A Generation of American Men Give Up on College: ‘I Just Feel Lost’

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this because more men go into the trades? It makes sense to me.

Exactly. Most plumbers, carpenters, masons, construction workers, electricians, HVAC techs, etc. are men. Women tend to be nurses, teachers, social workers, etc…all of which need college degrees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

DP.. you are perpetuating a generation of snowflakes and boys with no grit. No one wants a generation of young men to suffer as much as possible. Stop being a drama queen.

We are pointing out that these young men don't have the kinds of road blocks that other groups have had historically, and yet these other groups have managed to rise above it. Why can't these young "men"?

My 17 yr old DS has to compete with smart and driven girls. So, then he needs to rise to the occasion. I am not going to feel "sorry" for him because he has to compete with girls. FFS.

Even with these stats, my DS knows he still has it a lot easier than girls do. He even said he is glad to not be a girl.. that they have it harder in general.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this because more men go into the trades? It makes sense to me.

Exactly. Most plumbers, carpenters, masons, construction workers, electricians, HVAC techs, etc. are men. Women tend to be nurses, teachers, social workers, etc…all of which need college degrees.

See.. women still need to be more educated than men to have a decent paying job. Women who don't have an education end up in jobs that pay minimum wage, unlike these traditional male trade jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

+1 When you are looking at your individual child who is struggling, it doesn't really matter that most CEOs are white men. I have a boy who took some time to find his interests and drive and it took a lot of parental support plus us paying for summer camps, tutors, pre-college programs. And, we were happy to do that and comfortable with the expense. But, if we were unable to pay that, the resources were very little. I found a number of STEM programs that were free or very low cost for girls or boys of color (who absolutely should also be encouraged in those fields) but nothing that welcomed white boys who couldn't pay a substantial fee. I've gone to some girls-only STEM programs with DD and she found it really weird that they would do that just for girls. In her world, there is no reason to give girls special attention over boys since she sees that the most successful students are girls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

DP.. you are perpetuating a generation of snowflakes and boys with no grit. No one wants a generation of young men to suffer as much as possible. Stop being a drama queen.

We are pointing out that these young men don't have the kinds of road blocks that other groups have had historically, and yet these other groups have managed to rise above it. Why can't these young "men"?

My 17 yr old DS has to compete with smart and driven girls. So, then he needs to rise to the occasion. I am not going to feel "sorry" for him because he has to compete with girls. FFS.

Even with these stats, my DS knows he still has it a lot easier than girls do. He even said he is glad to not be a girl.. that they have it harder in general.

In the examples given, how did women who were not yet adults "rise above" these adult issues. We are talking about the path from childhood to adulthood.

I fully support giving all marginalized groups extra supports to help them succeed, but that doesn't mean that a traditionally advantaged group might face some obstacles in early education.

It infuriates me to hear all of you privileged people talking about how your boys are doing fine. Guess what? Mine are too, but that's mostly because of my privilege in being able to provide tutoring, extra supports, programs to help them explore their interests, etc. Did all of you kids do their college applications all by themselves without any parental support? Half of you probably hired college consultants.

My point is that many boys don't have these extra opportunities and supports. But more than that, my concern is about how the current system causes boys to view themselves in a negative way. In this regard, I worry more about boys of color. Yes, it's good to be diligent and to always complete your homework beginning at a young age. But not everyone has that ability when the system demands it. All children need to be build up, not beaten down. That's how healthy adults of all genders and races are formed. Support, belief, and encouragement should be built into the system and it's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Considering the VAST majority of people in power are White males (CEOs, business leaders, politicians, etc.) your post makes zero sense.

That's changing rapidly. People in power tend to be older (takes a while to build experience) and they are retiring and other peopel are filling their roles.

Look at MCPS:
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/opinion/opinion-its-time-to-honor-heroic-efforts-to-educate-students-during-a-pandemic-year/

Board of Ed: 100% female
Union Presidents: 100% female
Teachers: 80% female
Principals: 66% female
Support workers: 66% female

Everyone position from the very top on down to the very bottom is majority female.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this because more men go into the trades? It makes sense to me.

Exactly. Most plumbers, carpenters, masons, construction workers, electricians, HVAC techs, etc. are men. Women tend to be nurses, teachers, social workers, etc…all of which need college degrees.

If the trades are so great, why not encourage more women to get into them?

Of course, they are also some of the most deadliest jobs out there:
https://www.ncwriskmanagement.com/blog/2021/01/top-10-most-dangerous-jobs-of-2020

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

DP.. you are perpetuating a generation of snowflakes and boys with no grit. No one wants a generation of young men to suffer as much as possible. Stop being a drama queen.

