The reason why I want to summarize this book is not because of what is happening in the USA. I feel that it is a global phenomenon and Indonesia doesn't escape from this, especially people in big cities.
The cover of this book says, "Why The Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters And What To Do About It", so my opinion should cover why we should pay more attention to it and how to deal with it (some of which comes from the author's standpoint that we can do from a personal's point of view and hopefully the society)
Author's background:
Richard Reeves, a researcher, highlights the struggles of boys and men in education, employment, and family structures. He argues that many of the issues boys and men face are structural rather than individual and that policy interventions designed for girls and women may not work as well for boys and men. The gender segregation of the workforce, the opioid epidemic, and the declining number of close friendships are contributing to a vicious cycle that makes it harder for other men and boys to succeed. Reeves emphasizes the need for more investment in vocational education and training, encouragement for male teachers, and the creation of job opportunities in different fields like STEM and HEAL. Additionally, he suggests paying more attention to understanding and cultivating meaningful friendships, which he believes are crucial to human well-being. Finally, he examines how the concept of marriage has changed in America since the women's movement in the 1970s.Â
Summary:
Richard Reeves explains why he decided to write a book on the struggles of boys and men, despite the potential backlash of it being seen as taking away from efforts to support girls and women. Reeves highlights that, after researching the numbers in education, employment, and the family, he found that many boys and men were struggling in ways worse than he previously thought, with those from lower-income and Black backgrounds being especially affected. Additionally, he argues that many of the problems facing boys and men are structural, rather than individual, with the education system, labor market, and changing family structures being some of the key factors. Reeves also believes that policy interventions designed for girls and women do not necessarily work as well for boys and men and that political polarization has hindered productive discussions on the topic. Nevertheless, he aims to offer concrete policy solutions to rectify these issues.
*My Notes:
- Women are still fighting their own battle for gender equality and there's no denying its presence, however we need to understand that the world had a patriarchal structure for thousand of years. So if we look at how fast this women's movement that started in the 1970s to what's happening now, when will we start paying attention to what make men struggling?Â
The reason why there's also backlash against Feminism is that some seem to make it a Male vs Female problem and not about equality, because when it comes to Male inequality, it is not brought up to people's attention.
