Has masculinity been driven berserk?

“Odin’s men rushed forwards without armour, were as mad as dogs or wolves, bit their shields, and were strong as bears or wild oxen, and killed people at a blow, but neither fire nor iron told upon them. This was called Berserkergang.” (13th-century Icelandic poet, Snorri Sturluson)

Berserkers, according to The Internet™, are “a class of Nordic peoples who could be found performing inhuman feats on the battlefield. Uncontrollable rage is the signature of the berserker.”

The term may derive from either (or both):

• “Bare-sark," as in "bare of shirt" e.g. the berserker's habit of going unarmored into battle.

• “Bear-sark," describing the animal-skin garb of the berserker.

Some or all of this could be true:

• Berserkers lived like non-human predators in the woods until called upon to lead a battle.

• They were part of an Odin cult, schizophrenic, consumed trance-inducing drugs — or all of the above.

• They killed bears and wolves, drank their blood, wore their pelts, and communicated via the aggressive sounds made by such non-human predators.

• In battle, berserkers — who were also known to be frighteningly ugly — “could not control themselves, but killed men or cattle, whatever came in their way and did not take care of itself.”

• They were large-scale rapists.

Vikings, in general, and berserkers in particular were both feared and revered in their time. They’re idealized and romanticized today — along with an endless list of barbaric male warrior cultures. Notably, we talk about them with the same tone with which we discuss today’s athletes, soldiers, movie heroes, etc.

Whether it’s Michael Jordan or a berserker, we (in the civilized set) utterly worship any man with the assassin mindset who will put on his game face and seem possessed as he tears your heart out in the name of no-holds-barred victory. 

We name our sports teams after bloodthirsty killers (e.g. warriors, pirates, raiders, buccaneers, Vikings, etc.). From the thuggishly brutal world of prizefighting to the buffoonish realm of “pro” wrestling, popular nicknames include executioner, ferocious, macho, bone crusher, the beast, merciless, body snatcher, hit man, and undertaker. 

As for pop culture, even the most cursory glance at common movie tropes is enough to recognize how deep an impact sadism has upon what we tellingly call “entertainment.” In addition, popular bands in genres like metal and hip-hop often co-opt and profit off the lethal male warrior motif.

The terminology — along with the awe and adoration — we ascribe to historical berserkers is eerily similar to how we might today swoon over a ruthless fictional character like Rambo, a pro athlete/convicted rapist like Mike Tyson, or hundreds of best-selling, violent video game concepts. 

However, as usual, these high-profile examples also serve to obscure the endless supply of real-life male criminals currently wreaking mayhem on every inch of the globe.

“Berserkers” are currently a 24/7 norm.

Key word in that last sentence: currently. It doesn’t have to be like this. Male violence is not an unstoppable force of nature or preordained theology. It is a cultural reality spawned by those who benefit from the carnage. 

Men have the power to say no to such programming and to support other men who say no. Perhaps most important of all, men must look after ensuing generations of boys who now have easier access than ever to all of the above conditioning. 

When masculinity thrives without going berserk, it can be a powerful source of positive progress. Let’s find out what that looks like.