{"id":2176003,"date":"2024-02-14T11:18:02","date_gmt":"2024-02-14T16:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/young-men-searching-for-purpose-on-valentines-day\/"},"modified":"2024-02-14T11:23:29","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T16:23:29","slug":"young-men-searching-for-purpose-on-valentines-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/young-men-searching-for-purpose-on-valentines-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Young men seeking meaning on Valentine&#8217;s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fyoung-men-searching-for-purpose-on-valentines-day%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2176003&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Valentine&#8217;s Day: A Reflection on the Boy Crisis<\/h2>\n<p>For those with a\u2063 special \u200csomeone, today is Valentine\u2019s Day. For all the single ladies, it is Galentine\u2019s Day. But what is it for the\u200c bachelors? To \u200bmy knowledge, men do not band together\u200b <i>en masse<\/i> on February 14th to mix\u200d up fruity pink cocktails, watch chick\u200c flicks, and build solidarity in their \u200csingleness. In fact, bromances appear to be in decline, as 15% of men \u200bsay they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/2021\/07\/american-men-suffer-a-friendship-recession\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>have zero close friends<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>The Male Friendship Recession and the Boy Crisis<\/h3>\n<p>The \u2062male friendship recession is just one manifestation of the boy crisis, a crisis worth reflecting on especially today, the day of big romance. The boy crisis is \u200cwidespread, impacting boys and men academically, economically, physically, and spiritually. On average, the IQs \u200dof\u2063 boys are declining. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/leading-causes-of-death-in-men\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>second\u2062 leading cause<\/b><\/a>  of death for American men under 45 is suicide. \u2062Largely due to \u200cdrug abuse \u2062and physical \u200dand mental problems,\u2063 only \u206225% of men ages 17-24 <a href=\"https:\/\/amarkfoundation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/DOD-QMA-2020-Brief-PUBLIC.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>qualified for military service in 2020<\/b><\/a>.\u200c As the wages of those with a high school degree\u200b decline, some men are willingly checking out of the workforce altogether, so\u200d much so that male workforce engagement now matches\u2062 the level it was during the Great Depression.<\/p>\n<p>All this adds \u200cup to millions of young men who have \u200cbeen left without purpose.<\/p>\n<h3>The Role of Fatherhood\u2063 and Marriage<\/h3>\n<p>While our education system and the shift from a manufacturing to a global knowledge economy have done their fair share of damage,\u200d according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Boy-Crisis-Boys-Struggling-About\/dp\/1942952716\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><b>The Boy Crisis: Why Our Boys are Struggling and What We Can Do About It<\/b><\/i><\/a>, the ultimate driver behind the boy crisis is \u200cdad \u2064deprivation. Approximately 40% of children are \u200dborn out of wedlock; because of this and \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/blame-women-for-high-divorce-rates-that-hurt-women-more-than-men\/\" title=\"Women are unfairly blamed for high divorce rates, which actually have a greater negative impact on them than on men\">high divorce rates<\/a>,\u200c <a href=\"https:\/\/www.deseret.com\/2023\/6\/15\/23758334\/fathers-day-brad-wilcox-fatherhood-in-america\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>as\u200c Brad Wilcox<\/b><\/a>, director of the National Marriage Project at the University of\u2064 Virginia, states, \u201conly about half of\u2063 children will spend the\u2064 duration of their childhood with both of their biological parents.\u201d Moms and dads contribute in unique and essential ways to the raising \u200dof children, but boys especially \u2062need the modeled manifestation \u200cof\u2063 what it\u2062 means to be a good\u2063 man, and their first model\u2063 is their \u200dfathers.<\/p>\n<p>Single parents, who \u2064have sometimes been\u200b unwillingly left behind by divorce, \u2064make valorous sacrifices for their \u2063children, \u2063and <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1111\/j.1741-3729.2008.00533.x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>nonresidential fathers are doing a better job of \u200dstaying involved<\/b><\/a>. But the practical realities of fatherhood apart\u200d from marriage are often challenging. For example, according to <i><b>The Boy Crisis<\/b><\/i>, \u201cwhen unmarried couples live together when their child is born, by the child\u2019s third birthday, 40 percent of those \u200cchildren will have no\u200b regular contact \u2063with their dad for the next <i>two years<\/i>\u2014between ages three and five.