logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
44m 48s

Checks and Balance: Man problems

The Economist
About this episode

There have long been worries about manhood in the United States. Today, nearly half of men believe traditional masculinity is under threat. While the left talk about toxic masculinity, some politicians on the right fear men’s very “deconstruction”. Researchers point to data showing a relative decline in men’s education rates and rise in deaths from drugs and suicide. Does the debate over masculinity obscure actual problems for boys and men? And what does the fight over America’s men mean for the country’s women, and its politics? 


Richard Reeves, author of “Of Boys And Men”, talks us through what is behind problems facing men. We go back to another time masculinity was in flux. And Alice Evans of King’s College London discusses whether American men are international outliers. 


Charlotte Howard hosts with Sacha Nauta and Idrees Kahloon.


We would love to hear from you. Please fill out our listener survey at economist.com/uspodsurvey. You can now find every episode of Checks and Balance in one place and sign up to our weekly newsletter. For full access to print, digital and audio editions, as well as exclusive live events, subscribe to The Economist at economist.com/podcastoffer





Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Migration roots: the broken asylum system
Immigration is a political lightning rod in part because the ageing global asylum pact is no longer fit for purpose. We examine how best to update it. As paycheques for top-notch AI researchers go stratospheric, demand for rank-and-file coders is quickly cooling. And what a gimmi ... Show More
21m 49s
Yesterday
Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama
Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of all the uncertainty. Brazil once dominated the world of football; we ask where it went wrong and assess the route to a comeback. A ... Show More
21m 53s
Jul 8
The French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operati ... Show More
21m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
The Men — and Boys — Are Not Alright
In 1972, when Congress passed Title IX to tackle gender equity in education, men were 13 percentage points more likely to hold bachelor’s degrees than women; today women are 15 points more likely to do so than men. The median real hourly wage for working men is lower today than i ... Show More
1h 58m
Oct 2022
Checks and Balance: On the money
The most important issue for Americans is the economy. When asked, in a poll by YouGov for The Economist, to pick from a list of a dozen problems facing the nation, over a third of people said that the state of the economy or inflation is their top concern. Republicans have a cle ... Show More
43m 27s
Nov 2023
Is there a right way to be masculine?
There’s so much stuff online about masculinity; guys telling you how to get buff, what to eat and how to talk to women. Sometimes a particular type of masculinity, known as toxic masculinity, seems dominant on some platforms. That’s where traits like being tough and not showing e ... Show More
14m 9s
Aug 2023
The new crisis of masculinity
What does masculinity mean these days? Sean Illing speaks with Christine Emba, a columnist at The Washington Post who wrote the piece “Men are lost. Here’s a map out of the wilderness.” Together they discuss the confusing state of manhood, why figures like Jordan Peterson and And ... Show More
1h 1m
Dec 2022
Checks and Balance: Broad stripes, bright stars
Less than a fifth of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country. Poverty rates are rising and life expectancy is falling.  A majority think the economy is getting worse and that the world sees America unfavourably.  But amid the bleak metrics, there have ... Show More
44m 34s
Apr 2023
Bridging the Gender Gap: Empowering Young Men & Championing Equality with Richard Reeves
Brookings Institution scholar and author Richard Reeves tackles the issue of young men falling behind, and how to uplift them without jeopardizing women's rights. In this compelling and personal conversation, Richard delves into his book, "Of Boys and Men," revealing insights on ... Show More
1h 27m
Feb 2024
Why Are Young Men Turning Right?
There's a new divide in British politics: young men are becoming more right-wing, just as young women turn left. Patrick asks what's causing this growing political gender gap, the impact it could have on the general election and how MPs should respond to it.  Plus: A taster of th ... Show More
31m 32s
May 2022
Should we talk more about men and mental health?
"You know the African way of raising kids and raising men - we are taught you should keep it all to yourself, don't open up." Male suicide rates far outnumber female rates in Africa – that’s according to the WHO. Some health experts put this down to the stigma that surrounds men' ... Show More
14m 33s
Feb 2022
Undefining Masculinity: How to Break Free from Gender Stereotypes - Justin Baldoni
Society has a very warped view of what it means to be ‘masculine’. It’s a toxic stereotype that leaves so many boys and men disconnected from their emotions and unable to be vulnerable. “You throw like a girl”, “Big boys don’t cry”, “You should man up”. These messages reinforce t ... Show More
12m 30s
May 2023
Missing: Men at Work — A Conversation with Nick Eberstadt
Over six million prime-age men are neither working nor looking for work; America's low unemployment rate hides the fact that many men have dropped out of the workforce altogether. Our workforce participation rate is on par with that seen during the Great Depression.Why does this ... Show More
50m 44s