For over a decade, Jack Donovan has been exploring, articulating, and refining a timeless, cross-cultural ethos of masculinity that is rooted in our primal nature and the experiences that we share as men.
MASCULINITY AND PHILOSOPHY FOR MEN
THE WAY OF MEN
What is masculinity?
Using ancient stories and evolutionary psychology, The Way of Men introduced the four Tactical Virtues — Strength, Courage, Mastery, and Honor — and explained their roots in the primal bands that we gathered in to survive for millennia.
This influential underground classic has been read by hundreds of thousands of men all around the world, and been published in more than five languages. Start here.
BECOMING A BARBARIAN
“Barbarian” was a slur that the Greeks and others used for outsiders who spoke a different language and had strange customs. “Bar…bar…bar…”
There is an “Empire of Nothing” — a creeping global monoculture that is destroying meaningful identifies and replacing them with casual and superficial associations. We’re supposed to care about and value everyone equally, which also makes everyone equally disposable. Anyone who challenges the narrative of the empire becomes an outsider, an enemy, a “barbarian.”
A MORE COMPLETE BEAST
This short book picks up Friedrich Nietzsche’s thoughts on nobility and master morality and uses them to guide men through an “upside-down” modern world, avoid the trap of hateful ressentiment, and overcome adversity through creativity.
Nietzsche’s words are rasps and chisels to help men refine a strength-based ethos, reveal their highest and noblest selves and become more complete men.
FIRE IN THE DARK
Returning to the simple, primal metaphor of the campfire and the perimeter, Fire in the Dark identifies a tripartite system of masculine roles and shows how those roles have been repeated again and again throughout the history of myth and religion.
Donovan integrates these ideals into a natural spirituality for men that draws from the very oldest ideas about what it means to be a man.
Watch Jack Donovan's latest project now and listen to the soundtrack on Spotify and iMusic.
INVOCATION OF THE STORM
SOLAR IDEALISM
In 2019, Donovan started the “solar” movement for men with his slogan, “Stay Solar,” which later became an essay.
His 2021 book, Fire in the Dark developed his ideas into a syncretic spiritual philosophy for men, called Solar Idealism.
Solar Idealists see the gods and religions of men throughout history as projections of perfected versions of aspects of themselves — unreachable ideals worth reaching for.
Instead of “picking” one pantheon, Solar Idealists look for the through-lines, repeated patterns, and dominant archetypes of men throughout and choose to revere those as models and guides that direct us toward personal excellence and “becoming what we are” in the Nietzschean sense.