The American Spectator : Failing a Generation of American Boys

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Special Report

Failing a Generation of American Boys

By Ross Kaminsky on 3.13.13 @ 6:10AM

A pervasive anti-boy culture is wrecking our nation’s very future.

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I have to admit: I have very rarely bad-mouthed my wife to a friend, but Steven’s column made me feel quite bad about the count-on-one-hand number of times I’ve done it — because I know he’s absolutely right. And while even his serious work is funny, Crowder’s article should be widely shared and its admonition appreciated by women and men alike.

But perhaps the most dramatic illustration of the relative decline in the strength of men versus women came in visiting the Colorado State Capitol to report on testimony before State Senate committees regarding a raft of anti-gun legislation being foisted on Colorado by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his useful Democrat tools in my state’s legislature.

Sure, there were a lot of men (and women) around wearing “I’m pro-gun and I vote” stickers. Most of them were over 40 years old, and many were over sixty. And the state sheriffs, who were uniformly (if you’ll pardon the pun) excellent witnesses against the various bills, were all men — men whose planned pay increases are now being threatened by Democrats.

(Mark Kelly, the astronaut husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), was sadly not a great role model as he testified for the Democrats’ radical gun restrictions while claiming to be a supporter of the Second Amendment. When questioned, he did not know the details of the bill he was testifying for. Astonishingly, Capt. Kelly’s testimony in Denver was given the day after he reportedly purchased an AR-15 rifle with “high-capacity” (liberal-speak for standard capacity) magazines and a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Does anybody believe Kelly when he suggests he bought the “assault rifle” just to prove how easy it was to buy? When American astronauts can’t be counted on as role models, you know something is wrong with the country. But I digress…)

The most effective and bravest testimony that day in Denver came from young women, including two rape victims (Amanda Collins testimony here, radio interviews with Amanda and with Kim Weeks here) and the daughter of a woman who was murdered by the last person to be executed in Colorado (more than 15 years ago).

The courage and strength shown in their testimony was not only remarkable in its own right, but highlighted for me the absence of similarly strong, principled, and articulate young men.

Our nation’s future depends on men acting as men should act. Women are great, and women are equal to or better than men in many aspects, but not in every aspect. There are things that (in most cases) only men can do and, more importantly, there are things men should do.

Men should be strong yet well-mannered, courageous without being boastful, protective without making a woman feeling incapable. This is of course far from a complete list, and each person will have his or her own priorities and values. But men should be what good men by nature are, not what a radical-feminist gender-neutral zero-tolerance ADHD-overdiagnosing Xbox-addled society is turning the next generation of American males into.

Through an overzealous feminism which abandoned boys in a supposed effort to boost girls, through political correctness, a leftist educational establishment, and a horribly damaging-to-boys psychology-pharmacology complex, America has created a functional analog to China’s demographic problem.

The “one child” policy in China resulted in the murder or abandonment of millions, perhaps tens of millions, of female Chinese infants and children over several decades, leaving a country with far more men than women and a tremendous challenge for their future. There are not enough women for the men to marry in order to sustain adequate population growth (and there is almost zero immigration into China). As I heard someone once say, China may grow old before it grows rich.

American society has not caused the preferential murder of boys, but the factors mentioned above have created a generation of young men who are less productive, less ambitious, less marriage-worthy, less interested in doing anything that is of more than the smallest benefit to themselves or to society.

To be clear, I am not talking about doing something with the specific purpose of benefiting society, but rather having a job or a family or anything else that would tend to benefit the nation indirectly. Indeed, to the extent that more young adult Americans are spending their weekdays in volunteer work or “community service” I would suggest that is a sign of cultural decay (and lack of economic opportunity) rather than progress, of irresponsiblity rather than the hard work and psychological and economic risk of being judged by the brutally honest free market. Rather than a symbiotic relationship with the country, we have a large cohort of young men who should be the foundation of our nation’s future but are instead little more than parasites.

So whereas men can’t find women in China, young adult women struggle to find young adult men, at least men worth finding, in the United States.

But the primary blame for these boys not living up to their potential does not lie with the boys themselves. It takes a truly unusual person to escape by his own efforts the educational and cultural quicksand into which so many American boys are being casually tossed.

The only solution to the disaster that is befalling our nation’s boys is good parenting. The same forces which are, even if mostly unintentionally, causing the intellectual and emotional atrophy of these boys have purposefully endeavored to replace parents with teachers, school counselors, coaches, psychologists, and every other poor substitute from the “it takes a village” faction of the American left.

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About the Author

Ross Kaminsky is a self-employed trader and investor and is a senior fellow of the Heartland Institute. He is the host of The Ross Kaminsky Show on Denver’s NewsRadio 850 KOA at 11 AM on most Sundays. You can reach Ross by e-mail at rossputin(at)rossputin(dot)com.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (214) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Frank Drackman| 3.13.13 @ 6:48AM

Umm Ross, as a "Self Employed Trader(what? Slaves?) and Investor" you've got some Co-Hon-ies talking about todays Yutes, several hundred thousand of whom(who?)risked their Co-Honies in Iraq/Afghanistan, and probably the most dangerous Theater since last June in Denver, "Nawlins"(New Orleans) 2005'.
Now its true, not many of todays 10 year olds get the introduction to firearms I got, from my Uncle Norman "Psycho" Drackman, shooting at life size targets of a certain deceased Civil Rights Leader who has thousands of inner city streets named after him...
Actually he had a bunch of "Exploding Targets"
OK, they were just Bullfrogs, the ones you don't hear anymore(wonder why? Immigrat-ion?)
And I have a question about your sojourn to Amsterdam....
Did you partake in the forbidden Fruits?
No, not the Marriage-Juan-a, umm you know what I'm talkin bout' Willis.

Frank "Banned but not forgotten" Drackman

AlanAnti-RoveCheneyBrooks | 3.13.13 @ 8:09AM

Frank,
Ross is flapping off on this one: he lives in Denver and 13 years from now when Sonny-Boy goes to college he'll move to Boulder and be friends with a few gays. I've seen it many times; it's mostly scare tactics.
Everything is a crisis to the Kaminskys of this world.

AlanAnti-RoveCheneyBrooks | 3.13.13 @ 11:10AM

Ross Kaminsky = Chicken Little

effinayright| 3.13.13 @ 6:24PM

Say! Aren't you the guy who taught Barack how to throw a baseball?

Thought so.

mishal762| 3.16.13 @ 8:28PM

Its definitely the most-financially rewarding Ive ever done. Make money with Google. I started this five months/ago and immediately started making a cool at least $78 per-hour. And whats awesome is Im working from home so I get more time with my kids. I follow this great link
>> http://tw.gs/YbVcey

Frank Drackman| 3.13.13 @ 6:52AM

oh yeah, congrats on that 11am Sunday Primetime AM talk radio gig, I probably have a bigger audience when I play dice with the Landscaping Crew(They always win! almost like the dice are loaded)
"Heartland Institute"? What "Heartland" you talkin bout' boy? Last time I checked its just south of Macon on I-75...

Frank

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 10:58AM

Mr. D......when I read your post about Ross's AM talk show it reminds me of a movie and the comment that "Frank" made in it.

"well F - Y too!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq8CtJSQFL4

Mr. D........ sometimes funny but always "no class".

