Response to the WSJ article America’s Young Men Are Falling Even Further Behind

I appreciate that this article brings up the challenges young men are facing, but I found it frustrating how little it goes into the societal reasons behind it. It points out that men feel lost—whether in work, social life, or relationships—but it barely scratches the surface of why this is happening. Instead, it seems to put the blame on men themselves, which feels unfair.

Here are some things I think the article missed:

  1. Education and Work • Men are falling way behind in education—women now earn 60% of college degrees and most advanced degrees, while men only get 40%. This reversal is actually worse than when men were ahead of women in the past. There’s a big push to help women succeed in STEM or leadership roles (which is great), but almost nothing is being done to help men adapt or succeed in areas like teaching or healthcare. • On top of that, the gender pay gap people talk about (83 cents on the dollar) is less dramatic when you adjust for factors like job type or experience—it’s more like 92–99 cents. Meanwhile, men dominate dangerous, low-paying jobs, accounting for 93% of workplace deaths, but that’s barely mentioned in these conversations.

  2. Mental Health and Isolation • Men account for 80% of suicides, yet mental health resources for men are seriously lacking. Society still tells men to “suck it up” instead of supporting them. • Young men are lonelier than ever. Social media and dating apps don’t help—men get far fewer matches and interactions than women, which reinforces rejection and isolation.

  3. Social Media and Porn • Social media promotes impossible body standards for men, pushing things like steroids and extreme fitness to achieve “ideal” physiques. It also feeds toxic ideas about hypermasculinity and “alpha males” while discouraging emotional expression. • Porn is another huge issue. It sells men this idea of connection but instead promotes unrealistic sexual expectations, addiction, and a lack of satisfaction in real relationships. And while people talk about how porn harms women, they rarely mention how it exploits men too.

  4. Cultural Messages • Pop culture constantly shows men as incompetent, toxic, or emotionally stunted. There are few positive role models for young men that show healthy, balanced masculinity. • In romantic relationships, men feel confused about their roles as traditional expectations disappear, but there’s no guidance on how to adapt.

Final Thoughts

Men aren’t struggling because of apathy or privilege—they’re struggling because society hasn’t given them the tools or support to adapt to rapid changes. This article brings up an important issue, but it doesn’t go deep enough into these societal factors, and instead blames men for their own struggles. If we don’t address this comprehensively, these problems will keep getting worse—for everyone, not just men.

  • credit ChatGPT after I input my thoughts