I'm going to preface everything that I am about to say that there are exceptions to every rule.

I also generally believe that what you get in life is what you put into it.

That being said, it's very clear that man's life path is less 'free' regardless of choices you make. So let's hurt some feelings.

-On a basis of employment, men have to provide. Period. For themselves, for their family. You have to make it happen and that's that. You're working and that's that. Male labor force participation has hovered around 90% for a while, while it's slowly increased to roughly 75% for women over the same time period. There's no questioning women have stepped up in the career field, but it has had little to no effect on male labor force participation, because that is just a societal and personal non negotiable. Woman generally have the choice and freedom to decide if they want a career or not. Yeah they still take care of kids and shit more often, obviously it will be lower, but this is a choice that's not really imposed on women. You can pretty much decide if you want to be a housewife or a career woman. Men are still expected to be the breadwinner, and still statistically are. and it's largely because, due to societal expectation, you haven't a choice. Shut up and mine that coal and die shortly after retirement from lung complications. Yes there's choice in what you choose to do, but far less of it, because rule number one is you have to make it financially work. Do you think guys want to swing at a fucking rock all day? I think this is the main reason women have usurped men in terms of education, they have the freedom to do so.

https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/civilian-labor-force-participation-rate.htm

-On a basis of protection, this goes without saying. Burden is on the man, and it's one we actually enjoy. Personal relationships such as a partnership or family protection or on a larger scale protecting one's local area, state, or country. This is just a thing we have to do. We know this, and we actually enjoy it, but it's still an inescapable burden. Women can become a police officer or politician or soldier, and good for them if they want to, but they're there by choice.

Those two are obviously the stereotypical ones. but it goes quite a bit deeper than protecting and providing now.

-Societal norms/courting. Men have to engage. A man has to take what he wants, if he want's anything at all. It's certainly not going to fall to him. He has to start the conversations, set up the dates, engage the sex, reach out for friendships. A woman can do all of these things, but they are not expected to and generally don't, but that doesn't usually exclude them from engaging in these same activities. Under the assumption that 50% of guys are extroverts and 50% are introverts, this is a very difficult calling for the latter. You have to do something that goes against your very nature, if you want to live the rest of your life with someone, or give fruition to your biological urge when all woman has to do is entertain the idea of him and choose to or not to. They just can, it's a choice. A very good and valid one, nobody wants woman to choose something that they are not interested in. For very obvious reason's, men can't just force the issue (you know, rape) upon the same biological urges. Women really just can never understand the challenge that goes into the courting process, and it really is a privilege in modern times. Again man's responsibility is woman's choice. There's no ways around it, if man want's something he must earn it through action, but not forced action, you have to make the woman think the action was her idea. This delicate balance seems to be the reason for many of the posts on this sub. (I'm not justifying rape btw, just pointing to the privilege of choice)

-gender issues have become entirely favorable to women. There's a lot of well meaning fathers that cant see their kids, at least in limited capacity (if at all) in spite of being perfectly capable fathers that simply split from their spouse under normal circumstance. Her burden on this is yeah she has to take care of the kid, but it's being completely fronted and financed by daddy. She has full choice over how this kid get raised and the financial capacity to do so. Even if pops was a loser with bastard children everywhere, he's still on the hook for the financing of that child. (or the government if he can't) Abortion, which I agree with women's right's on this "my body my choice'. Absolutely. Very little people would argue with this. Still however, man was involved with this process and has zero choice, it's his burden whatever she does. I think this is right, but for the sake of my point, man's responsibility is woman's choice.

-Across the board, woman's choice is given priority over men's responsibility smothering. which is an odd thing to say, because choice is a weaker word.

-responsibility - the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone.

-choice - an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities.

-Responsibility is dutiful, it's work. choice is freedom. Women, without question are privileged when it comes to choice in nearly every aspect of life with the exception of rape. Rape is a forced sexual act. Men are being mostly forced to live a certain life. Men are nearly being raped by society.

-The consequence is 75% of those willing to hit the off button in this thing called life, have been men. It's really the only statistic you need. We simply have a very difficult and burdensome human experience and there's a long way to go. While these are burden's that are best navigated head on, you know, "nut up or shut up" It all starts with acknowledging that men have it pretty shitty if you really value freedom of choice.

Edit: 1:19 PM Central Time

I have learned a lot, not so much on my views, but other ones. My mind hasn't been changed, but I am now more aware of other issues, which is a big step for anyone having these conversations.

Feel free to proceed, I'm going to watch some football. I will likely be back on later. Y'all guys are mean :)

Edit 2: 2:20 pm central time

Based on my personal experience, the ones I have the most experience in is the employment piece and the social expectation and engagement piece. I really can’t speak well enough for the others on a personal basis, (but they do exist) but believe me, this shit is hard. Even as a 6’3” white male, who is reasonably attractive, and generally checking lots of ‘boxes’. Life is not boxes checked though. While there we’re definitely some pokes at women, it was largely a post mostly saying, “guys have problems” and used women as a tool of comparison. If a guy can’t say Im struggling then what the fuck. The most common reply, as anticipated in my original post was some variety of “nut up or shut up”

Edit 3: 4:30 pm central

View changed on gender issues. Specifically on child care, while men have some involvement in it, it does seem to be in large, woman’s burden. Nice work.