Where Have All the Good Men Gone?

[maynardsong]

Not so long ago, the average American man in his 20s had achieved most of the milestones of adulthood: a high-school diploma, financial independence, marriage and children. Today, most men in their 20s hang out in a novel sort of limbo, a hybrid state of semi-hormonal adolescence and responsible self-reliance. This "pre-adulthood" has much to

Comments

[coyotesuspect]

Yhe problem with this article is it upholds the idea that you're only an adult once you've made a certain amount of professional security and slotted yourself neatly into a mononogamous, heterosexual relationship. I have issues with Appatovian bro culture and the cult of the slacker, but this article isn't a good response to those things. It's analysis of the current economic culture is also severely lacking. We had this little thing called a recession- maybe WSJ has heard of it? I'm sure it hasn't affected their subscribers- that is making professional success (as traditionally defined) increasingly elusive for post-college graduates both male and female. And that's a large part of what's driving the kind of lifestyle this writer seems to be so terrified by. Videogames with friends!?!? Where are my pearls?! I must clutch them

[antikythera]

Appatovian bro culture

I just want to say that I very much appreciate that phrase.

[roseofjuly]

Appatovian bro culture *LOL*

I love this phrase, I will have to use it. I hate the celebration of the dudebro slacker too, but this article just was not a good critique of it at all.

[livyatan]

(some points in list form because I am sleepy)

Apparently "Good Man" = "A guy who is mature enough and finically secure enough have a woman be dependent on him".

Article makes the point of saying 1) There is a problem, and 2) It's the fault or women and women's rights that this problem exists (curse you feminism! you ruin everything!)

Talks over and over the differences between men and women

Claims there has been a gender hierarchy REVERSAL

And finally, can we stop with all the anti-feminist nostalgia about the "good old days" of dating?

[popehippo]

And finally, can we stop with all the anti-feminist nostalgia about the "good old days" of dating?

Christ, ditto.

[ciaraxyerra]

i read it as "a good man" = "a man who is secure enough with his gender to step up to the plate & assume the mantle of boring adult responsibilities as needed, including establishing an equitable partnership with intimates concerning the work of the domestic sphere; a man who does not equate the responsibilities of family life (whether that means a partner of any gender, children, aging parents, whatever) with a millstone around his neck, forcing him to escape in a teenage utopia of irresponsible yahoo social behavior

[bloodrivendream]

There really do seem to be far too many articles that come down to "not everyone is my ideal partner..." written as if everyone should be the author's ideal partner.

Your comment amused me.

[lightningxsnow]

Also, ableism. If you're not "self-reliant", you're apparently worthless.

[popehippo]

I didn't notice that but argh good point.

[darkmanifest]

That's why I farm my own food, pave my own roads, and do abdominal surgery on myself, because I'll be damned if I rely on other people to do any of that for me.

[ciaraxyerra]

riiiiight. the article DEFINITELY equated men who choose not to wash their own laundry with people who have disabilties that prevent them from taking care of certain basic life responsibilities on their own. men who could, but refuse to, clean up after themselves definitely need to be protected under the rubric of "ableism".

[lady_leia_solo]

I don't get this article. So a man isn't a responsible adult if he plays video games? I know a lot of guys and girls play video games at any age.

I love Star Wars (You can tell by the name right? XD), so I don't see why liking it makes a person or a man in this case seem immature, but maybe that's just me *shrug*

Oh and this is completely OT, but I when I first saw the WSJ, I thought of Weekly Shounen Jump in Japan XD