Depression, social anxiety, low sperm count, difficulty building muscles, fear of talking to women, high suicide rates, incarceration and lack of motivation are just some of the problems modern men are facing. But why does it seem as if these problems just emanated from nowhere since previous generations of men faced hasher, more dire conditions yet they still managed to come out strong without even shedding a tear? because it’s accurate to say we are not the men our fathers used to be, question is why?
To put the direness of this situation into context here are some worrying statistics about men:
-In 2022, men died by suicide 3.85 times more than women. (making suicide the number one killer of men under the age of 50)
-The World Prison Brief reports that men make up over 90% of the global prison population.
-Women make up approximately 57% of the total college enrollment in the, while men constituted about 43%. This is a major deep as compared to the 80’s and 90’s, where men accounted for a higher population.
-A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2007, which analyzed data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS), found that total testosterone levels in men decreased by about 1% per year from 1987 to 2004. (in sub context the average 30yr old today would have the same testosterone levels as that of a 60yr old in the 1950’s).
Here are some notable reasons as to why men are slowly losing their masculinity.
Censored Society
We are living at a time where everyone wants to be politically correct or else risk become ostracized by society. This causes most people to walk on eggshells out of fear of not triggering or offending the next person, and with everything being around a million mental illness rising every day, we are forced to draw the lines on what we say, how we say it and if we say it. This makes it difficult for most individuals to express their discomfort and how they generally feel. This type of censoring has led to a softer and less challenging environment for boys to metamorphosize to men because instead of cultivating mental toughness they are busy watching how they feel as society has linked every manly characteristic to some level of toxicity (‘toxic masculinity’), which is gradually causing them to water down and becoming feminized beta males. This has caused most men to experience identity crisis since their innate self-dictates them to be dominating and focus oriented but society is demanding the contrary, a watered down, domesticated and submissive version of men.
Assertiveness and leadership are traits linked to men and to do so one must embrace being brutally honest, which is something most men should have since most women are born to become caring and nurturing as their motherly nature dictates that from them. Therefore, boys should be allowed to explore their curiosity and brevity from an early age while simultaneously being nudged to the right direction with some degree of toughness which should be done by men who should take no chances in their role of pointing out the harsh truths of life, before we are left with a ‘boy crisis’ that will lead our world in turmoil.
Lifestyle Choices
Society has obviously changed in various aspects over the years from nutrition, interaction, transportation…everything has been modernized and made much simpler and efficient and although this transcendental shift has had its benefits it has its downsides to each individual, especially men. When you travel back down the years things were much harder and less abundant which means humans had to struggle and only the strongest could survive. But as time progresses things are much simpler and reachable and despite of the obvious handful of problems we face as a human race we have to agree we live in simpler times. Here are some of the reasons why our lifestyle has affected male masculinity:
Rise of the internet- the birth of the internet has led to most people having more hype realistic relationships, than actual meaningful ones which is significantly giving the rise to lonely people especially men who should instinctively chase women but instead opt to having online intimacy with sexualized women through pornography and platforms like only fans, Ifans, Patreon etc. where they have hypersexualized online relationships with this women, while bleeding out tons of money(subscribers pay northwards of 49.99$ to access only fans). This type of relationships has made it harder for men to have fear of approaching women or even the drive to make meaningful relationships. This consequentially leads to anxiety, lower sex drive and depression amongst most men in the society.
Another notable tenet that has caused the decline to men’s masculinity are the lifestyle choices most men make. A good example is the change in fashion and grooming, which has been a major identifier between men and women. Nowadays, men are allowed to express themselves in diverse ways that challenge traditional norms of appearance. And with the cancel culture and political correctness in place society is lenient on how they guide men in their grooming options, observably having both heterosexual and gay men dressing up literally as barbie dolls in the name of ‘expression’, and society cordially accepts this giving younger generation of men an altered perception of how men should look like. Other choices like vaping, smoking of cigarettes and excessive drinking at a tender age are causing a surge in the decline of testosterone levels with these habits being scientifically linked to impotence and lower sperm counts.