Ross...... ignore him.

L & L| 3.13.13 @ 11:34AM

Subvet:

You should know by now that Frank Drackman and TLP are the same. They have the same voices, tone, and style of expression.

I don't know why they are so insulting, but they both seem to get off on insulting the article writers and the responders. It's the same old same old with these two every day on this blog.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 11:58AM

L&L ............you sir have no clue.

Are you a virgin here.......????

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 1:27PM

He's Anna K from Flucke U.

And, if being the "Entertainment" in the Mens Showers after a Big Game means you're a Virgin?

Then, yes.

She's the biggest Virgin at TAS.

AlanAnti-RoveCheneyBrooks | 3.13.13 @ 1:20PM

"I hope that I am helping to mold a young man"

he HOPES? Is there any doubt? For the outside world, when was it ever really good?: in 1955?

donserge| 3.13.13 @ 6:58AM

It has been my belief for many, many years that the two greatest detrimental influences on boys and children in general are the educational sytem and TV. Marxism indoctrination in the schools and political correctness and all that goes with it is in the process of "burying us" (as one prominent communist said decades ago) if it hasn't already. The children's programs on TV are nothing more than an extension and assertion of the same liberal garbage that is spewed by our educational system.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 8:49AM

Ross, Ross, Ross. Your Boy's 5 years old. It's nice to be Daddy, when your Boy's 5 years old. It's easy.

Huggy Time, Kissy Time, Colouring Books and the Simple things in life. He's still small enough to carry around in your Man Purse, and you pray (at least I did) that he doesn't have a Poop Mistake or a Wiping one, while he's at school. Wait'll he's 12.

I'm a member of The Last Generation of Men. At least where White Men are concerned. I'm a Landscaper who actually gets out of the Truck and Walks behind the Machine. I pull Stumps outta the ground with the Truck and a Chain. I yell at both kids when they piss me off, and I pick up the Dog by the scruff of his neck and Throw him into the House, when he leaves the yard. I drive a 15 Year Old pickup Truck 4WD, I don't own a Suit, and I cut my own hair.

Meanwhile.....back at the Public School? My 12 year old is making a Pillow in SEWING CLASS, soon to become COOKING CLASS. He doesn't want any Butter or Salt. (Teacher says those aren't good for you) Him, and his friends have GIRLS that they're "Friends with". And all of the Clothes HAVE TO BE the latest style. His Mother gets his clothes. (I NEVER clothes shop)

There's no Daniel Boone, no Davey Crocket, no Popeye, no Bugs Bunny, and Tom and Jerry are FRIENDS, now. No Stooges, no Munsters, no Lone Ranger. Just Girl Shows on Disney, and Gay Shows on the rest of the Channels.

I suppose it could be worse.

I could work at home at my computer, in between Pedicures.

Gary B| 3.13.13 @ 9:38AM

"There's no Daniel Boone, no Davey Crocket, no Popeye, no Bugs Bunny, and Tom and Jerry are FRIENDS, now. No Stooges, no Munsters, no Lone Ranger."

And, no Founding Fathers, who risked EVERYTHING to give us what we're now throwing away. Not to mention the still-living WWII veterans, who lost countless buddies fighting the same type of tyranny that now occupies every nook and cranny of DC.

Jacobite| 3.14.13 @ 8:13PM

As a European (German) Christian (Catholic) male, I'm just not able to get with the WW II thing. For one thing, Ol' Rubberlegs and his administration of Soviet spies and agents doesn't strike me as inherently superior to the Nazis, from the point of view of a white/European/Christian person. He certainly set the stage for O'bwana and his non-white, non-Christian, and non-European tribesmen and women today. Sorry, from 60 years later (and I'm not saying that anybody could've seen this coming at the time) it's obvious that the European world lost the last nation capable and willing to defend the white world against the teeming non-white hordes of the planet. Even today, the only people doing anything (and I mean violence and killing) to oppose the Asian invaders (not one iota diferent than the Moorish and Ottoman armies of old) of Europe, you can bet the ranch that they're skinheads, or neo-Nazis, or racist Right-wingers. Hell, the reason the Nazis were able to consolidate power in the first place was because they were the folks willing to go out and meet the Communists in the streets and kill more of them than vice versa. And that's the only possible means of victory, as countless American military leaders have pointed out endlessly. Or did I miss the part where we won our independence from England by debating King George?

mike 3/505| 3.13.13 @ 6:50PM

Tim, Big Al and the rest of my favoprite "usual suspects," take a few hours and read, "Wild at Heart," by John Eldredge...awesome book...that's all I'll say.

Regards,

Mike

Stormzeye| 3.13.13 @ 9:51PM

Talk to your son about Chivalry. A concept dead to most men of our time but still as strong a force as there is in the Universe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chivalry

Jacobite| 3.14.13 @ 8:17PM

The English used to know the truth and be willing to state it. Teach your kid that "the wogs start at Calais."

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:31PM

Then CHANGE it, TLP!

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:32PM

I am amazed how many schools now have shortened or cut out recess, and shortened P.E. (along with making it no fun), and then they wonder why the boys are restless?

Appleby| 3.13.13 @ 7:28AM

Hey, there was a shortage of the good men a strong, intelligent woman would want to marry back in the 1950s and 1960s; the truth is that men coasted on the undeniable fact that a woman was heavily pressured to marry anybody would would ask her, lest she be Left Behind -- "Aim high and Settle" was the mantra we heard as the whole world pressured us to marry the first man who asked us, lest he be the last one that ever did and we be stamped "failure". Back in the alleged day when men were men and women were girls, most girls settled for somebody who would be good to the kids and bring a paycheque home. And why should it be a surprise when, as we became capable of supporting ourselves and the societal pressure to marry any old port in a storm lessened, the guys we used to "settle" for found it far more difficult to get anybody to marry them? A disgruntled young man grumbled to me back in the 1980s that "These days you have to sell a woman on yourself -- I liked it better when every woman had to get married!" If you want your boys to be successful men, teach them the skills that will make them attractive to the right kind of women.

Moe Blotz| 3.13.13 @ 8:27AM

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys, don't let them pick guitars and drive them old trucks, have them be doctors and lawyers and such.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 8:46AM

I guess it's 5pm somewhere.

Moe Blotz| 3.13.13 @ 10:23AM

Are youse here to buy me a beer?

Moe Blotz| 3.13.13 @ 10:43AM

When you were juvenile, did you play cowboys and Indians or trucks in the dirt? Both those activities are discouraged today by the intelligentsia. The emphasis on attending college is supposed to lead into the high dollar careers that being a doctor or lawyer would bring. Ol' Waylon was singing more than just entertainment for the shot and beer crowd.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 1:35PM

When I was a kid, EVERYTHING was a Gun.

We had Snowball Fights, Apple Fights, we threw Snowballs at Cars. We played Baseball and Football, even if we could only muster 4 Kids. I had a Bow and Arrow, played with the dog for hours, played with my Trains, my Army Men, went Sledding all Winter, and shot Birds with the BB Gun.

Like I said.......I was a member of The Last Generation.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:05PM

BB gun wars. And chicken played with lawn darts.

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 4:21PM

Amatuers, we played tag on motorcycles.

