As part of the One San Diego State Community Speaker Series, Devin T. Robinson X “Egypt” gave a two-hour talk on masculinity Sept. 17 in the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union theater. Egypt shared his personal views on masculinity, his life story and advice on getting out of the “friend zone.”
Microbiology freshman Krystal Nzeadibe said the talk was a chance to gain a new perspective.
“I went because I wanted to hear about the societal pressures men have nowadays,” Nzeadibe said. “All in all, I learned a lot about men and what I can do to further encourage the men in my life to become great.”
Egypt started the lecture by explaining the three Ps of masculinity as protect, provide and procreate. Egypt also discussed the importance of shaping oneself rather than letting society dictate how every individual should act.
“I’m thinking back to the three Ps and in terms of protection I would like to take a martial arts class of some sort,” aerospace engineering freshman Julian Johnson said. “I would like to take his three Ps into consideration and how they figure into my life.”
A large portion of the lecture discussed relationships and what shapes a healthy relationship which Egypt said is achieved when two independent people become interdependent.
“I really loved his explanation of what a healthy relationship is,” Nzeadibe said. “I have never been in a relationship before, but I feel like after the speech I know what characteristics I should both look out for and avoid.”
Giving both humorous and deep personal examples, Egypt shared some tips regarding the friend zone and relationships.
“Rule number one on getting out of the friend zone, don’t get in it in the first place,” Egypt said. “If you know you like this girl more than as a friend, when you meet her let her know what the game is.”
Egypt left the audience with an analogy about an animal trapped in the headlights. Egypt explained that an animal always has the goal of making it to the other side of the road but as they see the headlights of a car approach they become stuck in that moment and then it is too late.
“I love how he explained the headlight analogy as you are trying to get to a goal but something stops you,” Johnson said. “This point stuck with me because it happens to me; I always get caught in the middle of the road like the animal in the headlights.”
