I read this a couple of days ago but couldn't articulate why I liked it. Am back because I can now, it was the perfect length for this topic and the writing flowed seamlessly into the topic and right back out. Just my experience. Carry on.
Not sure I agree on "withdrawal." From what exactly? I see a generation of men running wildly fast at something that isn't aligned to whatever you're measuring above. Military recruitment in the US is up, more men are now more religious (and that was flipped for most of the 20th century), and things like UFC have grown to 1.1bn households and 72% (SEVENTY-TWO!) are male viewers. The most profitable US sport is still football, and aside from overwhelming studies and data to say your brain is safer without it, participation numbers are steady, yet CLIMBING in college, for men.
I like your solutions but they seem unrealistic because I think there is something about role models here you're not highlighting as much. Think about college. For almost 20 years men have been fed that they can opt out of college, from Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. Men have the ego to say they don't need education, just grit, courage, and a Hot or Not product. Workforce? What's the point when you can play FanDuel all day or reach success, especially political power, by being mediocre? I think men are choosing other things, not that they are being left behind. I don't see much of a withdrawal, but a redefining of goalposts and a doubling down on raw individuality for power.
Sounds like we’re in agreement: men (and especially young men) are spending less time working, studying in higher education, dating, and with friends. But they are spending more time (often alone) watching sports, gambling, playing video games, and viewing porn. I take your point about military recruitment and church attendance as two very recent (and interesting!) counter-points to the individualism and isolation.
I read this a couple of days ago but couldn't articulate why I liked it. Am back because I can now, it was the perfect length for this topic and the writing flowed seamlessly into the topic and right back out. Just my experience. Carry on.
Not sure I agree on "withdrawal." From what exactly? I see a generation of men running wildly fast at something that isn't aligned to whatever you're measuring above. Military recruitment in the US is up, more men are now more religious (and that was flipped for most of the 20th century), and things like UFC have grown to 1.1bn households and 72% (SEVENTY-TWO!) are male viewers. The most profitable US sport is still football, and aside from overwhelming studies and data to say your brain is safer without it, participation numbers are steady, yet CLIMBING in college, for men.
I like your solutions but they seem unrealistic because I think there is something about role models here you're not highlighting as much. Think about college. For almost 20 years men have been fed that they can opt out of college, from Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. Men have the ego to say they don't need education, just grit, courage, and a Hot or Not product. Workforce? What's the point when you can play FanDuel all day or reach success, especially political power, by being mediocre? I think men are choosing other things, not that they are being left behind. I don't see much of a withdrawal, but a redefining of goalposts and a doubling down on raw individuality for power.
Sounds like we’re in agreement: men (and especially young men) are spending less time working, studying in higher education, dating, and with friends. But they are spending more time (often alone) watching sports, gambling, playing video games, and viewing porn. I take your point about military recruitment and church attendance as two very recent (and interesting!) counter-points to the individualism and isolation.