C'mon Man!| 3.13.13 @ 11:34PM

I still shoot birds with the 1000 fps "BB gun." Is that wrong? But, they were eating my grass seed! And waking me up! The squirrels? They were teasing my dog, and there were too many of them! The dog did catch and bury one on his own, though...

Tim, you are not alone.

Occam's Tool| 3.15.13 @ 7:21PM

When I was a kid, I started wargaming. I loved Squad Leader (You are the Russian Commander in Stalingrad of a battalion. Using your Guard Company, plus various support troops, push out the German troops in the city blocks ahead. Although you outnumber the Germans, remember that they have more small unit leadership and therefore their units will be lesslikely to be tactically ineffective unless they are killed.), and Panzer Leader.

Being a Doctor is useful work, unlike (with the exception of Anthony and the Big E and Mr. Eaton), with rare exception, the Law. For example, Ben Stein's law work is useless to society.

But young boys should learn lots of useful things. They should also play. That's what the Scouts are useful for.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 9:30AM

Let's tie in Appleby's comments with Ross's "real man" jab that we often hear. By the same token, what's a "real woman". Apparently, by today's standards, not a lot. A "successful" woman by Ross's and Appleby's standards makes money for themselves: independence and more stuff but at least such a woman may understand what it takes to earn money. Sometimes.

Even as Ross bemoans the decline in men he praises women as being "better than men at some things" but the things men are better at: Earning a living and personal responsibility have been undermined by affirmative action and the welfare state. Why should aspire to be a "real man" when they are defined as chumps and losers? Conservatives think protecting their electorate and winning elections is "selling out".

Back to Appleby's gripe: Men were in the same boat. Most men wanted to marry a pretty playboy playmate who could cook, clean, and would be happy with a plain wedding band and keep in mind that women's looks fade more quickly with age (just an observation). "Traditional" men were more common in the 50's and women were overall happier.

Finally, successful women often weren't worth the trouble of "selling" to. They often wanted more than they could afford both financially and in terms of looks. Daycare is expensive even for many professional women (the CEO of yahoo just cut back on benefits for career women.)

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 1:41PM

Why be a "Real Man" when you're just gonna be defined as a Chump and a Loser?

Real Men don't give a Shitt about what some weenie says about them.

Just Being a Real Man, is its own Reward.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 1:48PM

Philosophically, I agree with you. Any man who knee jerk responds to a taunt to be a "real man" from a weenie, or woman, isn't one.

Conservatives now largely acknowledge that American women are Pintos compared to the Toyotas and Volvos of the world but men should be criticized as well in that their behavior towards women in the states helped make these women into what they are.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 4:06PM

you spelled "vagina" wrong.......

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:07PM

You spelled "Virginia" wrong.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:06PM

As far as my wife is concerned?

I'm a firm believer of the Rolling Stones' Under My Thumb.

Denver Todd| 3.13.13 @ 10:03PM

Male leadership (sometimes we call it patriarchy) is hated in almost all quarters these days. I think the sexiest and most desirable woman would be someone who welcomes it. I was thinking recently that if I put this as a requirement on a dating website, all I would hear would be crickets.

mike 3/505| 3.13.13 @ 10:25PM

Don't be so sure...there's a lot of nice ladies out there who are looking for a man...not a metrosexual.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 10:36AM

Well in my experience, today's American women are selfish, immature and lack an appreciation for what it takes to provide a comfortable life for your family. Most wonder why they can't have the lifestyle their parents are living not understanding it took their parents decades to build what they have. After my first marriage and a lot of dating I found my second wife in Brazil. At 24 she was more mature than most of the older women I dated and appreciates that the things we have don't appear magically. She is a great stay at home mom who knows that her most important job is raising and educating our children Our partnership is one of the main reasons my childrenb will never have to darken the door of a public school and will be able to avoid the government provided indoctrination.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 10:43AM

A bonus to marrying a Brazilian is that our kids can check "hispanic" on government forms and based on the appearance of their grandfather can also check "African-American" using the Elizabeth Warren ethnicity calculator. That positions them to better take advantage of the racial spoils system imposed by various levels of government. And we gave our son a very Latin sounding first name and his mother's maiden name so he wouldn't be handicapped by a European (German) last name.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:09PM

Obviously you named your kid: Pancho Villa.

Occam's Tool| 3.15.13 @ 7:27PM

Both my kids are Mayans from Guatemala. The Government form potential is lovely.

Markenoff, I married a Southern Rural Girl who also had a degree in Accounting Summa Cum Laude. She Who Must Be Obeyed had two CONCURRENT full ride academic scholarships to Alabama.

Superb calculation on your part, sir, which is what I would expect. Again, choose an intelligent woman sans narcissism.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 11:10AM

Girl......."aim high and settle" was the mantra we heard as the whole WORLD pressured us to marry the first man who asked us.

If you were listening to the WORLD and not what your parents taught you then I say that's what you get. Sounds like peer pressure.

Oh and what would that "right kind of women" be ?

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:34PM

It goes both ways, Appleby. Excepting you and many others, there are a lot of women nowadays who are no better than the men they look down their noses at. Shallow, selfish, self-righteous and bratty are words that come to mind. Any man who married them would want to commit suicide within the year.

Von Mises Jr| 3.13.13 @ 7:31AM

The problem is simple. Americans have now begun to see the effects of socialism where people relinquish their liberty and responsibility for a government program or hand out.
Half the population pays no Federal Income taxes but demands top services on someone else's dime. Many others have much of their income re-distributed to them or at least managed by the central government in programs. A growing percentage of the population is choosing to work for the government with pension and health care benefits for life. And when the money-go-round goes round and round and does not give you your "fair share," then you can sign up for Social Security Disability or an EBT Card and live on someone else's dime. And if you find a higher level job connected to government, you can steal more through corruption or simple rationalization that the goodies come with the job.

Don't blame the poor adolescent boys, the schools or MSM. Look in the damn mirror and if you can honestly see that sell-sufficient, rugged individual of generations ago, just blame those that chose socialism instead.

donserge| 3.13.13 @ 8:52AM

I believe people choose socialism because they have been indoctrinated in and taught it from the time they were very young . Education has the children 8 hrs a day and 40 a week plus the TV. Parents have them only a fraction of that time. If the schools taught socialism and capitalism/individual freedom on an equal basis, I believe most would choose the latter.

Von Mises Jr| 3.13.13 @ 10:38AM

The devil is in all of our ears 24 x 7 x 365. That does not mean that since we only go to Mass for an hour per week, that sin can be rationalized away.
I am not denying the problem, my friend. If I did not believe that we had the duty to teach right from wrong against all odds, I would have caught a lot more fish last year and read more books on mountaintops.
I am very proud of most of the kids in our extended family as most are excelling, well behaved and responsible. It takes allot of work, but it can be done. If we stop teaching them, we doom them and shirk our responsibility.

dufasduck| 3.14.13 @ 5:49PM

Speaking of TV.....

The next time you are feeling brain dead and watching the idiot box, don't get up and leave the room when the commercials come on. Instead of paying attention to what the hucksters are selling, watch the actors closely.

In approximately 80 percent of the sales pitches, there is a pecking order that the actors play.

At the top will be a female minority who's intellect, managerial expertise, and overall greatness is portrayed to the belittlement of all those in the lower order.

Next in order comes the white female who will display much of the same qualities of the minority female.