Nutrition and healthy living which basically involves what we eat,drink, exercise and our general interaction to nature has also been linked to the lowering cases of testosterone which is largely responsible for integral for major male characteristics e.g. sexual drive,motivation and competitiveness. For instance, birth control pills which have estrogen and progestin, which have exposure to EDCs in water sources may indirectly affect testosterone levels in men. Some studies suggest that EDCs can interfere with testosterone production, metabolism, and signaling pathways, leading to potential disruptions in hormone balance. Moreover, exposure to EDCs, including those from birth control pills in water, has been linked to various reproductive health issues in both men and women, including infertility, reduced sperm quality, hormonal imbalances, and reproductive tract abnormalities.
Although, some of the causes of the worrying decline of men’s mental health and male masculinity are caused by society there are some causes that are self-inflicted and can be prevented.
Radical Feminism
While radical feminism and other social movements have contributed to changing perceptions of masculinity and empowerment of the female gender, it has significantly led to the decline of male masculinity and influenced the mental health in most men, since most men seem to be neglected and left to fight through every obstacle that they encounter while every system put in place in our community seems to be pro-women. For instance, in the education system, women tend to be given less cut off points in joining universities and colleges while also enjoying other financial aid benefits that are inaccessible to most boys, these factors have influenced the observable surge in women’s enrollment and graduation numbers.
Women also seem to be favored in most judicial systems in matters such as divorce, since they seem to benefit both financially and gaining custody if a child is involved, this has rendered most children without father figures who are important to the development of a child’s life especially if there are young males. Women are also encouraged by society to share their problems and seek out help from others if need be while men tend to be stigmatized and ridiculed if they seem vulnerable and depressed instead being told to ‘Be a man’ or ‘man up’.
The benefits given to women in recent times are endless while those given to men are slim to none living most men disadvantaged financially, emotionally and mentally pushing them to the brink of collapse and worst part is that most of them have to do it alone in regards of being men, which begs the question why should traits such as domination and toughness be considered toxic but when it comes to matters such as vulnerability men are required to go back to their masculine instincts?
Measures to be taken in handling men’s mental illness.
Here are some measures that can be taken to promote men’s mental health:
Raise Awareness and Reduce Stigma: Educate the public about men’s mental health issues and challenge stigmatizing attitudes and stereotypes surrounding masculinity and mental illness. Promote open conversations about emotions, vulnerabilities, and seeking help.
Promote Help-Seeking Behavior: Encourage men to seek professional help for mental health concerns by reducing barriers to access, providing information about available resources, and promoting positive attitudes toward therapy and counseling.
Supportive Environments: Create supportive environments in workplaces, schools, and communities that prioritize mental health and well-being. Offer employee assistance programs (EAPs), mental health training, and support groups tailored to men’s needs.
Foster Social Connections: Encourage men to build and maintain social connections with friends, family, and peers. Facilitate opportunities for social interaction, such as men’s groups, sports teams, and hobby clubs, where men can connect with others and share experiences.
Emotional Literacy and Coping Skills: Provide education and training on emotional literacy, communication skills, and healthy coping strategies for managing stress, emotions, and relationships. Teach mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and problem-solving skills.
Promote Physical Health: Encourage regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, adequate sleep, and healthy lifestyle habits, which can positively impact mental well-being. Address co-occurring physical health conditions that may contribute to mental health problems.
Early Intervention and Prevention: Identify and address mental health concerns early through screenings, assessments, and interventions. Offer preventive programs and initiatives that promote resilience, self-care, and stress management.
It’s undeniable that society has chosen to focus on the growth of women which is obviously a good thing but this has led to the ostracization of men from the society hence an increase in their mental health problems which go under the radar till the next suicide case, mental breakdown or month of June.
We obviously have a long way to go as a society in men’s mental health, and until then we as men should rise up face the harsh realities of this cruel world and accept that no one is coming to save us. Therefore it’s about time to decide to be brave and bold like our forefathers who came before us who always knew that a man was supposed to protect, provide and guide his family no matter what it costs while occasionally seeking healthier ways to deal with the stress and weight of being a man especially in this times, where being a man is losing meaning, because after all we are men and were defined by the tough choices we have to make.