We are pointing out that these young men don't have the kinds of road blocks that other groups have had historically, and yet these other groups have managed to rise above it. Why can't these young "men"?

My 17 yr old DS has to compete with smart and driven girls. So, then he needs to rise to the occasion. I am not going to feel "sorry" for him because he has to compete with girls. FFS.

Even with these stats, my DS knows he still has it a lot easier than girls do. He even said he is glad to not be a girl.. that they have it harder in general.

In the examples given, how did women who were not yet adults "rise above" these adult issues. We are talking about the path from childhood to adulthood.

I fully support giving all marginalized groups extra supports to help them succeed, but that doesn't mean that a traditionally advantaged group might face some obstacles in early education.

It infuriates me to hear all of you privileged people talking about how your boys are doing fine. Guess what? Mine are too, but that's mostly because of my privilege in being able to provide tutoring, extra supports, programs to help them explore their interests, etc. Did all of you kids do their college applications all by themselves without any parental support? Half of you probably hired college consultants.

My point is that many boys don't have these extra opportunities and supports. But more than that, my concern is about how the current system causes boys to view themselves in a negative way. In this regard, I worry more about boys of color. Yes, it's good to be diligent and to always complete your homework beginning at a young age. But not everyone has that ability when the system demands it. All children need to be build up, not beaten down. That's how healthy adults of all genders and races are formed. Support, belief, and encouragement should be built into the system and it's not.

you have no idea to whom you are responding to.

I grew up low income. My brother went into the military and then to a public ivy from there.

Privileged? OK, I mean I had parents but they didn't speak any English, couldn't help us navigate anything, and were uneducated.

If any child, boy or girl, has some SN that requires supports, sure, that should be provided.

Are you saying that the ALL of these boys who can't complete a college application with the required information are all SN? Or are many just floundering because they don't realize that you need a good paying job to get by?

The previous system wasn't working for different groups, yet those groups figured it out.

I don't see many colleges preferring females over males. Quite the opposite. If you are a male, you seem to get a boost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this because more men go into the trades? It makes sense to me.

Exactly. Most plumbers, carpenters, masons, construction workers, electricians, HVAC techs, etc. are men. Women tend to be nurses, teachers, social workers, etc…all of which need college degrees.

If the trades are so great, why not encourage more women to get into them?

Of course, they are also some of the most deadliest jobs out there:
https://www.ncwriskmanagement.com/blog/2021/01/top-10-most-dangerous-jobs-of-2020

The trades are a good way to make money and potentially a career, but unless you can move to a point where you have people working for you, your body will give out long before you can retire. The plumbers/electricians/carpenters who make great money are the ones who have other plumbers/electricians/carpenters and not everyone is going to be in a position to move to that point

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

DP.. you are perpetuating a generation of snowflakes and boys with no grit. No one wants a generation of young men to suffer as much as possible. Stop being a drama queen.

We are pointing out that these young men don't have the kinds of road blocks that other groups have had historically, and yet these other groups have managed to rise above it. Why can't these young "men"?

My 17 yr old DS has to compete with smart and driven girls. So, then he needs to rise to the occasion. I am not going to feel "sorry" for him because he has to compete with girls. FFS.

Even with these stats, my DS knows he still has it a lot easier than girls do. He even said he is glad to not be a girl.. that they have it harder in general.

In the examples given, how did women who were not yet adults "rise above" these adult issues. We are talking about the path from childhood to adulthood.

I fully support giving all marginalized groups extra supports to help them succeed, but that doesn't mean that a traditionally advantaged group might face some obstacles in early education.

It infuriates me to hear all of you privileged people talking about how your boys are doing fine. Guess what? Mine are too, but that's mostly because of my privilege in being able to provide tutoring, extra supports, programs to help them explore their interests, etc. Did all of you kids do their college applications all by themselves without any parental support? Half of you probably hired college consultants.

My point is that many boys don't have these extra opportunities and supports. But more than that, my concern is about how the current system causes boys to view themselves in a negative way. In this regard, I worry more about boys of color. Yes, it's good to be diligent and to always complete your homework beginning at a young age. But not everyone has that ability when the system demands it. All children need to be build up, not beaten down. That's how healthy adults of all genders and races are formed. Support, belief, and encouragement should be built into the system and it's not.

you have no idea to whom you are responding to.