Progressing down through the various strata of order will become obvious with some study until you come to the 'bottom feeder', the white male who is, in most commercials, painted as a stupid, inarticulate, lost, and mindless soul who's only function is to be lead around and given direction on what to do, say, or think.

My daughter even spotted most of them. She usually points them out saying, "Look, another politically correct idiot commercial...."

Subliminal propaganda at work??? I don't know, but it is there none the less..

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:35PM

Yep, it is incredibly brazen.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 9:33AM

Although socialism deserves much of the blame, the crony capitalist system has embraced feminism and anti-male workplace policies as well. As American workers became expensive since the women were hired based upon quota and the men had to demand higher wages to deal with deflation and higher taxes due to the welfare state (which picked up the unwed mothers unable to find a husband), corporations decided to outsource (a main reason Romney lost the last election with PA and OH voters.)

So while the primary demographic of the republican party, head of household men, dropped off the Republican party fretted about tax cuts for millionaires and abortion. Nixon signed off on a marriage penalty.

So conservatives deserve some of the blame for chasing after the wrong ball.

JD| 3.13.13 @ 10:59AM

"Crony capitalism" is just the Left's attempt to make Leftism seem to be the Right's doing.

Definitionally, government intervention in the economy is Left-wing, and attempts to manipulate government's intervention are a consequence of government's intervention. "Crony capitalism" is Left-wing.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 11:38AM

"Crony Capitalism" is the high-money interests subverting the free market to gain taxpayer funding.

It is not free-market capitalism.
It is not good economics.

It is NOT supported by conservatives.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 11:46AM

Ryan, saying that conservatives don't support crony capitalism seems to me to be a way of just denying responsibility for addressing the problem. Socialists can say they don't "support" the welfare state resulting in increasing poverty rather than reducing it but do you buy into that excuse?

Anyone in a free market will look for ways to gain an edge. We can say philosophically that even a socialist system has a "free market" of sorts of people finding ways to bend the rules to their favor but if we look at it more clearly, a free market system will look for ways to gain an edge via cronyism.

Bill Gates at this time is looking to waive H1B laws and give away millions of high tech jobs to quasi documented Asians and the Republicnas support him. Most of these Asians will vote Democrat. So apparently, the best thing a "free market" does is destroy itself for short term profit.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 12:55PM

Cronyism is NOT free market capitalism. Gaining an "edge" via manipulation and cronyism rather than honest market forces (supply, demand, price, quality, etc) is NOT engaging in free market economics.

Free market capitalism seeks to provide a product at the best price to the market. If the product fails, it should fail - not be propped up by government bailout with taxpayer funds.

It's not denying responsibility - it IS addressing the problem of socializing risk while privatizing profit.

Conservatives have consistently spoken out and opposed what you are stating - Chevy, Dodge, Lehman, Solyndra, Fannie, Freddie, TARP, "stimulus," etc - all issues where the market was subverted to provide taxpayer bailouts to save failed businesses.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 1:08PM

Ryan, you just defended opening up the floodgates to cheap H1B's below. One of the best electoral assets for the Democrats has been the flood of non-white immigrants either in the form of illegals or H1B's. As Karl Marx pointed out, capitalists will sell a rope to communists to hang the capitalists with.

But you can be assured it will be the best price to that market.

The reason why the H1B's love to vote Democrat is due to race entitlements which capitalists have done little about and even embraced. The work is sub-par and they usually try to get me to do the work for them. It's even a joke in the IT industry. They ask what a "pointer" is or how to list files in a directory (and they have masters in IT from Mumbai!) Check out this story about the great work H1B's did blowing hundreds of millions of taxpayer money:
http://www.newsobserver.com/20.....puter.html

Say what you like about the left, but they are taking care of their voting electorate. FYI, I've voted Republican in ever election in my lifetime starting with 1984. But now I can see why working and middle class whites in PA and OH stayed home last election cycle.

irish19| 3.13.13 @ 2:53PM

I read the article. COBOL???!!!!!! Seriously?????!!

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 3:11PM

And the highly qualified H1B's couldn't write it. I learned PASCAL in 3 months. COBOL probably isn't much harder.

On one project that was to convert 3000 business tasks from JCL on the mainframe into Java, the local crony capitalist, er, "free market advocate" got TATA consulting supposedly out of Ohio (but more like Peggy from the Capital One commercial) to do the work for the low, low price of 30 million dollars at 100 per hour.

10 million and a year later, only 3, that's right, 3 business tasks were converted. Management heralded the project as a success and closed it quietly and didn't make anymore announcements on company email. My colleague overlooking the work found they had plugged code they found from google that didn't quite fit for complex tasks while for simple tasks, such as a FIFO counter, they wrote on their own rather than using stock industry code and that broke as well.

I realized about 10 years ago that HP who used to make quality printers now make crap has also spread to Cisco. I bought a top end router and it's junk. Arris now makes decent network equipment. Brother makes great printers.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:14PM

Sounds like the business ended up taking the hit for their poor decisionmaking, the way it is supposed to be in a truly free market.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 4:56PM

Not the CEO Carly Fiorina. She rode off in a private jet with millions of dollars after trashing the HP stock price, employee benefits and angering consumers. She then ran as a Republican congressional candidate on her own money and lost. Spectacularly.

If I had still lived in California, I would have voted for Boxer out of principle.

The question is why should we allow immigrants with fake credentials to come into the nation to displace US workers at a net loss? Now how about those Chinese H1B's selling US trade secrets back to their home country? I LOVE that!

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010.....ets-china/

Numerous other stories if you google. I recall Chinese workers at Los Alamos selling atomic secrets to China.

Von Mises Jr| 3.13.13 @ 2:03PM

Since I started this thread, let me interject that Ryan is correct. Interventionism and Crony Capitalism is NEVER a free market capitalism tenet.
Just as we have imposters such as Charlie Crist and Arlen Specter that called them Republicans, they advanced Democrat statist policies. We have seen what they did when challenged by real Republicans.
I believe that is was Lincoln that said "how many legs does a dog have if you count its tail as a leg?"
Four....You can call a tail a leg, but it is still a tail.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 2:24PM

Von Mises, that sounds like fast talking jive. Just as socialism sells itself as Marxism where a state isn't necessary and everyone shares like in a Hippie Commune, "free market capitalism" also sounds like it preaches ideals and then doesn't take responsibility for behaviors in the real world.

All capitalists will attempt to become cronies to gain an edge and pass a regulation to favor their interests or hurt their opponents. Granting working rights and citizenship to third worlders with questionable academic credentials to lower wages, for example, is right up there and Ryan supports it.

But sure, I agree that crony capitalism is a product of the left as well and common in Western Europe. In other words, both ideologies seem to wind up degenerating into cronie capitalism which would explain why there's so much bipartisan support for comprehensive immigration reform, H1B restriction removals and DCMA acts which allows corporations to prohibit you from allowing your son or daughter to read your ebook.

Regarding Lincoln: He tore apart states' rights and wound up giving us race conflicts that haunt us to this day.

Von Mises Jr| 3.13.13 @ 3:16PM

With all due respect, my friend, there is a difference between self-interest and legitimate lobbying versus insider deals that buy politicians.

I understand your point and sometimes it is a fine line, but taking someone to dinner is different than say inviting him to a free weekend in Bermuda with a commemorative Rolex studded with diamonds.

