Man of the World

A girl I once knew would often use the phrase "a man of the world" when she spoke of the sort of guys she found enticing, alluring and intriguing. This term rings of grandeur from its sound alone because it conjures up the imagery of certain icons of history who've carried the mantle of being their respective era or area's "man of the world", and most recently I've found myself thinking about the possible meaning and supposed implications of this term...

So exactly who and what is a "man of the world”? Is it a man who is well travelled? Not necessarily. Is it a man who possesses worldly intelligence? Perhaps, but there's more to it than that. Is it a man that has a sense of adventure in the way he goes about his daily routine or life in general? Definitely but we can't limit our definition to that premise alone.  Is it a man who embodies wisdom, experience and sophistication? Absolutely! But perhaps the mark of a true "man of the world" lies in his ability to utilise any combination of the above mentioned attributes and then transcend his purpose in whatever his given field may be.

Possibly one of the foremost prerequisites of a "man of the world" is the ability to tackle contemporary issues self-assuredly. A "man of the world" is, as the tag implies, worldly and also wise. He knows things, lots of things. He reads books, follows the news, talks to stimulating people, and debates a wide variety of topics. Malcolm X was such a man. Officially, he was a Muslim minister but his endless quest for knowledge and his unmatched oratory and debating skills meant that he was a revolutionary kind of minister - a man of the world! Malcolm X could discuss post-colonial African politics, race relations in America, biblical scripture, Islamic scripture, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a wide range of other topics. Men of the world are often the called upon by their communities and peers to provide guidance and insight on current issues so it's important for them to as informed as they possibly can on any range of issues.

Another distinctive trait about a "man of the world" is how he uses his leisure time to pursue his passions and interests. A "man of the world" usually has hobbies and pastimes that keep his mind creative, teach him valuable skills, and re-awaken his soul all with the end result of helping him become a well-rounded individual. Some play a sport as a means of sustaining their competitive spirit. Some play a musical instrument to get in touch with their artistic side and, let's be honest, impress the ladies. Some learn a new language to expand their cultural range or improve their employment potential. Some write articles, books, or poetry as an outlet for sharing passions or knowledge. In fact there are many other pastimes I could mention that befit a "man of the world" and each man partakes in whatever activity that brings balance to his life. Julius Caesar, for example, is best known for being the statesman and military general that laid the foundations for the dominance of the Roman Empire but in his spare time, he wrote poetry and also jotted down his memoirs during his period on the battlefield. Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson, earned the nickname "The baddest man on the planet" owing to the vicious beatings he dished out to his opponents in the ring but outside the ring, he had a soft spot for pigeons... Even to this day he collects them, breeds them, feeds them and races them. The pastimes that a "man of the world" dabbles in often serve as a reminder to onlookers that passion goes hand-in-hand with satisfaction, and without it, any happiness is only temporary, because there's nothing to make it last.

In certain cases there are some "men of the world" who are bestowed with that tag because they excel at a practically everything they tackle. Each of them is viewed as a "jack of all trades"; A renaissance man. Perhaps the most emblematic figure from this particular category of men is Leonardo Da Vinci because he believed that man could be as brilliant as his curiosity allowed him to be and the versatility of his genius defines the characteristics of a renaissance man.  He created artworks of astonishing beauty (including the "Mona Lisa", the most famous painting in the world), he built terrifying war machines, he designed flying machines 400 years before man took to the sky, he studied anatomy and was the first to assert that clogging of the arteries causes heart failure, he suggested ways of taking man to the bottom of the sea 300 years before it was actually done, and he was a pioneer in the field of astronomy. Such a man is regarded as a "man of the world" because of the seemingly effortless ease with which he applies his expertise to a number of different subject areas. Another icon that fits into this mould is Frantz Fanon, the Martinique-born Afro-French psychiatrist, philosopher, revolutionary, and writer. Fanon's writing was so gripping & hypnotic that even today, more than 50 years after his death, his works continue to inspire liberation movements in Palestine, Sri Lanka, the U.S. and a large part of the African continent. His understanding of the human mind and the psychology of oppression was so profound that he effectively prophesised the treacherous path taken by so many African countries upon attaining political independence. During his time in North Africa, he also served as Ambassador to Ghana for the Provisional Algerian Government (GPRA) and attended conferences in Accra, Conakry, Addis Ababa, Leopoldville, Cairo and Tripoli. What made Fanon such a "man of the world" was that he stretched his capabilities as fully as possible and did so while trying to set right some of humanity's greatest ills.

There also exists the kind of "man of the world" whose worldliness is shaped by their extensive travels or whose mere being is evidence of an almost universal expedition. Hugh Masekela, for example, is such a man. As a skilled young musician, Hugh escaped the limiting confines of Apartheid South Africa by earning scholarships to nurture his trumpet skills first in London's Guildhall School of Music and then Manhattan School of Music in New York before he eventually became a major international music star in the 1970's. True to his roots, his music not only reflected his life experience but also the agony, conflict, and exploitation South Africa faced during the Apartheid regime's reign of terror. He was an artist who, in his music, vividly portrayed the struggles and sorrows, as well as the joys and passions of his country. Because his music protested about systemic slavery, oppressive governance and general hardships individuals were living in, Masekela reached a significant global population of people that also felt oppressed due to their own respective situations of hardship. And along the way, as his career progressed, he lived in Ginuea, Liberia and Ghana before finally returning to South Africa after apartheid ended. Hugh Masekela: A globetrotter who wasn't just empowered by his extensive travels, but also used them as a mechanism of activism; A man of the world!

Although there's such a complexity in defining one, sometimes it's easy to spot a "man of the world" if you come across him. Some are recognisable by a simplistic elegance in their mannerisms or that unmistakable air of self-assurance when they speak. Turn on SuperSport and you'll see that elegance in Robert Marawa, turn on Russia Today and you'll observe that air of self-assurance in Vladimir Putin while he gives a speech, even though you don't know a word of Russian. But perhaps the best the best place to find a first-class example of a "man of the world" is in the world of fiction and entertainment because film directors and authors have the freedom to embroider and inflate a fictional character in a way that most real-life figures would battle to match. James Bond is probably the most iconic "man of the world" from the film industry; He drives fast cars, sleeps with exotic women, dresses impeccably, exudes charm, vacations in spectacular resorts and knows martial arts. The world of literature also has more than its fair share of fictional "men of the world" but there's one standout figure that can't be overlooked for mention; The Count of Monte Cristo! The intrigue of Edmond Dantes/The Count of Monte Cristo lies in his journey that commenced with him living in meagre circumstances and culminated in his self-reinvention to a quintessential "man of the world". In the process of this metamorphosis, he mastered his understanding of economics, mathematics, chemistry, philosophy and became fluent in several languages. He was a man that demonstrated wide experience in the ways of the world and people; an urbane, sophisticated man.

After analysing several different angles and aspects, we can infer that a "man of the world" is not a walking, talking cliché. His distinctive qualities are often, in no particular order or combination, a sense of adventure, a thirst for knowledge and a drive to excel. We all have that person or two (maybe even more if you're lucky) in our lives who fits the bill of a "man of the world" and have grown used to his ways... He constantly speaks universal truths like the rooster that can't stop crowing once its seen light while he also stands strikingly upright so that those in the darkness may see the power of that light. And all this is usually executed with a most placate demeanour. Oh what a man!