A Working-Class Poet on Masculinity, the Manosphere & What a Man Actually Is - Emmet O'Brien

A Working-Class Poet Who Can Perform for Thousands But Struggles to Say How He Feels. Emmett O'Brien on Grief, Masculinity & Finding a Voice.Emmett O'Brien is a poet, actor and storyteller from Cabra who's built a reputation for putting into words what so many people feel but never quite know how to say. He started writing at 13, after a 14-year-old friend was killed in a hit-and-run and a counsellor suggested he find a way to express it. What began as rap became spoken word, and it's carried him from ten people in a basement to stages across the world.Ryan sits down with Emmett for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about creativity, class, masculinity and mental health.What we get into:Growing up in Cabra and why he was the "outlandish" kidStarting to write at 13 to deal with the death of his friendHow rap became spoken word, and the artists who shaped himThe working-class accent as identity, and being paid to write but not to speakWhy he can perform for thousands but can't talk about his own feelingsThe one-man play about hitting rock bottom that nobody knew was about himGrief, his ma's passing, and the moment his emotions finally opened upMasculinity, the manosphere, and what a man actually isWhy it's good men capable of violence, who choose not to use it, who matterImposter syndrome, Damien Dempsey, Kelly Harrington and self-doubtCalculated luck, the 10,000 hours, and why sacrifice is the whole gameSurrounding yourself with genuine people, not yes-menRyan Curtis is a former Irish MMA fighter who was paralysed from the neck down and told he would never walk again. Made in Chaos exists to platform guests who've turned adversity into hard-earned wisdom worth sharing.Follow: @madeinchaospod | @chaoscurtisIf anything in this episode resonates with you, support is available in Ireland. Samaritans are free and available 24/7 on 116 123, and Text About It can be reached by texting 50808.🖊️ Sponsored by The Ink Factory, Temple Bar, Ireland's highest rated tattoo studio. theinkfactory.ie | @theinkfactory