Madame:
I have the same
sickness. Then when I finish a whole
bunch all at once, it makes people think I’m a fast reader when just the
opposite is the case. :)
We had an overemphasis
on elites during the Revolutionary period.
It explains much about the capsule items.
Treated self to some needed
comedy relief last night: “The Wedding
Ringer.” It was funny and entertaining,
even farcical. While its premise is
undoubtedly overblown, like many things, it holds at its core a kernel of truth—that
fewer of us, and especially fewer young males, have close friends. In fact, researchers tell us, the reduction in
close friends for the general population is by at least a third, let alone the
drop for young males.
Young Western males, and
young American males in particular, seem on average to not be heading in a preferred
direction. For example, the percentage
of young females disappointed with close age male prospects appear to be rising,
according to social researchers. While
this might be of some deflective benefit to older males, sociologically it’s
not a good trend. While we can all think
of numerous exceptions to the trend, exceptions only illustrate trends, they do
not circumvent them.
Many factors seem to be
involved. Among them, for a great number
of males:
1. Delayed maturity. For many reasons, some of them interfacing, the
average attainment age of male mental and emotional maturity as measured by
social researchers continues to go up.
It’s far more than the proverbial “male living in his parents’ basement
playing video games” image (albeit, which is true enough in a great number of
cases).
2. Social awkwardness. Far more than the traditional shyness of many
males, the disconnectedness of American society has contributed to social
inexperience in a sort of downward spiral.
3. Reduced testosterone (act less masculine; less
drive to connect with females,etc.). The
decline in American male testosterone has been well documented. The second and third order effects have not.
4. Video games.
The number of young males who say they would rather play video games
than attempt to socialize with females has risen sharply. This is so even as the number of female
gamers has risen significantly. Even
older males have become Neil Postman’s examples: “Up until
5 playing.” “Up until 7 playing, and had to be at work at 8.”
5. Diminished economic prospects. The poor economy for aspiring middle class
males, let alone working class males, helps to contribute to both diminished
self-assessment by the males, and diminished interest by the females. That college graduates have been particularly
hard hit has only accentuated the problem.
The real prospects, and especially the exciting ones, have gone away for
far too many young men.
6. Poorer physical fitness. It tends to magnify the other trends,
contributing to reduced attraction, poorer self image, diminished energy, etc.
7. Diminished attraction of, and diminished
prospects for, marriage. In 2007, for
example, only 40% of the men in the prime wedding age group were wed.
8. How men in general and fathers in particular now are the butt
of too many jokes, and too poor or even demeaning an image in our popular
culture. While I am by no means letting young men off the hook here (and even
their same age icons often contribute to the image), it’s simply the case that
too often today’s males are living up to the low expectations the culture has
for them.
There are surely more,
but these are all I could find (please list any additional factors that come to
mind). And I am particularly interested
in your view on all this, Madame, including what might be done.
And I realize there are
many problems and many things to talk about, but last night prompted this one!
:)
No comments:
Post a Comment