In recent years, it's become more common to see people speak out against others exhibiting "toxic masculinity," which describes mentally (and sometimes physically) damaging behavior done in the name of achieving a narrow idea of manliness.
Whether this involves dismissing someone's feelings after a major disappointment in life, criticizing men for supporting their families in way that aren't sufficiently "masculine," or dealing with intense feelings through violent acts, this concept underscores how people can make each other's lives worse by trying to live up to someone's traditional idea of rugged manliness.
But even though we can point to many modern examples of this old idea at work, it's not often that we come across a case as dangerous and frankly baffling as the story we're about to get into.