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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 9607569"><p>I would argue the figure has more power these days. The more civilized we become and the more complex our society becomes, the more there is that desire to return to a simpler archetype of humanity and masculinity. We live in an age where brawn might seem less relevant (though I think that shows a lot of white collar bias as many jobs still rely on things like strength and athleticism). But we also live in an age where men are trying to look like Conan in greater numbers (just dip into weight lifting and bodybuilding circles, or go to a gym). I am not arguing this is all good. Some of it isn’t. One of my pet peeves at the gym is how common performance enhancing drugs and how abused legitimate treatments are so guys can put on mass. But it is there. I’d argue something like Conan is a much safer way for most guys to connect with this aspect of themselves. It is a vent, a cathartic power fantasy, the way action movies can be. And a I think a lot of men have a desire to tap into that. And there is always that tension between urban and rural which Conan embodies.</p></blockquote><p></p>