"Hawley typically cites Big Tech, Hollywood and academia as the unholy trinity of elites that has laid masculinity to waste. He likes to quote the titles of old feminist essays from obscure journals to imply that all college professors and all Democratic politicians hate men. But even as he blames this ruling-class syndicate for depriving men of their ancient reason for being, his own fears sync with ruling-class fears from time immemorial. Elite men are anxious that their wives, workers and children will gain financial and intellectual independence, take their property and flee. And then the unkindest cut: Someone new — a lowly outsider who has been waiting in the wings — will take their place at the top of the social order."
Excellent article - thank you for sharing it. I was familiar with the post Civil War “crisis” or masculinity because men weren’t “battle tested” but I wasn’t aware of the other historical echoes. At any point in history society is always on the verge of collapse because the kids are heathens and the world is evil. I do wonder about this conference in regards to mental health. I can’t imagine that they were encouraging men to talk about their feelings and seek help. I would love to be wrong.
Ginsburg talked about it in "Howl" in, what? 1956?
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/49303/howl
"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked,
dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,"