To be clearer, I suspect you understand that I am not a shill for the GOP. I see not much difference between the GOP Leadership and rank and file liberal Democrats save the former like statism while the latter prefer totalitarianism. Both are forms of socialism be it Hobbes Leviathan or Marx Communism.
But conservativism does not advance crony capitalism, monopoly or oligopoly by coercion with Big Business and government.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 3:43PM

Of course there is Von Mises, but the devil is in the details and even in the point of view. ALL lobbying is someone's self-interest, yes?

I don't care about the free weekend in Bermuda but rather about other stuff that's hard to track. Consider Michelle Obama's cushy high paid job at a hospital or Bill Clinton's daughter getting hired for 6 figures straight out of college. That's how crony capitalism operates (take a look at the other article on amspec about Ukraine.)

H1B expansion to hand over job to often illiterate third worlders is crony capitalism, IMO and importantly, for many men who might otherwise vote Republican or bother to show up. Get used to the fact we live in a democracy and if you want supporters, it would behoove you (or whomever defends capitalism) to provide results for the groups you want to vote for your agenda rather than excuses. Obama is great with his (It's Bush's fault) and Republicans can blame the socialist behind the tree. Great. But when the excuses don't work, better have a plan b.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 4:46PM

Glad you're putting words in my mouth.

I support an adjusted H1B program if it allows a more competitive marketplace. If US people won't do what is becoming work that doesn't deserve the high pay any more, they deserve to lose those jobs. It's part of free trade, which also includes labor.

If the labor is shoddy, then the companies made a mistake and should pay for it - not the taxpayer.

I do NOT support illegal immigration.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 5:03PM

Ryan, speaking of putting words into peoples' mouths, where do you get this claim that US people won't do work for high pay? What are you smoking with that claim?

There are plenty of qualified people applying for USA programming work (the majority of the H1Bs issued) but the capitalists don't want to pay FREE MARKET value so they want to change the law. You know, like Obama wanting to change the law to make illegals into legal workers and citizens overnight. One is cronyism, but the other is not. In either case, they'll all vote Democrat in the end.

If anyone ever asks me if my son should go to war to defend this country, my question will be: Does it pay more than CEO? Because if the almighty dollar is what free markets worship, then the Constitution can defend itself. That's what counts, right?

Ryan| 3.14.13 @ 8:44AM

From what I understand, there is actually a dearth of qualified people in the programming (and other technical fields, like engineering), and plenty of jobs to fill.

The free market for labor is not just defined by the laborer, but what the value the employer is willing to pay. If the employer can OPEN the market up to qualified individuals via free trade, then they should be allowed to do so.

You seem to want to restrict the ability of labor to find good jobs overall. Employers are trying to open the market to see what labor is available.

It doesn't mean making workers citizens. It just means the free flow of capital - in this case, labor - around. That doesn't necessarily mean giving people who do not deserve citizenship access.

It just means a more free market.

You want less freedom.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:12PM

"....taking someone to dinner is different than say inviting him to a free weekend in Bermuda with a commemorative Rolex studded with diamonds."

Or giving them the "Friends of Angelo" treatment on a refinance of their home. See Dodd, Christopher.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:10PM

The problem with capitalism is capitalist. The problem with socialism is socialism.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:19PM

"Regarding Lincoln: He tore apart states' rights and wound up giving us race conflicts that haunt us to this day."

Really? So that 240 years of slavery had no impact on race relations (conflict) but Lincoln's administration did?

BTW, arguably the Northern states were fighting for state's rights; the right of their states to not have to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act following the Dred Scott decision.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 5:07PM

Words in my mouth. I never said that 240 years of slavery had no impact upon race relations. I merely observed that Lincoln's solution didn't solve the issues and neither did the twisted 1964 civil rights act which merely reversed racism than eliminated it.

As Franklin says about giving up liberty for safety you get neither, the same would appear to apply for giving up liberty for a noble cause. The loss of states' rights didn't solve the issue of civil rights for blacks and even now, race discrimination is still legal.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 6:09PM

I thought about this remark and then it hit me: " If US people won't do what is becoming work that doesn't deserve the high pay any more," He's referring to the LEGAL requirement that H1B's are only issued to foreigners when a US citizen is unavailable to do them.

Which, of course, makes most H1B's little different than contractors paying illegals to landscape national parks with taxpayer money. Most of the work the H1B's are taking from American citizens are positions that can be filled by several people but the postings are hidden on a bulletin board on the 3rd floor (I've seen this) and not posted on common job boards. And then they take the illegal, er, H1B anyway. Bill Gates want CHEAPER labor and doesn't want to pay FAIR MARKET rates. But hey, Bill Gates must be a socialist then, right.

Ryan| 3.14.13 @ 8:51AM

That is what could be called "fraud," and you continually mistake that as part of the free market process - which requires transparency and fair dealing (which companies looking to bypass the free market try to get around).

You keep trying to bring up issues and claiming they are part of the "free market," when it is actually behavior of the opposite.

PolishKnight| 3.14.13 @ 9:55AM

So I'm saying that it's pretty obvious that crony capitalists are breaking the law and getting away with it. Don't pretend to act so surprised. Offices are being cleaned daily by private businesses paying illegals under the table and the government looking the other way because businesses and political interests ask them to.

Your pretense that this is all socialism's fault is dishonest, in my opinion. Anyone who hires a lawyer or lobbyist to try to get a favorable condition for themselves or their business is not a "socialist". In many cases, it's even legitimate.

In this particular case, businesses can find people to do the work (this is not rocket science, literally) and programmers can be found in the states but they want a fair market value for their work and Bill "capitalist crony" Gates doesn't want to pay it. So he wants the government to loosen up those regulations to suit him and look the other way for some campaign cash or to hire their relatives (or them) in a nice cushy org-chart management position.

So two choices for you: Either our capitalists are socialists or they are capitalist cronies. Pick one. But if our capitalists are cronies, then what unicorn fairyland will this system work?

Ryan| 3.14.13 @ 1:43PM

I'm not surprised that corporatists (a better term than "crony capitalism") are breaking the law and getting away with it. I'm not saying it's right.

I never stated this was "socialism's fault." Check back. You're putting words in my mouth - again.

You are presenting a false dichotomy, and presenting that somehow cronyism is a necessary part of free market capitalism. It isn't. What we are seeing is almost more appropriately called "fascism," with state and private businesses collaborating.

If Bill Gates can get people to do the same work for less, then guess what - that's the market value. It isn't determined by just what people believe it should be, it's determined by what actually occurs. If Gates winds up with the inability to find good programmers abroad, then he will have to come to the table to negotiate with programmers here to do the work. Government need not be involved to set the price or the restriction.

Why should Gates be prohibited from gaining the labor he needs? Why should laws restrict able-bodied adults from working if they can find it?

I'm not for illegal immigration or amnesty, but I AM for people being able to go on the free market to sell their labor.

I agree that Gates' means are wrong, and do not justify his ends. The government should just be out of the way in this case. If he is keeping others from doing the same, then it is an anti-free-market practice.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:07PM

It's kleptocracy.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:34PM

You spelled "Crotchety" wrong.

Or, was it "Kentucky"?

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:36PM

How in heck do you equate "crony capitalism", ie "corporatism" with conservatives? It has much more to do with fascism or such. Educate yourself man!

