Big Think The alarm bells are sounding for young men. Will we listen? | Richard Reeves
Oct 12, 2025
Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at Brookings and author of "Boys and Men," dives into the complex struggles faced by young males today. He critiques the all-or-nothing narrative around masculinity, highlighting rising suicide rates and male drug-related deaths. Reeves emphasizes the lack of male role models and the decline of men in helping professions. He discusses the risks of online gambling and get-rich-quick schemes, advocating for supportive policies and positive masculinity models to help boys find purpose and reduce stigma.
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Young Men Are Being Blamed, Not Understood
- Richard Reeves argues many people quickly blame young men for their struggles instead of examining structural causes.
- He describes young men as "lost" and urges attention because they're politically and socially "up for grabs."
Male Mortality From Drugs And Suicide Has Spiked
- Drug poisoning deaths among men have increased sixfold since 2001, costing about 400,000 lives.
- Men now account for 70% of such deaths and 80% of suicides, with young men driving recent suicide rises.
Care Professions Are Becoming Female-Dominated
- The share of men in psychology and social work has more than halved in recent decades.
- Reeves warns this gendering of care professions reduces access to male role models and help for boys and men.
