pedicures, manicures, facials...the whole nine yards. He'll even do a cosmetic tuck here and there as needed. His clothes are carefully chosen and tailored for just the "right" look. His mirror, full-length of course, is as vital to his lifestyle as his credit cards. This man, also, often tends to be thoroughly self-centered.

What is the metrosexual man? He is usually a man who lives in or near a large city, because, of course, a metropolitan area offers the best in shopping, personal grooming and culture.

Mark Simpson, in his article "Meet the metrosexual," Salon.com, July 22, 2002 wrote, "The typical metrosexual is a young man with money to spend, ... he has clearly taken himself as his own love object and pleasure as his sexual preference."

This metrosexual man may be a craze among certain segments of our population and the term metrosexual may be new, but the concept of the metrosexual man isn't new. Regency England, early 19^th century, sported the dandy. The American Heritage Talking Dictionary defines a dandy as "A man who affects extreme elegance in clothes and manners; a fop."What was a fop?A fop is basically the Regency equivalent of a metrosexual, someone who is overly attentive to his manners, clothes and appearance. Sound familiar?

Unfortunately, this preoccupation with the image of the metrosexual man often substitutes for substance in our culture. Whiter teeth mean more than wisdom won from years of living, and smooth features are of more value than the wrinkles of age.

In Regency England, this preoccupation with appearance and self had negative consequences. These wealthy dandies had little concern outside their own needs, their own circle, themselves. Somehow they were above everyone else. This attitude led to riots and loss of life because very real needs, and people, were ignored. It also led, eventually, to much needed reforms-often led by those who believed that we are all created equal. The dandy of Regency England has much in common with today's metrosexual.

The author of Ecclesiastes had it correct when he wrote so long ago, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

We think we're the "cat's pajamas" or "rad" or "cool" or "hip" or whatever the latest term is for any given time. The truth is, humankind does not change. We tend to be self-centered. This metrosexual man is no different.

The further America strays from its foundations of faith and family the more self-centered we become as individuals and as a nation. A self-centered attitude contributes to destructive behavior, abuse and marriage disintegration, among other societal ills. The metrosexual doesn't have to stay mired in self-appreciation. The metrosexual man as each of us can and should build from within that we might look good from the inside out.

The dandy faded into an era of social concern. Hopefully, the metrosexual, too, will be able to look beyond the mirror to the concerns of those in need.