MelvinNC| 3.13.13 @ 7:52AM

My favorite phrase to my grandsons is, "Stop being a pussy." I love my four grandsons more than I love life itself.
They fall or get themselves into one of those lip quivering moments, "Stop ur whining, brush it off." Their eyes dart back and forth looking for their mother or grandmother, then I give them that don't even think about that look, then five seconds later they've forgotten what the boo boo was all about.
These four young boys are my legacy of being men or being, "pussies." I teach them burping, and farting and all the other manly attributes of growing up male.
I also teach them to respect women, and say, "please, thank you," respect others, display humility, of saying, "I'm sorry."
When I say, "teach," I am only reinforcing what my son and his wife are teaching these future, "captains of the ship of their lives.
When old enough I will teach them fishing, the safe use and respect of operating a firearm.
But the most important thing I could ever teach them is to avoid the mistakes that I have made in my life. Heaven forbid, I made enough of those to last ten lifetimes.
But I cannot garner all the credit. Grandma deserves the lions share. She loves her babies with every being, but she to is teaching those boys to grow up as hard as steel to survive as men.

Moe Blotz| 3.13.13 @ 8:32AM

Neither in Mr. Kamisky's article nor in the following comments have I seen mentioned good grooming. A man is still a slob until he shines his shoes and shaves his face.

JD| 3.13.13 @ 11:00AM

Few shoes today are even shine-able.

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 10:30AM

Melvin, You're doing a great job! I too have used that phrase on my boys and taught them many of the same things. I jump their ass when they are disrespectful of women but also teach them not to be a pushover. They say please and thank you, Yes/No Sir or Ma'am. TV/Video game time is limited. Physical labor work is expected as well as good grades. They have been taught the basics of cooking, sewing etc. They shine their dress shoes and understand that first impressions count.

They know that regardless of whether they go into the military (both are) college (both are) or get a job working with their hands that as long as they bust their butt to make something of themselves, the old man could not be more proud of them.

It was difficult and tough on them when they were younger watching their friends do whatever they damn well pleased but now that they are older and see their friends have no drive or lost out on opportunites they appreciate the lessons they have learned.

Great article Ross!

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:35PM

Suckup.

Occam's Tool| 3.13.13 @ 5:39PM

DS: excellent points.

I do want to make one point to Ross: if you have ever dealt with a real ADHD kid you'll want to medicate him/her. Especially for a bright kid (like my son) it is a miserable time for him unmedicated. He's happier on his ADHD meds, focuses better, and is still a boy, dinosaurs and all.

I get tired of people repeating thoughtless babble of any sort.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:40PM

There is no TV in our house in that the cable is not hooked up. I have an HD antenna that is used solely to get college football games during the season, and hooked up only then. The kids can watch DVDs that I control or Netflix shows (that I control). That is it. There is a videogame console that is also not even plugged in unless given permission. They think this is normal. They read, go outside, do their chores, do their homework, play with friends. It is hard, but doable. Thank you for posting your example.

B.B. Gun| 3.13.13 @ 10:34AM

I think MelvinNC has got it:

"I teach them burping and farting . . ."

That's most likely all MelvinNC is good at. I imagine he burps and farts all day and all night long.

It'll be a good day when the lid is closed on Melvin's casket. But perhaps he'll be rewarded with eternal life, burpin' and fartin' all over heaven as he walks and talks with his savior.
D'ya reckon?

Jackson MS| 3.13.13 @ 10:44AM

Boys will be boys, and it looks to me like there are a lot of snotty-nosed boys on this page today.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:14PM

And that turns you on, right?

Does anyone involved with Meghan's Law know that you're making these comments?

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 11:08AM

Hey B.B. Gun,
Go shoot your eye out. Pussy

Puzzled| 3.13.13 @ 11:17AM

Mr. Kaminsky, your article is interesting and thought provoking.

Question: Ever wonder why there' s so much anger on here? Some of these posts are charged with hostility. Can anyone tell me why?

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 11:31AM

I'll field this one. Because sometimes it is deserved and the only thing they understand. If you attack us, even politely, by making snarky comments about how a man raised his children such as B.B. Gun above did, you deserve it.

Go away Anna.

anna k from emory u| 3.13.13 @ 3:57PM

I’m with Drunken Sailor on this one. It looks like the students of Emory have found the site again today. Puzzled, B.B. Gun, Jackson MS and Mr. O’Ciernan are another example of the poor quality of teaching we are doing at my alma mater and place of employment.

I am really sorry, AmSpec readers. I have let a genie from the bottle that needs to be corked once again.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:12PM

I heard that you had the tattoos removed from your Genital Warts.

We're they able to get that boomerang out of there, as well?

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:15PM

Anna?

Did they get that Boomerang out?

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 4:26PM

Great, I now have Anna in my corner. I've shared a booth with the bar fly before but never the horses ass it rode in on.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:37PM

That's not her.

She's the girl in the Film, who's riding the horse from under his belly, with her head buried you know where.

Occam's Tool| 3.15.13 @ 7:36PM

Melvin's a nice guy, BB.

And my son has a BB gun, and treats his sister and mother with respect. Since, despite his missing ear, he is the handsomest little boy in the world ( he is still noted with extreme favor by the little girls he occasionally is around), has a great sense of humor and has his own BB gun and shares his horse with his sister, the kids doing OK.

He is polite, respectful, and loves his mom and dad. I am VERY pleased with my wonderful boy. I remember when he was at pre-school in New Zealand, and was the handsomest little boy in New Zealand---every day when we picked him up, the little girls would line up to wave good bye to Isaac.

Nancy in NC| 3.13.13 @ 8:07AM

Thanks for a great article, Ross. You hear this kind of straight talk seldom these days.

TV shows like "The Simpsons" which protray the dad as a complete idiot, kept in line by a woman is just one of many examples of what the MSM shoves in our face in the guise of comedy. Now we have idiots all over the country making our children scared to death of firearms, instead of teaching them that firearms are tools that need to be treated with respect.

I hope Ross and my daughter and her husband can overcome a screwed up society and raise productive men. The odds are against it as they fight "metro" men like Bloomberg and obama who treat everyone like they are too stupid to survive.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 9:40AM

Although the man hating and socialist tone of the Simpsons is obvious, I find it amusing how it reveals its weaknesses as well. Consider that Lisa, while being a smartaleck, is portrayed even by the series writers as dissatisfied with life winding up with slacker boyfriends and too into herself. The most happy woman on the show is Marge whose a housewife. The father, while an idiot, is successful in his own right: He's a homeowner, has a prestigious job, has gone to space, has a wife and family (not divorced). It's the American dream.

Keep in mind that the father as likable oaf isn't new. The Jetsons and Flintstones also featured oafish type men who nonetheless were likable and decent. Later, there was a black version of such a show: "Good Times" featuring a lower working class black man trying to raise a family.

The one show I disliked ironically was The Cosbys not because it was about a successful black family but rather more unrealistic than leave it to beaver. It portrayed a bunch of yuppies all having prestigious jobs but never studying or being nerdy. But to its credit, it featured black families that could have lives without using the race card.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 10:32AM

Sooooo .......it's working that Fabian Society that was started long ago with the likes of George Bernard Shaw and Margaret Sanger. The symbol of the Fabians is a turtle with illustrates gradualism not only in politics but society.

