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Episode 4 – Mancession

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Christina & Phil   Sep 8th, 2020

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The second half of the 20th century saw meteoric changes in the job market. Not only did we begin outsourcing and automating our manufacturing jobs, but women began to enter the workforce in ever-higher numbers.


The consequences of these developments on men have been profound. Male labour force participation has been on a steady decline for decades, and as men’s employment levels have dropped, so too have their marriage rates. Taking stock of these changes in the third decade of the 21st century, we can see that the consequences of these changes have transcended the labour market, and altered society itself.


Men – with fewer and fewer exceptions – are no longer breadwinners and providers. Women are no longer dependent on men for their livelihoods. While many men still chase status and career success, many more have beat a steady retreat into a life of quiet comfort, replacing time once spent raising a family with greater and greater leisure. 

Where do these changes leave us? Have they made us happier? And the most dangerous question of all: what role do we want men to play in the 21st century?