Jack, a record-breaking cyclist, was engaging in a social event with his fellow competitors. It was the off-season and they found themselves cycling across the French border and emerging onto the sun-dappled beaches of Spain. It was time to take a rest and Jack began to fantasise about having a large cup of coffee.

After drinking his coffee, one of the crowd asked him if he was going to have a beer. Jack revealed that he didn’t drink. The immediate reaction from the all-male crowd was one of shock. This shock then turned into mockery.

The mockery and the peer-pressure built to a point where Jack began to feel highly uncomfortable. Why is it that the crowd judged him so much for his decision not to drink? And why is it that male culture often seems to prize drinking so highly?

Alex Melia, and the Stories of Men team are on a mission to uncover what it means to live an independent and meaningful life. We'll be sharing this knowledge with you every week.

We’d like to extend our appreciation to today’s guest, Jack. His openness, insightfulness and grounded reflection are deeply appreciated. They also provide a vital part of the puzzle as we try to piece together what it means to be a man in today’s world.

Mentioned in this episode:

Take The Man Test here: https://bit.ly/som_the_man_test