> (This raises the question of why women might respond differently to the self-esteem crisis; I suggest that the interplay between patriarchal norms and the competition for self-esteem might mean women experience the same frustration, but respond differently.)
Scott Galloway has spoken well about this, I think. In pursuing toxic masculinity we sort of orbital nuked our culture of masculinity as it pertains to men. (Particularly straight men.)
At the same time, we have multiple elements socially stunting our youth, from the Meta-TikTok addiction complex to gambling for kids to the lockdowns.
At the same time, our economy is creating a very visible chasm between the lower and upper classes. If you're stuck in that crevasse, the aforementioned lack of role models and social ineptitude can hurt in heartbreaking ways. In some, that leads to depression. In others, anger.
> the leftist embrace of the "toxic masculinity" concept turned off a generation of young men
Perhaps. It looks more like there is a section of America's left that nobs onto decent ideas and turns it into a No True Scotsmen loyalty test. It's not about the issue. It's about the participants feeling like they're fighting, the cause be damned. This group is extremely adept at social media, though, which means the decent idea gets drowned out by the stupid one. Which the opposition to the decent idea is a-okay with, because it will reliably tank the whole project.
Immigration reform? Abolish ICE. Criminal justice reform? Defund the police and abolish prisons. Palestinian nationhood? From the river to the sea, also terrorism is fine.
For masculinity, there was a problem. But that element turned it into a nauseating game of language policing, cancelling and--in the end--overt and proud sexism against men. 'Toxic masculinity' wasn't the problem per se, the expansion of toxicity to all masculinity was the issue.
> (This raises the question of why women might respond differently to the self-esteem crisis; I suggest that the interplay between patriarchal norms and the competition for self-esteem might mean women experience the same frustration, but respond differently.)
Or perhaps the perceived glass-ceiling is lower.
Always has been. In the USA, we have an archetype for it: midlife crisis.
Young people seem to have it worse these days.
> Young people seem to have it worse these days
Scott Galloway has spoken well about this, I think. In pursuing toxic masculinity we sort of orbital nuked our culture of masculinity as it pertains to men. (Particularly straight men.)
At the same time, we have multiple elements socially stunting our youth, from the Meta-TikTok addiction complex to gambling for kids to the lockdowns.
At the same time, our economy is creating a very visible chasm between the lower and upper classes. If you're stuck in that crevasse, the aforementioned lack of role models and social ineptitude can hurt in heartbreaking ways. In some, that leads to depression. In others, anger.
I think the leftist embrace of the "toxic masculinity" concept turned off a generation of young men.
> the leftist embrace of the "toxic masculinity" concept turned off a generation of young men
Perhaps. It looks more like there is a section of America's left that nobs onto decent ideas and turns it into a No True Scotsmen loyalty test. It's not about the issue. It's about the participants feeling like they're fighting, the cause be damned. This group is extremely adept at social media, though, which means the decent idea gets drowned out by the stupid one. Which the opposition to the decent idea is a-okay with, because it will reliably tank the whole project.
Immigration reform? Abolish ICE. Criminal justice reform? Defund the police and abolish prisons. Palestinian nationhood? From the river to the sea, also terrorism is fine.
For masculinity, there was a problem. But that element turned it into a nauseating game of language policing, cancelling and--in the end--overt and proud sexism against men. 'Toxic masculinity' wasn't the problem per se, the expansion of toxicity to all masculinity was the issue.
Perhaps. In any case, young or old, it is still a self esteem crisis. Its not a new thing.