A.M. Hickman joins Chance Seales on All Boy, urging young men to build meaningful lives by embracing tradition and hardship. Hickman shares his unique perspective on living a traditional, self-sufficient life in a small village.
Hickman, scribe of the popular Hickman’s Hinterlands, discusses the beauty he finds in rural living, the importance of hardship, and the value of action in a world filled with modern distractions. He emphasizes the significance of spirituality and myth in personal development and offers unapologetic personal insights into navigating modern dating and preparing for fatherhood.
Hickman doesn't mince words in this chat, challenging young men to embrace opportunities in today's world, despite the challenges they face.
Bio:
Hickman is the author of Hickman's Hinterlands on Substack, chronicling his journeys to America's overlooked gems and the richness of life found in his small Adirondacks village of 250 residents.
Hickman dispatches for the The Free Press
On Manhood:
Hickman published a letter called To Find Manhood in a Gutless Age, addressed to a young man looking for direction and adventure at 18 years.
It advises, in part: "... if you have ever pined for a frontier, and have mourned the closure of the American West or the end of the mythic eras of men, well, you have mourned vainly. For the process I describe — the process of obtaining the goal that will gild your every hour — this is a frontier all your own. And lest you should get the sense that I am only making witty equivocations here, or are playing some kind of a parlor trick with rhetoric — understand that I mean this all in the most serious way I could mean it. If you find yourself in a rut, my friend, you must take action, and you must do so immediately, and physically. Do not research whatever it is that you choose to do; saunter up to it as men in battle saunter toward their quarry — stalk it as you live and breathe, as hunters do. Banish neuroticism, risk-aversion, and overwrought calculus of every kind. Lift up your musculature and bone (and indeed, your eyes) and move forward; understand that the story into which you are now stepping will appear to you only in vague, random strokes and visions — and that it is, above all, your task to navigate such strange and immeasurable phenomena deftly and with incredible style and grace."
Chapters:
00:00 A.M. Hickman Introduction
01:32 Living an 1850's Life in Modern America
02:59 Finding Beauty in Blight
11:27 The Importance of Action and Gumption
16:16 Rethinking the American Dream
20:35 Navigating Modern Masculinity and Success
20:50 The Myth of Success
22:13 Navigating Traditionalism and Modernity
25:19 The Value of Stability and Community
26:24 Lessons from Nature for New Generations
29:29 Balancing Technology and Nature
32:28 Traditional Dating in a Modern America
36:03 Flourishing Wherever You Live
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Takeaways:
- Living simply can lead to a fulfilling life.
- Finding beauty in blight is possible.
- Hardship is a natural part of life.
- Spirituality plays a crucial role in personal growth.
- Action is essential to avoid feelings of worthlessness.
- Rural living offers unique obstacles and opportunities.
- Modern dating requires discernment and understanding.
- Preparing for fatherhood involves teaching timeless values.
- Community and connection are vital for well-being.
