Man was this depressing -- the problem for men and lonliness

[osewalrus]

This is an extremely informative and depressing 45 minutes.
https://www.npr.org/2018/03/19/594719471/guys-we-have-a-problem-how-american-masculinity-creates-lonely-men

Frankly, I don't think it is masculinity that is toxic. It is the mass media that is toxic. Srsly. The invention of "mass media" 100 years ago -- defined as the ability to instantly speak to millions -- even tens of millions or hundreds of millions -- of people simultaneously never existed previously in human history. It made it possible to define cultural expectations via visual and audio example in the most powerful way possible -- without people even being aware of it consciously. The fact that this design is arrived at via a feedback loop rather than deliberate design does not make it less toxic.

Comments

[dsrtao]

In that case, do the effects of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and Sesame Street constitute an argument that deliberate design can ameliorate these problems?

[osewalrus]

Yes. I think so.

In support of this, I will observe that during the age when such programming is a common staple for boys as well as girls, there is no observed difference in the emotional closeness of boys to each other and willingness to express feelings. It is when they shift to different programming that reflects the idea that emotional depth and the ability to feel and express emotions are "female" traits and that males expressing such traits are either feminized or gay that their own attitudes and behaviors shift.

[etherial]

Frankly, I don't think it is masculinity that is toxic.

Correct. That's why the term toxic masculinity exists, to contrast problematic cultural baggage from the rest of the picture.