Ross it's all about "life lessons" we as a society are the result of our parents......ya got good ones with values then most likely the kids will have the same values. If your dad walk's around with his pants hanging off his ass then if you had a son it might look like Trayvon.

I have been blessed with two one daughter and a son. My wife and I tried to instill good values about life as our kids grew up. There were times when the rod was used....ya "they" showed up after a 6th. grade teacher found out that we spanked our kids. After Ms. social worker told me it was against the law to spank in this state I said I didn't vote yes.

Bottom line it takes two committed parents "man & women" to bring up productive kids with values. Ya Rosey I here ya but, the jury is out on your experiment.

Oh by the way Rush had a interesting take on Gays & Lesbo's yesterday on his show.....you might listen to it and see if the caller was right in her analogy...I thought it was spot on.

All this garbage about parents having professional careers and no time to raise kids properly....I say BS ......it can be done. The kids have to be #1 no matter what.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 10:39AM

My wife's parents never laid a hand on her and she's the most disciplined person I know. What they used for discipline was far more subtle and effective: They sent her to the country to baba.

Baba would have her pick potatoes, fetch water, and clean. When she wasn't working she was studying because there was no TV. A summer of that, and she was a very good city girl indeed!

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 10:41AM

My wife and I have been married for 38 yrs. she is an accountant for a large corporation and I have owned my own business since 1970. We found the time to raise our kids with good christian values so when the time comes for them to be parents maybe some of it will rub off on their kids.

I have to thank my parents for all the spankings and groundings I think it made me who I am.

Ross.........thanks for bringing up the red headed step-child.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:16PM

He IS the Red Headed Stepchild.

Occam's Tool| 3.15.13 @ 7:42PM

SUBVET: Alan Page (yes that NFLer HOFer is a Justice on the MN Supreme Court) stated that MN residents had the right to spank their kids. As a psychiatrist, I totally agree. There is a difference between disciplining a child and abusing them. Even an idiot would know that, but not a Liberal.

I dislike my parents as I do not agree with their Liberal philosophies on most things. But the times they spanked me as a kid, looking back on it, were few and totally justified.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:44PM

To put it more in perspective, can you think of ANY show in which the man is the absolute leader and showed positively?

Sean| 3.13.13 @ 8:07AM

"First, at a recent event, I heard Andrea Tantaros of Fox News’ The Five speak. She touched briefly on this topic and mentioned how hard it has been for her — a smart, accomplished, and attractive 34-year-old woman — to find a quality guy to date."

First off the problem is not with men but women like this. Do you think a man in the market for a wife is going to pick a career woman in her mid 30's? These women have wasted away their prime years and now find it hard to find a husband. Let me tell you a mid 30s successful man doesn't want her. So is going to have to settle for someone in their 40's to 50's who doesn't mind having a wife that works and is gone from the home most of the time. I read articles like this all the time.
female doctors can't find others comparable to them to date etc. Men don't care about your career ladies.

Occam's Tool| 3.13.13 @ 5:47PM

Gotta agree with Sean on this one.

Andrea's got 6 years until she hits 40,and she's worked with incredibly narcissistic people all her life if you look at the resume. Her approach is diametrically oppsed to the stable guy she wants to meet who are not impressed with political flacks.

I HAD a chance at that type of life. I dated the daughter of the VEEP of the NJ Nets for awhile, and she chased me when I moved to Alabama. That life sickens me. I am NOT, and never will be, "what I drive." The old GF now runs a fashion beautique in LA. I wish her well. Nice girl, for someone else.

I am a well off medical professional. My wife, who I adore, has a degree in accounting Summa Cum Laude. She's interested in raising and homeschooling our kids. She wanted a driven man who didn't smoke, drink, or do drugs and would support his family. She is not a narcissist.

Good luck finding your man in the Hall of Mirrors, Andrea.

Occam's Tool| 3.13.13 @ 5:50PM

Sorry, "opposed," "who IS not impressed." Oops.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 8:19AM

The folks who "get it" will likely raise boys who run the country in a couple generations. All the rest will be slacking off still.

R Martin| 3.13.13 @ 8:33AM

A pretty good piece, Kaminsky, on a subject which should concern all of us. However, you write three pages on boys becoming men and not once use the word gentleman. It seems to me the proper development you seek must be built on the base of what it means to be a gentleman. And I’m talking the old definition of that word. Good grief, our society does not even demand the basics anymore—remove your hat indoors, learn and use the English language correctly and dress properly and respectfully. If Mark Zukerberg had worn a coat and tie when representing Facebook at its IPO perhaps the stock would not have tanked so badly. Sometimes jeans and a t-shirt are simply inadequate to convey serious, professional intent.

Two other thoughts: scouting is a proven character builder which adds another positive adult influence to parental efforts. The denigration of scouting because of the organization’s stance on homosexuality is appalling. And that sort of covers my second thought—the normalization of homosexuality cannot be good.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 9:48AM

If men should learn to be gentlemen, then women should also learn to be ladies. A quick primer:

1) If you go on a date and just bring yourself (no gift), at least provide pleasurable company. Don't interrogate him on how much money he makes or the job he has. Don't talk about your career since it's just for mad money you won't use to pay for things. Provide conversation that will be interesting and engaging. Try to know something other than making money for yourself or partying (foreign women refer to American women as "fat party girls")
2) Treat most or all men with respect and not just the ones you're getting stuff from. Smart "real" real men will realize that the way you treat a man like dirt when you have nothing you can get from him is the way you'll treat the guy you marry, if you're lucky, 10 years from now.
3) "Real" men are not entitled to high paying jobs and real ladies are not entitled to doors held open and ATM machine men. If you want gentlemanly treatment, bring it up later in confidence rather than making a scene in public or playing passive-aggressive games.
4) Finding a man means putting in an effort and not just waiting around to be "picked up". Streetwalkers are picked up. Distinguish your behavior different from theirs.

Occam's Tool| 3.13.13 @ 5:58PM

Actually, PK: I'm gonna disagree with you: if a woman doesn't want me holding the door for her, buying her dinner, complimenting her, etc., I don't want her.

I used to have a favorite first date restaurant in LA in the 1990s. They treated me very well there. If a woman was uncomfortable with me being treated well, I didn't want her.

I have always had a high paying job open for me whenever I wanted it, and will do so in the future. My current job makes me $340 K plus yearly. I am damn good at what I do.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 6:16PM

Note, I didn't say above that women couldn't "want" you to give her stuff. Just that she ought to do more to earn it than inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

American men have low standards for women, that's all I'm saying. Well, them and this German associate I know. He was a multi-millionaire and could have any woman and fell in love with a fat waitress in Branson on a one night stand whom he thought was his reincarnated German girlfriend. Apparently, his dead German girlfriend must have been a cousin of Honey Boo Boo. He bought her a house that weekend and told his wife, in Palo Alto, that he had to work out of Branson because Palo Alto didn't have decent high speed internet.

lmhawkins | 3.15.13 @ 1:34AM

Wish I'd made this point - an excellent one. The gay movement dropped a wrecking ball on boy scouting, and not far behind with the girl scouts too. A very sad, appalling situation. I'm waiting for the parents' push-back.