I grew up low income. My brother went into the military and then to a public ivy from there.

Privileged? OK, I mean I had parents but they didn't speak any English, couldn't help us navigate anything, and were uneducated.

If any child, boy or girl, has some SN that requires supports, sure, that should be provided.

Are you saying that the ALL of these boys who can't complete a college application with the required information are all SN? Or are many just floundering because they don't realize that you need a good paying job to get by?

The previous system wasn't working for different groups, yet those groups figured it out.

I don't see many colleges preferring females over males. Quite the opposite. If you are a male, you seem to get a boost.

The article isn't about what colleges do. It's more about general . . . purposelessness of a generation.

And no, groups didn't figure it out. That's why we have all of the supports in place for marginalized groups. Or are you a pull yourself by your bootstraps Republican who blames minorities for not getting further ahead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

DP.. you are perpetuating a generation of snowflakes and boys with no grit. No one wants a generation of young men to suffer as much as possible. Stop being a drama queen.

We are pointing out that these young men don't have the kinds of road blocks that other groups have had historically, and yet these other groups have managed to rise above it. Why can't these young "men"?

My 17 yr old DS has to compete with smart and driven girls. So, then he needs to rise to the occasion. I am not going to feel "sorry" for him because he has to compete with girls. FFS.

Even with these stats, my DS knows he still has it a lot easier than girls do. He even said he is glad to not be a girl.. that they have it harder in general.

In the examples given, how did women who were not yet adults "rise above" these adult issues. We are talking about the path from childhood to adulthood.

I fully support giving all marginalized groups extra supports to help them succeed, but that doesn't mean that a traditionally advantaged group might face some obstacles in early education.

It infuriates me to hear all of you privileged people talking about how your boys are doing fine. Guess what? Mine are too, but that's mostly because of my privilege in being able to provide tutoring, extra supports, programs to help them explore their interests, etc. Did all of you kids do their college applications all by themselves without any parental support? Half of you probably hired college consultants.

My point is that many boys don't have these extra opportunities and supports. But more than that, my concern is about how the current system causes boys to view themselves in a negative way. In this regard, I worry more about boys of color. Yes, it's good to be diligent and to always complete your homework beginning at a young age. But not everyone has that ability when the system demands it. All children need to be build up, not beaten down. That's how healthy adults of all genders and races are formed. Support, belief, and encouragement should be built into the system and it's not.

you have no idea to whom you are responding to.

I grew up low income. My brother went into the military and then to a public ivy from there.

Privileged? OK, I mean I had parents but they didn't speak any English, couldn't help us navigate anything, and were uneducated.

If any child, boy or girl, has some SN that requires supports, sure, that should be provided.

Are you saying that the ALL of these boys who can't complete a college application with the required information are all SN? Or are many just floundering because they don't realize that you need a good paying job to get by?

The previous system wasn't working for different groups, yet those groups figured it out.

[b]I don't see many colleges preferring females over males. Quite the opposite. If you are a male, you seem to get a boost.

Depends. For STEM women still get a boost. Otherwise, yes, men often get a boost because there are fewer applicants and schools don't want to veer past a 60% female/40% male student population since a gender balance that is too tilted can be a turn off for both men and women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So more educated chicks to go around for fewer college educated boys or will homeless men finally start scoring college-educated wives?

Asking for a friend

Nope. Women will start marrying each other in greater numbers, because everyone wants a housewife.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
In the examples given, how did women who were not yet adults "rise above" these adult issues. We are talking about the path from childhood to adulthood.

how? I realized that either I can get a dead end job not being paid much or get a college degree and a better paying job. I was 17 when I graduated HS.

I chose the short term harder route of a college degree.

No parental guidance. I am from a very old fashioned culture where females being educated was not highly prized back then. My parents weren't that supportive of me getting a degree. But, I had grit. Something that these young men seem to be lacking. Maybe they grew up in a more privileged household than I did and didn't see their parents struggling to make ends meat, seeing teen pregnancies, etc... Maybe being surrounded by all that privilege made them soft.

I don't know. But, I do know that treating these young men like they are incapable snowflakes isn't going to help them in the long run.

I shudder to think that these are the types of men that my DD will have to pick from to partner up with.

If they are that lost, they can join the military. It helped my brother immensely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this because more men go into the trades? It makes sense to me.

Exactly. Most plumbers, carpenters, masons, construction workers, electricians, HVAC techs, etc. are men. Women tend to be nurses, teachers, social workers, etc…all of which need college degrees.