\u201d For this reason, if \u2062we want to \u2062get serious about addressing\u200d the boy crisis, we need to\u2062 get serious\u2062 about \u200dmarriage. Understanding the\u2063 purpose of marriage will\u200b help us fortify\u2064 it.<\/p>\n<h3>Shifting the Cultural Conversation<\/h3>\n<p>Many \u200cnow believe that romance is the cornerstone of marriage. Once it dissipates, the couple should part ways so that \u2064each individual can find that lovin\u2019 feeling again. More frequently than in the past, couples \u200dare divorcing for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.city-journal.org\/article\/the-two-parent-advantage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>less serious reasons<\/b><\/a>. The dissolution of \u201clow conflict\u201d relationships is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.demographic-research.org\/volumes\/vol36\/3\/36-3.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>particularly detrimental for children<\/b><\/a>, as they can experience more stress and more \u200dof a\u2063 feeling of loss following separation.<\/p>\n<p>Much of our culture \u200breinforces such attitudes \u200dtowards relationships.\u2063 The radical autonomy \u2062of expressive individualism permeates our moral\u200d imagination. Expressive individualism, \u201cinvolves\u2064 growing and changing as \u200da person, paying attention to your\u200b feelings, and expressing your needs.\u201d As Andrew Cherlin, a sociology and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/conservative-hillsdale-college-fights-leftist-academics-by-expanding-charter-school-network\/\" title=\"Conservative Hillsdale College Fights 'Leftist Academics' by Expanding Charter School Network\">public policy professor<\/a>\u2064 at Johns Hopkins University, explains in \u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Marriage-Go-Round-State-Marriage-Family-America\/dp\/0307386384\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&#038;qid=1707922637&#038;sr=1-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><b>The Marriage-Go-Round: The State of Marriage and the Family in America\u2063 Today<\/b><\/i><\/a>, under\u2062 such conditions, \u201cmarriages are harder to keep together, because what matters is not merely the things \u200cthey jointly\u200c produce\u2014well-adjusted \u2064children, nice homes\u2014but \u200dalso each person\u2019s own \u2062happiness.\u201d And by happiness we mean pleasure and psychological self-actualization, not human flourishing grounded in virtue and obligation.<\/p>\n<p>In truth, admirable marriages are replete\u200b with work and adventure. Their purpose is to provide a stable and loving environment for the rearing and education of children and to form the character \u200bof each spouse. Marriage is often not easy or comfortable. As\u200d human beings, we grow attached to our favorite vices, and letting\u2063 them go \u200dcan be painful. But it\u200c is also freeing. Ideally in\u2063 marriage, rather than prioritizing his or her own emotional satisfaction, through choice and circumstance, each\u200c spouse sacrifices\u200d for the sake of \u200cthat mysterious third entity: the marriage.<\/p>\n<p>Our culture largely no longer promotes \u200dthis \u2064understanding. Those Galentine\u2019s Day favorites (excluding the incomparable work of ethicist Jane Austen) often don\u2019t depict \u2064what it is that\u200b really matters \u200dwhen \u2062looking for \u2062a spouse. Indeed, it is no accident that many chick \u2062flicks end at \u2063the \u2062altar, perhaps because marriage occasionally falls short of\u2063 being camera-ready. This is not \u200bto say that all romantic films are bad. Part of the reason they appeal\u2064 to\u2062 us is\u200b because they affirm how important \u2064relationships are for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-heart-breaking-inside-story-of-how-we-hollowed-out-a-generation-of-young-americans\/\" title=\"The Heart-Breaking Inside Story Of How We Hollowed Out A Generation Of Young Americans\u00a0\">long-term happiness<\/a>. The \u2064choice of a spouse\u200c is the decision of\u200c a lifetime.<\/p>\n<p>Yet numerous singles today have been left confused about how to choose well. Many\u2062 children \u2063of divorce grow up\u200d lacking a model of a solid marriage. As adults,\u200d such children \u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0736-9735.21.3.353\"><b>can have a negative view of marriage<\/b><\/a>, struggle to work through conflict in a healthy manner, and are unsure what characteristics to prioritize in a partner. