Testosterone. Aging and Masculinity

This article is inspired from my recent reading of an article in the NYT issue dated January 3, 2026 written by Robert Sapolsky, titled Testosterone is Misunderstood.   

Testosterone, Aging, Masculinity — and the Long Arc of Social Change

Robert Sapolsky’s essay on testosterone is not just a correction of bad biology; it is also an invitation to rethink how we define masculinity across a lifetime and how society itself is changing.

For much of modern history, masculinity has been narrowly framed around dominance, physical strength, competitiveness, and emotional restraint. Testosterone conveniently became the scientific shorthand for these traits, reinforcing the idea that men were naturally wired for aggression and control. That story fit neatly into an industrial, hierarchical world that rewarded force and authority.

But as Sapolsky shows, the biology never supported that simple narrative.

Aging and the Quiet Redefinition of Masculinity

Aging offers a lived rebuttal to testosterone myths. As men grow older, testosterone levels naturally decline yet many report increased emotional depth, patience, perspective, and empathy. Rather than becoming less “masculine,” many become more fully human.

What changes with age is not just chemistry, but context. Older men are often less driven by status competition and more attuned to legacy, relationships, and meaning. Sapolsky’s insight helps explain this: testosterone amplifies what matters in a given social moment. When dominance no longer defines worth, the hormone loses its supposed grip on aggression.

In later life, masculinity often shifts from proving strength to offering steadiness from conquest to care, from ego to wisdom.

Masculinity Is Shaped, Not Fated

Sapolsky’s work challenges the fatalism that has long surrounded male behavior. If testosterone simply magnified aggression, then violence and domination would be unavoidable facts of male existence. But history and daily life tell a different story.

Masculinity is not dictated by hormones alone. It is cultivated by families, schools, workplaces, media, and cultural expectations. When boys are taught that respect matters more than fear, that strength includes restraint, and that courage includes compassion, testosterone does not undermine those lessons, it can reinforce them.

This is not an argument against biology. It is an argument against surrendering to it.

Social Change and a New Measure of Strength

We are living through a period of profound social change. Traditional hierarchies are being questioned. Emotional intelligence is increasingly valued. Cooperation often matters more than domination. In this environment, the old caricature of testosterone-fueled masculinity feels outdated, even dangerous.

Sapolsky’s essay reminds us that biology adapts to values, not the other way around. When societies reward fairness, inclusion, and responsibility, human behavior including male behavior, follows.

This is especially important for younger generations watching older men. Aging men who model reflection instead of rigidity, humility instead of bravado, and care instead of control become powerful agents of cultural change.

A Closing Thought

Aging teaches us that strength evolves. Masculinity, like character, is not something we peak into and then lose, it is something we grow into.

Sapolsky helps dismantle a myth that has limited men for generations. In doing so, he opens space for a broader, gentler, and ultimately stronger vision of masculinity, one that honors biology without being imprisoned by it, and one that aligns with the moral demands of a changing world.

That is not just good science. It is good news, especially as we grow older.

Meanwhile here's the AI Overview on the above topic

The phrase "Testosterone, Aging, Masculinity — and the Long Arc of Social Change" appears to describe a specific 

academic paper, dissertation, or book that explores the complex, bidirectional relationship between the biological aspects of testosterone and aging, and the cultural shifts in how masculinity is understood and enacted. 

The central idea is likely that:

• Testosterone levels decline with age naturally, a well-established biological phenomenon.
• Cultural definitions of masculinity are not static ("the long arc of social change"), and these shifting social norms interact with biological processes.
• Social factors influence biology: Research shows that social interactions, such as competition, social support, and even gendered behaviors, can affect testosterone levels.
• Biology influences social experience: The decline in testosterone may affect aspects like mood, cognition, and physical function, which in turn influences how men experience aging and construct their identity within the context of evolving social ideals of masculinity. 

