Schrager: Men Are Getting Left Behind in the Jobs Boom

[hail2skins]

This is economic-related but thought I'd create a thread off this article to spur discussion.  What do you think are the reasons for the decline of the percentage of prime-working age males in the workforce? Is this a serious issue, or not really? Nicholas Eberstadt wrote a book "Men Without Work" in 2016 that discusses some of these issues as well. Anyway, just was curious about thoughts on this article:

 

https://www.advisorperspectives.com/articles/2022/01/25/men-are-getting-left-behind-in-the-jobs-boom

[LD0506]

So, the boozer couch-attached video game demographic is being underrepresented in the workforce?

 

Shocking

[skinsmarydu]

I don't know why, because I could work anywhere I want right now, and any man could too.

I need a day time grill person.  Hit me. 

[Destino]

This country is late reacting to young males in crisis, this issue is a small part of that.  Arguing why quickly proves unhelpful.  There’s an education gap, higher suicide rates, jobless rates, homeless rates, prison rates, depression, etc.  These are real systematic problems that need practical solutions and policy changes to tackle, but every discussion of these issues seems to devolve to “male rights” or “toxic masculinity” neither of which are productive.

 

And if you lack the humanity to care about this at face value, consider the society wide consequences of a growing disillusioned male population.  Does violent extremism sound bad to you?  Sound awful to me.  

[skinsmarydu]

Well, my husband committed suicide after getting laid off, despite being one of his company's founders.  

[Ball Security]

7 minutes ago, Destino said:

This country is late reacting to young males in crisis, this issue is a small part of that.  Arguing why quickly proves unhelpful.  There’s an education gap, higher suicide rates, jobless rates, homeless rates, prison rates, depression, etc.  These are real systematic problems that need practical solutions and policy changes to tackle, but every discussion of these issues seems to devolve to “male rights” or “toxic masculinity” neither of which are productive.

 

And if you lack the humanity to care about this at face value, consider what society wide consequences of a growing disillusioned male population.  Does violent extremism sound bad to you?  Sound awful to me.  

I think you are spot on with this.  
 

As for the article itself, I found it meh.  But I looked into some of the links she provided.  The Richmond Fed one talks about the decline in male labor in prime working years.  They mention the rise in disability as one factor which can explain a decent portion of it.  Plus you have laid off employees in their later years who end up dropping out of the job market.  Whether you want to call that age discrimination or not, it is a fact that older workers have a more difficult time re-entering the workforce.  
 

 

[Burgold]

1 hour ago, skinsmarydu said:

Well, my husband committed suicide after getting laid off, despite being one of his company's founders.  

I'm so sorry you went through that.

[Destino]

1 hour ago, skinsmarydu said:

Well, my husband committed suicide after getting laid off, despite being one of his company's founders.  

That’s awful, I’m sorry that’s happened to you and yours.