This article is an interesting look at why young men are dating and socializing less. It makes the case that the physical world has become more anxiety-inducing, as economic opportunities have decreased. At the same time, the digital world has made all sorts of risky behaviors, from gambling to speculative investments easier. Some might say, the digital world is designed to encourage this addictive behavior.
These changes are significant because they have now marked a generation and are having profound social and political effects.
It would also seem that the trend seems set to continue, and perhaps get stronger. Where does this leave society in the 2030s & 40s?
As stability decreases for young men in the physical world (home ownership, job stability, etc), their digital behavior is becoming more risky and speculative. Where will this trend lead?
byu/lughnasadh inFuturology
11 Comments
“Join the military, it will solve all your problems.” And then you are shipped off to die somewhere, and the rich people don’t have a poor people problem anymore.
I think there are societal implications way beyond this. Social Media is becoming “fight club” playing out in real time. Young men who are feeling lost and confused as traditional masculinity dies a natural death, are being targeted by some vile people who don’t want that happen.
Basically you’re being told that your grandfathers were “real men” and the world was perfect back then, so we need to get back to that. Take up religion, find yourself a “trad wife” that you can control, have 5 kids and raise them to feel the way way about things. Get rid of women’s right and those darn minorities, etc.
And in a lot of cases that manipulation is working. We’re failing these young men because the world changed and took away their automatic role in society, and we’re not helping them replace it with something productive and meaningful.
Stability is decreasing for most people of varying genders and sexual identities.
This trend leads to what historians refer to as “the cool zone.”
Access to unlimited free high quality porn has probably got something to do with it.
>It makes the case that the physical world has become more anxiety-inducing, as economic opportunities have decreased.
median wages have never been higher, travel is alot easier, there are innumerable resource for how to eat right, maintain decent fitness, dress well and literally learn any skill. k-12 is free, community college is dirt cheap and (until like just rencetly), 20-30 of age unemployment has been low. The middle class has shrunk because people are leaving for the upper middle class.
Yall, it ain’t economic anxiety (except housing in the city. that shits expensive for women too though)
I can relate heavily to that article, I probably have spent +85% of my life in this same room that I’m at the moment. I guess it started by “easy” emotional regulation and fun, because I was somewhat bullied in school. Currently I’m 31yo, living with my parents and I don’t have any plans do anything that would change the situation. Sometimes I feel miserable, I have had few clinically diagnosed episodes of depression, but still I’m unable to provoke myself to change.
EDIT: I fully acknowledge that even if it is not completely my fault that I’m the one responsible “fix” the situation, but I can’t find any reason why as everything feels out of reach (most likely because this is what my life has been so far).
Real world violence is down. So. It seems it isn’t leading to anything particularly violent.
Thank GOD this article doesn’t mention balatro so I can maintain my smug sense of normalcy.Â
“Some might say, the digital world is designed to encourage this addictive behavior.”
I don’t see how anyone can say any different.
Gambling adverts, investment adverts, games. Gamifacation of everything from money management to learning a language. Social media focusing on smaller and shorter videos, and allowing quicker ways to watch them.
Even the operating systems of our phones and hardware promote keeping you in to their ecosystem rather than allowing easier freedom of movement.
This will lead to more time online, more AI relationships, more personalised news and more disconnection from the real world.
We’re heading towards somewhere between Wall-E and Elysium.
Gen Z here. What you mention about gambling and speculative investments is spot on. I never thought I’d fall into that pit but here I am…after losing a buuuunch of money. Fucking gambling and trading is everywhere now.