The Death of Macho

Foreign Policy ^ | June 22, 2009 | Reihan Salam

[Marc Tumin]

The era of male dominance is coming to an end.

Seriously.

For years, the world has been witnessing a quiet but monumental shift of power from men to women. Today, the Great Recession has turned what was an evolutionary shift into a revolutionary one. The consequence will be not only a mortal blow to the macho men’s club called finance capitalism that got the world into the current economic catastrophe; it will be a collective crisis for millions and millions of working men around the globe.

The death throes of macho are easy to find if you know where to look. Consider, to start, the almost unbelievably disproportionate impact that the current crisis is having on men—so much so that the recession is now known to some economists and the more plugged-in corners of the blogosphere as the “he-cession.” More than 80 percent of job losses in the United States since November have fallen on men, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And the numbers are broadly similar in Europe, adding up to about 7 million more out-of-work men than before the recession just in the United States and Europe as economic sectors traditionally dominated by men (construction and heavy manufacturing) decline further and faster than those traditionally dominated by women (public-sector employment, healthcare, and education). All told, by the end of 2009, the global recession is expected to put as many as 28 million men out of work worldwide.

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Related:

Good Riddance By Valerie Hudson | June 22, 2009 http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/06/19/good_riddance

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Things will only get worse for men as the recession adds to the pain globalization was already causing. Between 28 and 42 million more jobs in the United States are at risk for outsourcing…

[MNJohnnie]

More than 80 percent of job losses in the United States since November have fallen on men, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

BS. Total made up factoid.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I can already see the Newsweak cover. “We’re All Girlymen Now.”

[MNJohnnie]

Most of the outsourcing done at my company has been in IT and accounting support. What we have seen is large numbers of American women being laid off and replaced with companies in India who all seem to only employee men.

[Snickering Hound]

[Mamzelle]

A set-up for a huge jump in the crime rate.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Liberals are “into” static scoring and have no idea what dynamic scoring is.

[skeeter]

I'm always amazed at how the civil rights movements of the 60s & 70s always seem to morph into exactly what they claimed to be crusading against, times 10.

The intentional devaluing of 'macho', as its derisively referred to here, IMO is the main contributing factor to the current decline of the west.

[Ken522]

Who is Reihan Salam???

[max americana]

> For years, the world has been witnessing a quiet but monumental shift of power from men to women<

In West L.A., it’s turning men INTO women.

[wombtotomb]

Amen! I do not want a man who is going to hide behind MY skirt if we are threatened! Any woman who says they want a “girly” “sensitive” “metrosexual” man will only want him until she NEEDS him to BE A MAN!

Better to deal with the burping and farting and other “male bonding calls” they make, leaving the seat up, and dropping clothes outside the hamper, cause when the chips are down, he will stand between you and the danger and give his life to save yours!

Macho men are also waaaayyyyyyy better in the sack! Hairy backs rule!

[skeeter]

Excellent point, except real men don’t burp & fart around the womenfolk.

[dog breath]

I will have to ask my wife if power is shifting from men to women and get back to you.

[wombtotomb]

As I said, they make. They just talk and joke about it in my presence, but I have to forgive them. I am married to a man and I have 3 sons. It is testosterone city around here LOL.....

[aquila48]

Regardless of whether it’s claims are true or not, the thing that stands out in the article is the barely suppressed glee at the preponderance of men losing their jobs.

I can only imagine how different the tone of the article would have been were the opposite true!

Eventually we will pay a price for the wussification of our culture, and it’ll be at the hands of one run by real men.

[LibFreeOrDie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reihan_Salam

[wardaddy]

I'm always amazed at how the civil rights movements of the 60s & 70s always seem to morph into exactly what they claimed to be crusading against, times 10.

and I'm always amazed that our culture has turned out about just like the Jim Crow era segregationists feared it would.

[GregoTX]

Yes,,,, and the more metro sissy girly men get, the tougher I look! Its all working in my favor! Soon... I can quit the gym and all efforts at personal hygiene.... perfect.

[wardaddy]

This ethnic Bangledeshi opposes what folks here consider real conservatism.

he is Noonan-Parker-Brooks useful idjit

[RobRoy]

>>I will have to ask my wife if power is shifting from men to women and get back to you.<<

Best post in the thread!

:)