How can sharing family stories of perseverance and love impact younger generations in a positive way?

As a man, why is basically all personal advice I am given in real life some variation of 'you should smile more' along with 'let everyone do/say anything to you and never complain'?
When it comes to raising a family, is it true what many women claim that men don't want to take any responsibilities, or is it that many of them don't know how do it, not because they don't want to?