See.. women still need to be more educated than men to have a decent paying job. Women who don't have an education end up in jobs that pay minimum wage, unlike these traditional male trade jobs.

Why aren't more women in these trade jobs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s the words that stand in it to me in the thread title: Give Up. If the first time men aren’t the dominant demo in an institution society places a high value on and their reaction is to give up, maybe they don’t belong in college.

I wonder what would happen to these poor fragile men if large numbers were sexually assaulted and sexually harassed at school and in the workplace with no consequences to the perpetuators; were raped and force to carry pregnancies to term; had their civil rights taken away; were disadvantaged by an old girls network; were paid less for equal work; we forced to bear children the didn’t want; had a glass ceiling; were significantly under-represented in Congress, the judiciary, corporate boardrooms and C-suites; had occupations they participate in in large numbers devalued (financially and in terms of prestige); were expected to do 2x to 4x more work in managing a home and raising children while working full time; etc, etc. it will take years for women’s job market participation to get back to where it was pre-COVID.

So, for the first time in this nation’s history, there is one area where white men don’t a structural advantage that makes everything easier for them and makes them the de facto dominant. Who cares? No one can argue with a straight face that they don’t have equal opportunities. In fact, my kids applied to SLACs and the standards were lower for DS.

If boys don’t have equal outcomes, maybe of the “boys will be boys” “it’s fine to spend hours on video games” mentality that has lowered our expectations of them. Or, maybe they are so unprepared for adversity because they literally never face it that they just “give up.”

Maybe boys and men need more adversity so they develop so coping skills and Grit, and not less.

But, but, but… think of the white men!

Teenage boys didn't create any of these things, nor have they enjoyed a structural advantage in education. But thank you again for pointing out that you want today's youth to suffer as much as possible, and demonstrating that you have no concern or compassion for them that would lead you to consider, for even a moment, whether there are some issues at play when it comes to our schools.

DP.. you are perpetuating a generation of snowflakes and boys with no grit. No one wants a generation of young men to suffer as much as possible. Stop being a drama queen.

We are pointing out that these young men don't have the kinds of road blocks that other groups have had historically, and yet these other groups have managed to rise above it. Why can't these young "men"?

My 17 yr old DS has to compete with smart and driven girls. So, then he needs to rise to the occasion. I am not going to feel "sorry" for him because he has to compete with girls. FFS.

Even with these stats, my DS knows he still has it a lot easier than girls do. He even said he is glad to not be a girl.. that they have it harder in general.

In the examples given, how did women who were not yet adults "rise above" these adult issues. We are talking about the path from childhood to adulthood.

I fully support giving all marginalized groups extra supports to help them succeed, but that doesn't mean that a traditionally advantaged group might face some obstacles in early education.

It infuriates me to hear all of you privileged people talking about how your boys are doing fine. Guess what? Mine are too, but that's mostly because of my privilege in being able to provide tutoring, extra supports, programs to help them explore their interests, etc. Did all of you kids do their college applications all by themselves without any parental support? Half of you probably hired college consultants.

My point is that many boys don't have these extra opportunities and supports. But more than that, my concern is about how the current system causes boys to view themselves in a negative way. In this regard, I worry more about boys of color. Yes, it's good to be diligent and to always complete your homework beginning at a young age. But not everyone has that ability when the system demands it. All children need to be build up, not beaten down. That's how healthy adults of all genders and races are formed. Support, belief, and encouragement should be built into the system and it's not.

you have no idea to whom you are responding to.

I grew up low income. My brother went into the military and then to a public ivy from there.

Privileged? OK, I mean I had parents but they didn't speak any English, couldn't help us navigate anything, and were uneducated.

If any child, boy or girl, has some SN that requires supports, sure, that should be provided.

Are you saying that the ALL of these boys who can't complete a college application with the required information are all SN? Or are many just floundering because they don't realize that you need a good paying job to get by?

The previous system wasn't working for different groups, yet those groups figured it out.

I don't see many colleges preferring females over males. Quite the opposite. If you are a male, you seem to get a boost.

The article isn't about what colleges do. It's more about general . . . purposelessness of a generation.

And no, groups didn't figure it out. That's why we have all of the supports in place for marginalized groups. Or are you a pull yourself by your bootstraps Republican who blames minorities for not getting further ahead?

I am a minority and female. There were no supports when I went to college back in the 80s. I had to figure it out on my own. Not even my parents could help me since they didn't speak any English nor were they educated.

Stop coddling young men. You are not helping them. I have seen what coddling young men can do. It's not pretty.