For example, studies suggest:

• Older men with more sources of emotional social support have lower testosterone, consistent with theories that link lower T to nurturing and social connection rather than just competition.
• The relationship between testosterone and social cognition (e.g., theory of mind) is different in younger versus older men, possibly suggesting a neuroprotective effect in older age that was not previously understood.
• Men may use "cultural notions of masculinity" (coined as "maskulinity" in related research) to navigate their gender identity as their bodies age and change, demonstrating how individual identity is a blend of cultural ideals, personal performance, and biology. 

This interdisciplinary approach highlights that "masculinity" is a cultural achievement influenced by biological factors, rather than a fixed state determined solely by hormones. 

My Photos of the Day:

Photo Taken January 3, 2026 (THD )

http://marinduqueawaitsyou.blogspot.com/2016/12/carenna-kt-katague-thompson-performs.html

My Youngest Grand Daughter Carenna Katague Thompson

Her music video created 11 years ago, Sacramento, CA

https://www.facebook.com/reel/10152636956451270

When the Internet Goes Quiet, So Do I

A recent image(above) crossed my screen sometime ago claiming that two weeks without the internet can reverse ten years of cognitive aging. Like many viral claims, it was dramatic, oversimplified, and designed to stop the scroll. Still, it made me pause, not because I believe the promise, but because of the reaction it stirred in me.

The truth is, I don’t need two weeks without the internet to learn something about myself. A day without email is enough to make me uneasy. A few days without blogging or interacting with ChatGPT, and I feel unmoored. Not lost exactly, but restless, distracted, almost irritable. That realization says more about my relationship with the digital world than any study ever could.

At this stage of my life, the internet is not just a convenience. It is how I think out loud. It is where my curiosity still finds oxygen. Blogging gives shape to my days. ChatGPT gives me a thinking partner who never tires of my questions. Email keeps me tethered to the wider world. When those connections go quiet, I feel it in my body as much as in my mind.

Some might call that addiction. I don’t think that’s quite right.

What I recognize instead is engagement, deep engagement mixed with habit. Over time, the gentle tools that once served my creativity have quietly become the rhythm that structures my day. When the rhythm is interrupted, I notice the silence.

I’ve been reading about studies suggesting that stepping away from constant internet use can improve focus and attention, even making people perform like they did years earlier on certain cognitive tests. That sounds promising, but I also know myself well enough to say this: disappearing from the digital world altogether would not make me sharper. It would make me lonely. It would cut me off from the very practices that still make me feel useful, alive, and connected.

So I’m not chasing a digital detox. I’m looking for balance.

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with small, intentional pauses. I start the day without opening email. I write a few thoughts by hand before turning on a screen. I try to batch my online time instead of grazing all day long. I take short walks without my phone and let my thoughts wander without being immediately answered by a search bar.

These are not heroic acts. They don’t reverse aging or transform my brain. But they do something quieter and perhaps more important: they return a sense of choice. I’m reminded that I can step back without vanishing. That I can rest my attention without abandoning my voice.

Aging, I’m learning, is not just about loss. It’s about discernment. About deciding what still feeds you and what simply fills the hours. The internet, for all its noise and temptation, still feeds me, when I use it deliberately.

And so I continue to blog. I continue to write. I continue to converse with this strange, tireless digital companion. But I also practice letting the internet go quiet now and then, just long enough to hear myself think.  That, for me, feels like the healthiest connection of all.

A Closing Reflection for Fellow Travelers

If you are reading this in later life, perhaps you recognize a bit of yourself here too. We did not grow up with the internet, yet somehow it has grown into us. It connects us to family, ideas, memories, and purpose, sometimes more reliably than our aging bodies allow. Letting go of it entirely may sound virtuous, but it can also feel like letting go of relevance, voice, or companionship.

I don’t believe wisdom at our age comes from withdrawal. I believe it comes from discernment. From knowing when connection nourishes us and when it exhausts us. From allowing ourselves moments of quiet without turning them into exile.

So if you find comfort in your email, joy in writing, stimulation in learning something new online, don’t apologize for that. Just remember to leave a little room each day for silence, for reflection, for thoughts that don’t need to be shared or answered immediately.

Aging does not require us to unplug from the world. It simply invites us to choose more carefully how we stay plugged in. And that, I think, is a form of grace and gratitude.

