The Book Club: "Of Boys and Men: Why the modern male is struggling, why it matters, and what to do about it" (Richard V. Reeves)
Jul 30, 2023
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The hosts discuss the book 'Of Boys and Men' by Richard V. Reeves, exploring the struggles of modern men, toxic masculinity, personal agency, and systemic failure. They also critique the book's lack of focus on empathy and explore the relevance of its concepts to Singapore. The speakers emphasize the responsibility of addressing gender issues and redefining masculinity.
The struggles faced by modern males require thoughtful solutions and innovative approaches to address the crisis of boyhood and manhood, encompassing education, labor market dynamics, class dynamics, fatherhood, biology, culture, and policy recommendations.
Examining the role of extended family members, societal norms, and the prevalence of domestic workers is crucial in reshaping gender roles and responsibilities, promoting shared responsibilities between parents, and challenging traditional gender expectations.
Deep dives
The Importance of Examining Gender Inequality for Men
The podcast episode discusses the book 'A Voice and Man' by Richard Rees, which addresses the struggles faced by modern males. The book explores the impact of economic and social changes on men's lives and the failure of attitudes, institutions, and laws to keep up. It highlights the need for thoughtful solutions and innovative approaches to the crisis of boyhood and manhood. The episode delves into various topics covered in the book, such as education, labor market dynamics, class dynamics, fatherhood, biology, culture, and policy recommendations. It also explores the blind spots of progressive thinking, the challenges posed by toxic masculinity, and the role of empathy in addressing gender inequality. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of recasting the lives of men and the compatibility of positive masculinity with gender equality.
Identifying Responsibility and Redefining Fatherhood
The conversation delves into the question of who is responsible for addressing gender inequality and struggles faced by men. It highlights the need to examine the role of extended family members, societal norms, and the prevalence of domestic workers in shaping gender roles and responsibilities. The discussion emphasizes the importance of positive demonstrations of household configurations and redefining fatherhood. It addresses the need for constructive conversations and demonstrations that promote shared responsibilities between parents and challenge traditional gender roles. It also considers the socialization of young boys and the need for empathy, understanding, and nuanced solutions that recognize personal agency and systemic flaws.
Challenges in Implementing Gender Equality for Men in Singapore
The podcast episode acknowledges the applicability of the book's themes to the Singapore context. It reflects on the challenges faced by men in Singapore, such as National Service (NS) commitments and societal expectations. The conversation raises concerns about resentment and perceptions of unequal treatment between genders. It explores the need to recalibrate gender roles and expectations in the country and offers possible solutions within nuclear families. These include redefining a positive vision of masculinity compatible with gender equality, examining the impact of domestic workers, and addressing the need for open conversations and positive role models. The discussion highlights the importance of ongoing conversations and an evolving understanding of gender equality in Singapore.
Critiques and Room for Further Exploration
The podcast episode reflects on critiques of the book and explores areas to be further addressed. It highlights the need for more comprehensive perspectives on corrective actions for harmful behavior. The conversation questions the responsibility for addressing systemic flaws and identifies the importance of positive demonstrations of equitable distribution of labor and caregiving within families. The episode considers the complexities introduced by extended family members and societal structures. It also encourages ongoing discussions on the concepts of toxic masculinity and empathy toward men, as well as the significance of redefining fatherhood and adopting positive role models. The discussion acknowledges the limitations of the book in addressing different cultural contexts and acknowledges the value of continued exploration and dialogue.
We're trying something new today, and it's something we've wanted to do for some time. Together with a new co-host, Estella Ho, we've picked a book of interest to discuss and explore. For this episode, the book we've chosen is titled "Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It" by US journalist and scholar Richard V. Reeves. Estella and I first explain why and how we chose the book, share what we liked and didn't enjoy, and draw some Singaporean connections and personal reflections.
