Hi Loyal Readers, I hope this week has been a good one, and thank you for opening up my newsletter and getting into some good articles.
Longtime subscribers know that I’ve been following the state of the American man for several years, well before the recent media fascination of all-things-manosphere. For the most part, I’m no longer interested in reading random writers’ takes on this topic. But this week’s lead piece — a collection of 12 testimonials of men in their 20s, and how they see the world — earned my respect as a reader. The men’s words are raw, direct, thoughtful, and pointed. I hope you take a look. (You might need to breathe first, though, before launching in.)
If you can’t stomach reading about the perspectives and concerns of men, I invite you to scroll down, where you’ll find a delightful haiku, then devote your time to two excellent articles about animals. They are:
My hope is that at least one of this week’s three articles will spark new thinking, expand your empathy, or bring you joy. As always, thank you for being here.
1️⃣ How Do Young Men See The World?
When I began reading this compilation of 12 testimonials from young men, I didn’t expect to be so moved. In fact, at first, I bristled and got defensive. But then I took a breath and began to read more slowly, taking in their words and listening with empathy. Here are a couple excerpts:
Carter Plantinga, 22 years old: “Many of the young men in my life — certainly not all, I wouldn’t even say most, but way, way more than I’d think is normal — have no close friends. Like, they have guys they go out and drink with. But if something is weighing on you, if your mom is sick, I could probably name three or four men in my everyday life who would have no one in their lives to speak to about that.”
Padraig Fournier, 24 years old: “I’ve only really had one serious relationship — a long story, but it didn’t work out. I’m not a big fan of the whole manosphere and red pill and all that stuff, but there were definitely times when I’d find myself scrolling on my phone, and I’d come across videos, obviously framed to show how women are bad, and I wouldn’t agree with them, but I could kind of say, at least for a little while, ‘Yeah, that’s how it feels.’ It’s just a lot easier to feel like you’re the victim of some wrongdoing. And if you’re a young man who suffers some sort of ego injury, that online ecosystem is very easy to plug yourself into.”
Emilio Rios, 21 years old: “I don’t doubt that I’ll make money. I know I have skills, and it’s not like I’m just going to be sitting around. The doubt is about whether I can make enough to support my parents one day, to live an actually comfortable life, to have savings, a 401(k), a retirement plan. I know that the odds are not good. Honestly, it kind of feels like I was born too late. Like I missed out on something. It feels like I’m living in a generation where we’re cleaning up after someone else’s mess.”
By Devin Gordon • Esquire • 27 min • Gift Link
✏️ I’d love to hear from you
How do young men in your life see the world?
Share your perspective, or the perspective of a man in your life. You can hit reply to reach me directly. Or if you are comfortable, leave a comment, so fellow Article Clubbers can benefit from your contribution. Thank you for being part of our reading community.
In this haiku, Samuel Brann, a second grader at Action Day Elementary in San Jose, shares his love of books. Samuel also loves soccer, word searches, tetherball, Pokémon cards, and spending time with his family. He is currently reading Spy School and just completed the entire Captain Underpants series.
2️⃣ The Price of Eggs, Or The Death Of A Chicken
Christopher Solomon: “Muffy had been a handsome bird. Along with her sister, she was the largest of the flock, squash-colored, with the classically curved back of the breed, a white feather-duster rump and a modest but proud sail of a comb. Both were consistent layers of large brown eggs. Muffy was particularly fond of shade and languor, and she spent warm spring days beneath the lilacs wallowing in dust baths where she suffocated mites.
“I feel a need to relate the events that preceded the death, not because the fowl and I were overmuch close (we were not), nor to assuage a guilt (though there is always blame to hand around after such things), but because as E. B. White wrote of his own barnyard loss, she suffered in a suffering world. And pain deserves to be marked, even when it wears the confetti of farce, and though the only thing we have left to offer afterward is words, useless as they are.”
By Christopher Solomon • Orion • 10 min • Gift Link
3️⃣ The Relationship Between Elephant And Keeper
Nicola Sebastian: “In Karen culture, elephants are working animals, but they’re also more than that. The community performs many of the same ceremonies for elephants as they do for people, bestowing on them family heirlooms like gold coins and traditional handwoven clothing.
“According to the oral history of Non Chai’s family, their elephants have been passed down for seven generations. Because elephants live as long as humans do — up to 80 years or more in captivity — their family trees are intertwined, generation to generation, so that Non Chai refers to the elephant his grandmother raised as simply Grandmother Elephant.”
By Nicola Sebastian • Atmos • 10 min • Gift Link
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