Meanwhile, here's the AI Overview on the Above Topic

The phrase "When the Internet Goes Quiet, So Do I" reflects a contemporary sentiment about our dependence on digital connectivity for a sense of engagement or purpose

. It highlights how an unexpected internet outage can lead to a period of forced introspection and a realization of the world beyond constant online stimulation. 

Many people find that without the "constant noise" of social media feeds, notifications, and endless content consumption, there is a surprising stillness and calm in real life. This quiet space can reveal what is missing in one's life, often leading to a desire for real-world human connection, community, and shared moments that online interactions might only simulate. 

Instead of a feeling of loss, some use this period of silence as a cue to engage in offline activities:

• Reading more books or creating things.
• Exercising or pursuing hobbies (play bridge or mahjong).
• Reaching out to family and friends in person.
• Joining local group activities or classes ( art crafts). 

Ultimately, the sentiment suggests that while the internet connects us, it is the moments and actions offline that remind us of who we are and what truly matters. 

My Food for Thought for the Year:

AI won't replace you, but a person using AI will.

Lastly, here are some photos of Yesterday Activity, Bead Necklace that I participated for the first time

Proudly wearing my necklace creation

My Creation with My Crucifix Decor in my Bedroom

Thank You, Vanessa for the well-coordinated Activity.

Testosterone, Aging, Masculinity — and the Long Arc of Social Change

This article is inspired from my recent reading of an article in the NYT issue dated January 3, 2026 written by Robert Sapolsky, titled Testosterone is Misunderstood.   

Testosterone, Aging, Masculinity — and the Long Arc of Social Change

Robert Sapolsky’s essay on testosterone is not just a correction of bad biology; it is also an invitation to rethink how we define masculinity across a lifetime and how society itself is changing.

For much of modern history, masculinity has been narrowly framed around dominance, physical strength, competitiveness, and emotional restraint. Testosterone conveniently became the scientific shorthand for these traits, reinforcing the idea that men were naturally wired for aggression and control. That story fit neatly into an industrial, hierarchical world that rewarded force and authority.

But as Sapolsky shows, the biology never supported that simple narrative.

Aging and the Quiet Redefinition of Masculinity

Aging offers a lived rebuttal to testosterone myths. As men grow older, testosterone levels naturally decline yet many report increased emotional depth, patience, perspective, and empathy. Rather than becoming less “masculine,” many become more fully human.

What changes with age is not just chemistry, but context. Older men are often less driven by status competition and more attuned to legacy, relationships, and meaning. Sapolsky’s insight helps explain this: testosterone amplifies what matters in a given social moment. When dominance no longer defines worth, the hormone loses its supposed grip on aggression.

In later life, masculinity often shifts from proving strength to offering steadiness from conquest to care, from ego to wisdom.

Masculinity Is Shaped, Not Fated

Sapolsky’s work challenges the fatalism that has long surrounded male behavior. If testosterone simply magnified aggression, then violence and domination would be unavoidable facts of male existence. But history and daily life tell a different story.

Masculinity is not dictated by hormones alone. It is cultivated by families, schools, workplaces, media, and cultural expectations. When boys are taught that respect matters more than fear, that strength includes restraint, and that courage includes compassion, testosterone does not undermine those lessons, it can reinforce them.

This is not an argument against biology. It is an argument against surrendering to it.

Social Change and a New Measure of Strength

We are living through a period of profound social change. Traditional hierarchies are being questioned. Emotional intelligence is increasingly valued. Cooperation often matters more than domination. In this environment, the old caricature of testosterone-fueled masculinity feels outdated, even dangerous.

Sapolsky’s essay reminds us that biology adapts to values, not the other way around. When societies reward fairness, inclusion, and responsibility, human behavior including male behavior, follows.

This is especially important for younger generations watching older men. Aging men who model reflection instead of rigidity, humility instead of bravado, and care instead of control become powerful agents of cultural change.

A Closing Thought

Aging teaches us that strength evolves. Masculinity, like character, is not something we peak into and then lose, it is something we grow into.

