Ruth Whippman: Young Men Are Becoming ‘Predators in Waiting’

Boys are in a crisis. They're "isolated, emotionally repressed, and adrift," says guest Ruth Whippman. The research bears her out. Boys are four times more likely than girls to commit suicide, three times more likely to be addicts, and they're dropping out of high school and not going to college at record rates. Whippman, a journalist, cultural critic, and mother of 3 boys, has written a must-read new book on this essential topic called BoyMom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity. In our interview, we talk about:

  • Boys' difficulty forming deep emotional connections

  • The role of nature vs nurture in this crisis

  • The educational disparities between men and women.

  • The lack of role models for boys.

  • The surprising things Ruth learned about incels

  • How sexisms cuts both ways

  • Ruth's suggestions for working toward solving many of these issues.

 

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Joyce Maynard on J.D. Salinger, Her New Novel, and Writing with ADHD