Why Does a Man Need a Man Cave?
We think it’s Hereditary.
Actually, the term “Man Cave” is an appropriate way to describe the space you strangely desire and need for yourself. As you will learn, it is completely normal and in your genetic make up to want a Man Cave. If you really think about it, they’ve been around since the dawn of the human species itself.
First, let us travel back to your childhood for a moment. Long before you thought about having a family, building a career, or all the responsibilities that adulthood requires of you when you grow up. (Note: Yes, I realize not all of us really grow up, we just grow older, but just follow along anyways, okay?) Childhood, a time when you were free and innocent.
Were you or were you not, building spaces from furniture, sofa cushions, and blankets and calling them your own sanctuaries? Okay, you might have called them forts, but they were your own personal achievements and your sanctuary away from the world. Didn’t you always feel strangely secure and comfortable in your fort?
Did you not go on to build tree houses, club houses, snow forts and other structures as you grew older? Yes, you’ve always had this instinct to build places where you could hang out. These structures were not built for the necessities of shelter, but rather a place you could get away from the rest of the world for a little while.
Unfortunately, as we grow older, we get distracted building our lives instead of forts, but the need for our own sanctuary never goes away.
We affectionately call them “Man Caves” now, but they’ve been around forever. They just carried more sophisticated names like, Studies, Dens, Rec Rooms, and Libraries, etc. Even dungeons and dark cellars were places to hang out for some folks. Easy now…Let’s not judge….to each their own.
The point is, our fathers had man caves and their fathers before them, and so on. They’ve always existed, just by other, more diverse names. If it makes you or your significant other feel better, then just call it your office. You know, like “lavatory” instead of “shitter”.
Brief Editorial: (Speaking of lavatories. Don’t be the guy that makes the bathroom your Man Cave. Your great grandfather didn’t have a lot of choices and he only had the newspaper to read. Be courteous of others. Even if you render the bathroom unusable for several hours doesn’t mean you need to be in there. Seriously, that smell can get into your clothes dude).
And now, we take you back to the article.
Even the earliest man needed his space. While a real caveman may not have had a Man Cave in his cave, evidence shows he at least had a wall to paint drawings on. You know, drawings of all his achievements. No doubt he was constantly showing what a great hunter he was to his buddies and bragging. That’s why some of the cave drawings show such abnormally, enormous beasts. Yes, it’s true, some things with men have never changed.
Listen, we all need time to ourselves and that is just human nature. It’s how we gain perspective on life, how we adapt, learn, and plan our lives. More importantly, it’s how we unwind from life for a little while. It’s been going on as long as our species has existed.
The Caveman’s got his wall and paint, Mom’s got her wine and bubble bath and we have our beer and recliner. It’s all hereditary.
It’s also about good mental health.
What?? A Man Cave will be good for my mental health? Science says yes and your doctor would probably agree.
You see, our emotions are chemically controlled in our brains by what we sense around us. Imagine that you’re camping and you hear a bear growling outside your tent, do you want to jump for joy or crap your pants?
And how do you feel when you realize it’s just your buddies having a laugh at your expense?
You just went through several chemical chain reactions in your brain that triggered an awful lot of different reactions within your body. From the fear that you were about to be eaten to the relief that it was all a joke.
In the end, you probably feel pretty good because you’re safe and can have a good laugh with all your friends. And guess what? It stimulates your mind thinking about how you’re going to get even with them.
You see, we are programmed to indulge in things that make us feel good and the more we get, the more we want. So that’s the real reason why you ate that whole cheesecake. Tell the wife it’s not your fault. No need for some long talk about self-control. Likewise, you are programmed to avoid things you fear, like bears eating you or your mother-in-law’s lasagna.
Unfortunately, work and life, can force us to deal with things we don’t necessarily want to deal with on a daily basis. But that’s life and it can cause stress and anxiety. Too much stress can lead to bad health and we all know what bad health leads to. That’s why it’s important to have things in life that make you feel good.
Home is where the heart is.
Having a Man Cave doesn’t mean a man doesn’t love his family when he goes there. It just gives him a place to reflect on the things in his life that makes it all worthwhile, like family.
It just makes sense that it’s easier to unwind in the comfort of your own home. There’s nothing like that pair of 20 year old sweats and your favorite recliner to make you comfortable and relaxed. Just be sure to wash those sweats once a year whether they need it or not.
As with everything in life, moderation is advised. Don’t spend excessive amounts of time away from your family and life. That’s when problems can start. Be accessible, and if you haven’t started a man cave, always discuss it with your partner before starting one. Marriages have failed over less.
Finally, I’m sure your family would appreciate that you’re home instead of out with the boys. People close to you want to know you’re safe and just knowing you’re around can be comforting as well.
Besides, a Man Cave is a great place for the things in a man’s life that he enjoys that don’t really have a place anywhere else in the house. Like that mounted large mouth bass that sings and moves. And yes, they actually still make those.
That’s right, it’s “Big Mouth Billy Bass”.
Use this tactic as a last resource if the wife is on the fence about your Man Cave. Demand that you get to hang Billy in the living room since you really don’t have a place to display it. Tell her that your mom bought it for you and you don’t want to hurt her feelings. Play it right and heck, you might just end up getting the garage or basement for your Man Cave instead of the spare bedroom.