Sapolsky helps dismantle a myth that has limited men for generations. In doing so, he opens space for a broader, gentler, and ultimately stronger vision of masculinity, one that honors biology without being imprisoned by it, and one that aligns with the moral demands of a changing world.

That is not just good science. It is good news, especially as we grow older.

Meanwhile here's the AI Overview on the above topic

The phrase "Testosterone, Aging, Masculinity — and the Long Arc of Social Change" appears to describe a specific 

academic paper, dissertation, or book that explores the complex, bidirectional relationship between the biological aspects of testosterone and aging, and the cultural shifts in how masculinity is understood and enacted. 

The central idea is likely that:

• Testosterone levels decline with age naturally, a well-established biological phenomenon.
• Cultural definitions of masculinity are not static ("the long arc of social change"), and these shifting social norms interact with biological processes.
• Social factors influence biology: Research shows that social interactions, such as competition, social support, and even gendered behaviors, can affect testosterone levels.
• Biology influences social experience: The decline in testosterone may affect aspects like mood, cognition, and physical function, which in turn influences how men experience aging and construct their identity within the context of evolving social ideals of masculinity. 

For example, studies suggest:

• Older men with more sources of emotional social support have lower testosterone, consistent with theories that link lower T to nurturing and social connection rather than just competition.
• The relationship between testosterone and social cognition (e.g., theory of mind) is different in younger versus older men, possibly suggesting a neuroprotective effect in older age that was not previously understood.
• Men may use "cultural notions of masculinity" (coined as "maskulinity" in related research) to navigate their gender identity as their bodies age and change, demonstrating how individual identity is a blend of cultural ideals, personal performance, and biology. 

This interdisciplinary approach highlights that "masculinity" is a cultural achievement influenced by biological factors, rather than a fixed state determined solely by hormones. 

My Photos of the Day:

Photo Taken January 3, 2026 (THD )

http://marinduqueawaitsyou.blogspot.com/2016/12/carenna-kt-katague-thompson-performs.html

My Youngest Grand Daughter Carenna Katague Thompson

Her music video created 11 years ago, Sacramento, CA

https://www.facebook.com/reel/10152636956451270

Los Angeles, CA- Pinoy City, USA

In my recent posting, I discussed that Daly City, CA is the beating Heart of Filipino America because the 1:3 of it residents claimed to have Filipino ancestry. This posting is about Los Angeles, the city with highest concentrations of Filipino-Americans.

Did you know that the metropolitan area of Los Angeles is often considered the largest Filipino community outside the Philippines, making it a true global capital of Pinoy life?

https://www.pbs.org/video/historic-filipinotown-psrbpn/

Neighborhoods like Historic Filipinotown, Eagle Rock, Carson, Cerritos, and West Covina became extensions of home , full of turo-turo, pancit houses, jeepney murals, Filipino churches, nurses’ unions, and entire barangays built around OFW dreams.

It’s so big that LA hosts more Filipinos than many entire Philippine provinces, influencing food trends, media, and even U.S. politics. From the first “manong” migrants to today’s 2nd–4th gen Fil-Ams, LA became the unofficial “Pinoy City USA.”

#FilipinosAbroad #LAStories #PinoyDiaspora #fblifestyle

Meanwhile, 

Imagine walking down a street in New York and seeing the name Doctor José Rizal. Not in Manila. Not in Calamba. But right there in Queens, where so many Filipinos now call home.

According to Inquirer(dot)net US Bureau, an intersection in Woodside was officially co-named Doctor José Rizal Way, turning a busy New York corner into a living tribute to the Filipino hero and to the migrants who carried his ideals across the ocean.

The ceremony brought together elected leaders, community groups, and the Knights of Rizal. Philippine Consul General Senen Mangalile stood beside Assemblyman Steven Raga, City Councilwoman Julie Won, and Representative Grace Meng as the new street sign was revealed.

This was not just about a name. It was about identity. Woodside has long been shaped by generations of immigrants, and today its Filipino community is strong enough to leave a mark on the map of New York itself.

Rizal fought for equality, freedom, and dignity beyond borders. Now, his name stands in one of the most diverse cities in the world, reminding every passerby that Filipino stories matter, wherever they are told.

Finally, Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France