Why are young men in crisis?

officerripley said:
Or we could do as other countries (Israel for one, I think) do, having a national service in which almost all young people need to serve; if memory serves the way Israel does it: if a person has a religious reason for not wanting to serve in the military, they're stationed out in the desert working on irrigation systems for their service term.
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Yes, exactly.
 

One of the problems that have not been mentioned here (I think) is the often differing views society in general - and men in particular, have in relation to the role women should play in marriage and society in general.
 
Nathan said:
This is a very timely topic, and is a growing life or death problem in our society. As mentioned in the video, many young males are in situations where they are lonely, unattached and just not valued. Males are more likely to get trapped inside their own head, they need direct guidance or else they go down the rabbit hole. Or, join up with other aimless young males to share in no-so-positive ways to expend pent up feelings.

BTW Bill Maher is brilliant and doesn't suffer fools. ;)



I've long thought that the active military draft should be reinstated, to give young people an opportunity to serve their country, and derive that sense of self worth, not to mention gain an appreciation for encountering a broader variety of people. IMO this "lone wolf" shooter / mass murderer phenomena has grown exponentially since the end of the draft.
Edit: reinstating the draft would also reduce the student loan debt load....
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Drafting young adults including women does not have involve military training. There thousands of societal needs that need immediate help. Invest in building our countries infrastructure, roads, bridges, food production, and so much more. Some countries do draft their young people and they serve something like a couple years doing community service/work.
 

I have read many, very valid comments here. I agree with the points that we have way too much technology, we have a lack of the human touch and that internet dating and dating in general is in a real mess.

What surprises me is that the common sheep just go along with all the bad TV shows, keep buying the latest iphones, go to the horrible new movies and listen to all sort of disgusting music where ever you sit down.

I think we need changes and change will not come from the makers of iphones, flat TV, ipods and the latest new shiny toy. Change has to come from the masses when they they fed up with being treated like they only exist to consume material goods and demand a better life that has some meaning.
 
In the 80s, we told male children to stop being aggressive. We even medicated them to make them less intense and reactionary and get them to sit still. In the 90s, men's roles were devalued; equal pay became law, women started becoming CEOs and winning elections, and there was a sudden up-tick of artificial insemination. In the 2000's, men were not only devalued, they were suddenly toxic. Toxic. And now there's all this "male-privilege" BS. It's no wonder teenage boys and 20-something men have turned to video gaming; fantasy worlds where men have power; where they're idealized, idolized, invincible....well-armed.

And society at large, but especially women, were downright mean to men during the decades-long evolution of gender equality, shaming men for being men, or at least telling them "Nobody needs you", laying the blame for centuries of second-class citizenry or whatever at the feet of 18 to 40-yr old men. And now you've got people discounting the proven existence of biological, chemical, genetic, and even instinctual differences between men and women.

Anyway, it took a few generations to get where we're at, maybe it's gonna take a few more for men to adjust or accept or whatever.
 
I doubt the premise that 21st Century male angst is turning men into terrorists. 100 years ago, "bombers" were blowing up New York, in protest, was it 20th Century male angst that drove them? In the 1300s, there were "Assassins", was it 14th Century male angst.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I doubt the premise that 21st Century male angst is turning men into terrorists. 100 years ago, "bombers" were blowing up New York, in protest, was it 20th Century male angst that drove them? In the 1300s, there were "Assassins", was it 14th Century male angst.
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You guys are angstious.
 
I think a plan for a couple of years of military/society "service" for All of our young people would be a good idea. It would instill in them a sense of responsibility, and give them a good opportunity to "grow up". Israel has the right idea....IMO.
 
Raddragn said:
I have some doubts that instilling a military mindset is the best/most desirable alternative for a civilized society.
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How do you define "military mindset"?

I'm pretty sure that everyone who used that term here are talking about instilling discipline, teamsmanship, diligence, punctuality, and accepting responsibility...not to mention cleaning your room.
 
Murrmurr said:
How do you define "military mindset"?

I'm pretty sure that everyone who used that term here are talking about instilling discipline, teamsmanship, diligence, punctuality, and accepting responsibility...not to mention cleaning your room.
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Just so, there are a lot of training methods for a whole range of services, careers, dating, how to make friends, etc., that wouldn't have to be military-based.
 
Don M. said:
I think a plan for a couple of years of military/society "service" for All of our young people would be a good idea. It would instill in them a sense of responsibility, and give them a good opportunity to "grow up". Israel has the right idea....IMO.
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We have AmeriCorps here, but that's purely voluntary. We don't like anything mandatory here in the U.S.
 
officerripley said:
Just so, there are a lot of training methods for a whole range of services, careers, dating, how to make friends, etc., that wouldn't have to be military-based.
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True, but I (personally) don't think they're as effective as military training. And I should mention, military-type training doesn't have to be weapons-based. Learning how to use guns is actually only 1 part of a 5-part military basic training program.
 
