I'm reflecting on the challenges faced by young adults today. Having experienced my own struggles growing up, I can empathize. These challenges arise from major societal changes over the past 30 to 40 years as well as psychological differences between boys and girls. For many boys and men, expressing emotions can be complicated. Additionally, as job markets evolve to require higher education, girls often outperform boys academically. For example, more boys are diagnosed with ADHD compared to girls, and research suggests that girls’ prefrontal cortexes tend to develop about two years earlier, contributing to higher emotional intelligence. All these play huge role in academic success for girls compared to boys.
Over the past three to four decades, there have been significant changes in our work environment, yet many boys and men have not been adequately trained or made aware of these shifts. The patriarchal society that emerged after the agricultural age, which was running for the last 10,000 years has been transformed drastically in the blink of an eye and many people—both men and women—may not recognize these changes.
Incidentally, as a middle-aged man who has moved past the struggles of youth, I find this issue endearing. As I have a daughter I reflect on the challenges my daughter will face. I believe she will likely thrive in today’s society, especially in the U.S., where career opportunities for girl children abound. However, success doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness, particularly when it comes to finding a partner and building a family. For many women, these aspects of life often hold deeper significance than they do for men. So in a way, though career-wise females flourish, they might not do in other perspectives of life. This certainly can impact and is impacting current and future society.
Diving a bit more into details
- In the 1970s, two-thirds of college graduates were men. That trend has flipped today. Today 2/3 of graduating students will be female.
- Many manual jobs have diminished or been outsourced—jobs that societal norms traditionally encouraged men to pursue have diminished a lot outsourced outside of developed nations.
- While women’s rights movements have made significant strides toward equality, particularly in developed nations and parts of the developing world, these changes have not always benefited men. Today, women in their thirties often earn about $1,000 more than men. As most jobs now require less manual labor, women’s participation in various fields, including those traditionally dominated by men, has increased dramatically. There are now more female fighter pilots than male teachers, in elemantry and over 70% of new entrants in higher education are women. Most departments have equal or more females than men in Colleges.
- While women’s rights are openly advocated for, men often struggle to voice their own needs. Many men find it challenging to seek support, and due to the long-standing prevalence of patriarchal norms and feminism, many women may not fully recognize or accept this reality. It’s important to acknowledge that both genders face unique challenges and that advocating for men's rights is a crucial part of fostering a more equitable society.
- Although circumstances have evolved, many women’s desire for hypergamy—seeking partners of equal or higher status—remains challenging to fulfill in today’s landscape. Particularly in their early thirties, many women find themselves outpacing men in terms of career success and stability, making it increasingly difficult to find partners who meet their expectations.
- Neurodivergence is more prevalent among men than women, with studies suggesting that men exhibit a wider range of neurodivergent traits. As a result, conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and ADHD are more commonly diagnosed in men. Unfortunately, today’s work environments are often not accommodating for neurodivergent individuals, making it particularly challenging for many men to find or maintain stable careers.
These factors contribute to frustration on both sides. Men have been conditioned to support others but may struggle to mature emotionally or educationally. Entering today’s job market is challenging, as most positions require specialization—gone are the days when a high school diploma could guarantee a stable job and lifelong career. Today's environment requires constant learning and multiple career changes. As women outperform men academically, and as females can adapt much better in career change - both emotionally as well as having long-term support structure, they are much better positioned to flourish in the new brain vs brawn economy. Added to it most females seek partners who are equally or more successful, leaving many men feeling overlooked in the dating landscape called Hypergamy. Hypergamy could be accommodated in earlier societies where most men did better than females. In future societies where females will be more successful than men this mindset of females, at least for the majority, also needs drastic change.
In current society by the age of 30, females are earning 1K more than men, and already 2/3 of graduates are female. Thus many females are overlooking the majority of men. This has contributed to the rise of groups like Men Going Their Own Way and the incel community, where some men feel alienated from dating and societal structures, retreating instead into gaming and other screen addictions. Consequently, more than five million prime-age men, aged 18-55, are currently out of work and not seeking work. These men disengaged from social systems, relying on support systems like disability benefits many of them have addictions. Today in 1950s America - female participation in the labor force has increased from less than 20% to almost 70%. Men's participation has gone from 90% to 70%. See the Brooking Paper from Alan Kreuger from Princeton Study on it
Regarding resources on this issue:
To help them:
Motivation:
Psychological Support:
Dr. K - Offers extensive one-on-one and group therapy for boys and their parents. He provides a wealth of videos and trained counselors as part of his community outreach and thiis one if for parents. [Link]
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