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/marriage-and-family\/commentary\/the-culture-online-dating-encourages-hook-ups-not-marriage\"><b>Online dating makes this worse<\/b><\/a>. \u200dAfter\u200d being bombarded with profiles, users \u2062end up\u2064 thinking that they should \u2063be able to find someone who embodies all the features they dream they desire.<\/p>\n<p>We need to shift our cultural\u2063 conversation around marriage, to move away from pure romance toward the deep, abiding, and sacrificial love that husbands and wives offer each \u2063other\u200b and their children. Doing so will help end the \u2064dad \u2062deprivation that is the main driver of today\u2019s boy crisis. And then, \u2064perhaps, our boys,\u200d too, will have valentines.<\/p>\n<p>*\u2062 * *<\/p>\n<p><em>Brenda M. Hafera is the Assistant Director and Senior Policy\u200d Analyst at The Heritage Foundation\u2019s Simon Center for American\u2064 Studies.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The views \u2063expressed in this\u2064 piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily\u2063 Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2063 How \u200ddoes \u2063the decline of\u200c marriage and absence of fathers contribute to the boy crisis and its \u2064associated challenges?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ure needs\u2062 a renewed focus on the role\u200c of marriage in\u200c society. Instead\u2063 of viewing marriage as a source of personal happiness, we should emphasize its\u200c importance\u2062 as a foundation for raising children and creating stable communities. Marriage provides children with the opportunity to\u200d have both a mother and a father, who each contribute\u200c in unique\u2063 and essential ways to their upbringing.<\/p>\n<p>The decline of marriage and\u2063 the absence \u2064of fathers in children&#8217;s lives contribute to the boy crisis \u200cwe see today. Boys need positive\u2063 male role models, particularly their fathers,\u2063 to teach them what it means to be a \u2063good man. Without this guidance, many young men are left without purpose, leading\u2062 to\u200d academic \u2062struggles, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-soren-aldaco-21-is-suing-the-doctors-who-facilitated-her-medical-transition-as-a-teen\/\" title=\"Soren Aldaco, 21, sues doctors for aiding her teenage medical 'transition'.\">mental\u2064 health issues<\/a>, and a disengagement from the\u2062 workforce.<\/p>\n<p>We must shift\u2062 the cultural \u2063conversation away from a focus on\u2062 personal happiness\u200b and towards a recognition of the sacrifices and commitment required in marriage. Expressive individualism, which prioritizes individual happiness \u2064and self-fulfillment, has infiltrated our understanding \u2062of relationships. Instead, we should prioritize the well-being of the marriage itself and the\u2062 flourishing of the individuals within\u200c it.<\/p>\n<p>Marriage is not \u200calways easy or comfortable, but it is through this commitment that individuals can grow \u200band develop. By \u2064prioritizing the needs of \u200dthe\u2064 marriage and\u200d the children\u200b within it, spouses can \u2064find fulfillment and \u200bpurpose. It is time for society to recognize the importance of marriage and fatherhood in \u2064addressing the boy crisis and creating a healthier future for our young men.<\/p>\n<p>On this Valentine&#8217;s Day, let us reflect on the boy crisis and\u200b consider how we can promote strong marriages and fatherhood \u200din our society. By doing so, we can \u200bbetter support the \u200dnext generation of young men \u200dand help them find their purpose and\u200c place in the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Valentine&#8217;s Day is for couples, Galentine&#8217;s Day for single ladies, but what about bachelors? Men don&#8217;t unite on February 14th to enjoy pink cocktails and chick flicks like women do<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2310,"featured_media":2176004,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-941650718.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2176003","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/02\/GettyImages-941650718.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2176003","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2310"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2176003"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2176003\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2176004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2176003"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2176003"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2176003"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}