Murrmurr said:
In the 80s, we told male children to stop being aggressive. We even medicated them to make them less intense and reactionary and get them to sit still. In the 90s, men's roles were devalued; equal pay became law, women started becoming CEOs and winning elections, and there was a sudden up-tick of artificial insemination. In the 2000's, men were not only devalued, they were suddenly toxic. Toxic. And now there's all this "male-privilege" BS. It's no wonder teenage boys and 20-something men have turned to video gaming; fantasy worlds where men have power; where they're idealized, idolized, invincible....well-armed.

And society at large, but especially women, were downright mean to men during the decades-long evolution of gender equality, shaming men for being men, or at least telling them "Nobody needs you", laying the blame for centuries of second-class citizenry or whatever at the feet of 18 to 40-yr old men. And now you've got people discounting the proven existence of biological, chemical, genetic, and even instinctual differences between men and women.

Anyway, it took a few generations to get where we're at, maybe it's gonna take a few more for men to adjust or accept or whatever.
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"It's no wonder teenage boys and 20-something men have turned to video gaming; fantasy worlds where men have power; where they're idealized, idolized, invincible....well-armed."

So men are supposed to have power and be idealized and idolized and invincible and well armed in order to be be attractive? What is it the women are supposed to do? Coddle them because they have no sense of self?
 
The idea of "universal military service " in the USA is a terrible idea. Why ? Does no one here remember the Vietnam war era ? When young Americans fled the country, or faked being a homosexual, to get out of military service ? When the privileged young men who attended college were given deferments, while the poor and uneducated were sent to fight a war on the other side of the world ? In my personal military experience ( Canadian Army in the 1970's ) I learned that the LAST thing a military training program needs is people who DO NOT WANT TO BE THERE. It is hard enough to motivate people who volunteered to be there, never mind people who are being FORCED to be there. That group will be disruptive, unruly, and argumentative, and find every way to sidetrack the program. I understand the concept, but the actuality will be what we used to call a cluster****. Perhaps the alternative might be.....A voluntary training program that teaches young people practical skills for 3 months, then they go out ( with trained instructors ) to put those skills to work. Learning how to repair and maintain small engines, such as lawn mowers, or chain saws, or snow blowers, or learning how to spray paint vehicles, or build brick walls, is a worthwhile idea. JimB.
 
Blessed said:
I don't l like Bill Maher much and did not like this performance. Yes, I do think technology is a problem. I also think that the male viewpoint bringing it down to sex ie. tinder is disgusting. The morals of our young people are at a low point. What happened to meeting someone at church, at school dances, at parties. What happened to parents teaching their children about acceptable behavior, treating one another with respect, getting to know one another before engaging in behavior that is meant for the person you love, a person you see as a potential life partner.

Yes, I know I am old fashioned in some ways. I taught the old fashioned beliefs, but I was not stupid. I also taught my child about safe sex and put a box of condoms in his room. I taught him that the decisions he might make would be very important in his future. In the end, some of it is not having guidance in the informative years. They need to know that they have someone to talk to, what happened today, is not what their life will be in the future. To have a safe place to fall in times of doubt, confusion and challenges. I expect I will have talks of this nature as a grandparent, I see it as a responsibility of any person that is charged with the love and care of a teenager, young adult.

Lastly, our young people have some misconceptions about the true life of an adult. Everything does not come easy. You have to work hard in school and in employment. You have to save and sacrifice to have the material things you want. The media puts this crap out there you can be a you tube personality, be beautiful or handsome physically, have great style and you will be a millionare. I only know a few millionaires and they all got there by hard work, the old fashioned way.
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Well said, Being old fashioned in a 'modern' world is something to be proud of.
 
MarciKS said:
"It's no wonder teenage boys and 20-something men have turned to video gaming; fantasy worlds where men have power; where they're idealized, idolized, invincible....well-armed."

So men are supposed to have power and be idealized and idolized and invincible and well armed in order to be be attractive? What is it the women are supposed to do? Coddle them because they have no sense of self?
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Women can have equal power (status), but can't they have it without emasculating men? Why do men have to be torn down so that women can achieve equal status?
 
Murrmurr said:
Women can have equal power (status), but can't they have it without emasculating men? Why do men have to be torn down so that women can achieve equal status?
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Torn down how? How are they being emasculated? I'm not upset I'm just asking questions because I don't quite understand what you're getting at. I will say it was ok back in the day to make women feel like property by demanding they stay home and stay barefoot and pregnant and in the kitchen. So I don't understand why men feel emasculated because we got jobs. Perhaps you can enlighten me. ;)
 
Murrmurr said:
Women can have equal power (status), but can't they have it without emasculating men? Why do men have to be torn down so that women can achieve equal status?
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I suspect men are feeling "torn down" because they have historically held a superior position. That "superior" status is diminishing and the men are feeling taken down a notch or two even though there has not really been a downward movement for them, . Basically, they seem to feel women's "gain" is men's "loss", rather that a balancing out.
We, unfortunately, live in a society where each "side" tends to put the other "side" down both mentally and in same gender conversations. Instead of encouraging positivity, the result is too often negatively condoned by members of the same gender. We're encouraged to regard each other as separate sub species instead of one whole species - much like Caucasian racists regard anyone not white as some kind of inferior sub species.
It's a period of change which is almost chaotic to some degree;it takes a while before the pendulum swings back to center.
 
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