Quartermaster| 3.13.13 @ 8:39AM

My son is 36, holds and MSEE, and can't find a decent woman for love or money. He's been through 3 women since getting his master's and is utterly disgusted with what he has found.

I doubt he will find a woman worth marriage in this country because of the damage radical feminism has caused among our girls. We look at what Feminism is doing to boys, we also need to look at what it is doing to our girls because it is condemning them to no marriage, or years alone as single mothers because they were taught to see men basically as jerks rather than holding them in any respect.

Crowder needs to shut up until he's been married at least 10 years. He will change his mind about a lot of things when it comes to marriage. Hopefully his wife won't become a closet feminist in that time. If she remains unspotted by that radical philosophy then he will be quite fortunate. I've seen what it has done to my wife of 38 years, and the only thing I want from her now is away.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 9:50AM

QM.....may I suggest Mr. MSEE getting involved in his local church.... there's probably some young girl that has had the same up bringing as your son.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 10:07AM

Something to keep in mind is that feminism is a product of chivalry. The notion that women should be put up on a pedestal is the way that the father in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory produced Veruca Salt. It's no coincidence that feminists and Veruca's favorite phrases "But I want it NOW!!!! Give it to me NOW!!!"

I laugh at the notion of feminism making "independent" women. Spoiled children are not independent by any means. They are ideal socialist voters because they require continual government handholding. Even the successful ones blow their money more often than not. The media is full of ads telling women they need to buy stuff to impress other women.

There are decent, but not great, women in this country for your son. There's a ton of attractive, successful women in the 30 year old age group or so but they are poor socialized. He'll have to put up with them being spoiled and materialistic during dating and train them to set their expectations of life accordingly. He has to basically team them how to be "ladies" or civilized. Or he can just hang out with foreigners and meet a foreign woman. Go to churches that have a foreign congregation. It's easier.

But if he puts the woman on a pedestal and lets her play the "be a man" card, then he'll have a spoiled feminist monster in a matter of a few years. Being a man actually means not letting someone tell you how to be one especially someone who isn't one.

Mr. O'Ciernan| 3.13.13 @ 3:41PM

I part with you on the idea that women require men to teach "them how to be 'ladies' or civilized." I say this as a young male college student. The current generation of men is equally, if not more-so, the product of a culture of entitlement. Think about all of the stories told to us where the male protagonist is rewarded with a female love interest. From a young age, boys are taught that they are owed a beautiful girl, thinking themselves deserving a material reward in the form of women.

Men can be equally as guilty of materialism as women. Why do you think there are so many ads of men driving ridiculously overpriced sports cars? It's to flaunt their alleged masculinity and compensate for their own insecurity. Because some men fear that their own masculinity is being eclipsed by women as they gain success in the public sphere, they rationalize it by telling themselves women are power-hungry and need to be subjected to their control. It's a great irony that in a world where men dominate Fortune 500 Companies, Congress, and most of the world's governments that some men feel completely helpless.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 3:52PM

I'm reminded of the old Swedish Bikini team commercials. It was an amusing time but sadly did give people the wrong impression of what men needed to do to land a pretty woman and not just men but also women who could point to the commercials and say: "See? That's what men think! So it's ok for women to be materialistic!"

I largely blank out commercials but my peripheral awareness seems to be that most ads are geared towards WOMEN now featuring men as boobs. Keep in mind that even if the ads told men to buy an expensive car to get a hot girl, that at least he had to invest in the car and yes, many hot women do like expensive cars. This is different than women in the states having the attitude that they needn't do anything to land a hot man. At least it takes an effort to earn the money to buy a car, yes? He does at least give the woman a free ride in the car, yes?

Power hungry women don't even allow the men to share their wealth but rather use it as a way to alienate and belittle them. In the meantime, don't expect them to cut men much slack in their breadwinner role. Men cannot be power hungry if the share the fruits of that power with women, right?

In the meantime, popular culture is full of women expecting hot guys. There aren't too many short, fat vampires sucking the necks of those anemic, sluggish teenage girls in Twilight, yes?

Mr. O'Ciernan| 3.13.13 @ 4:38PM

For every one Twilight, I bet there about 50 movies where men are awarded a helpless femme fatale at the end, reinforcing their own sense of masculinity.

Because of this, men have the sense that they need to flaunt their masculinity through buying expensive cars, which often are paid for by absurdly large loans.

Being in college, I can't count the number of times I've seen a guy openly hit on a girl, get promptly rejected, and then watch him sulk angrily whining about how he's entitled to her. I'm frustrated about entitlement from today's women just as I am today's men.

I simply want men like myself to be held accountable for their societal acts, much as women are.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 5:16PM

99% of statistics are made up I believe.

Seriously though, in the chick-as-reward films the moral is that the men are awarded the chick as a prize for the noble things he's done in the film. The moral is largely that women respect heroes. Is that a bad message?

On the other hand, the moral of feminist thinking is that men dig materialistic, selfish women. And apparently, a lot of men in the states do. I'm reminded of the Animal Planet show "fatal attraction" where people fall in love with pet tigers and get mauled by them.

At least with the guy who hits on the girl and gets rejected, he took responsibility for the relationship rather than sit around waiting for the relationship to happen. When I hear the term about 30 something aging career women not "finding" men, they usually mean they sat around and did nothing. As painful as rejection is, it helps set expectations. It's at least doing something. Women told me that they thought "men" were shallow because the hot guys didn't ask them out and buy them free stuff. These women were not good looking. So whose entitled?

Mr. O'Ciernan| 3.13.13 @ 7:01PM

Both feel entitled. Again, I'm not arguing that there aren't women who are shallow and entitled. I know plenty who are. Men simply get let off the hook easier than women. This website's comment feed is Exhibit A. Trust me. There are plenty of men who complain that no woman wants to be with them without actually doing anything to make themselves desirable. I'm an equal opportunity critic. I demand the best behavior from all people.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 8:40PM

You don't provide a rationalization for your claim that men get off the hook easier. What's "easier" than simply sitting around and not putting up with rejection (or paying the cost to date hot members of the opposite sex?)

Granted, a child who doesn't want to clean their room because they're waiting for someone else to do it probably will be harder off, in the end, when their room is a mess but that's not the fault of society but rather women's own sexist choices which is their fault, not sexism. Women earned less then, and now, because they want or need to work fewer hours than men. If the world ends tomorrow and it's harder for women, that's due to them and not society.

Your claim to demanding the best behavior from all people doesn't hide the fact that you're cutting women slack because the poor, helpless things can't handle it. This is why they were denied equality in the first place: Because they couldn't handle it. Then or now.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 4:31PM

PK........unless your an "I" phone or on fascist book or twat-er I don't see much else happening. Look around no one talks or inter acts. This whole social media crap is about CONTROL.

CONTROL of the mindless and uninformed.....

DRONES........right Mark

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 5:17PM

Hmmm, someone knows my name. Any hints who this is?

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:50PM

PolishKnight,

You make a lot of incredible sense. You sir, are a man I'd like to drink a beer with.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 10:12AM

OH, I just noticed. Your son has a masters in MSEE? Sorry to tell you this, but Republican legislators want to allow companies to bring in unlimited H1B's from India and China. India has 2 serious universities and a million diploma mills. Why should a company hire your son for big money when they can pay an Asian 20 percent less? Your son might be allowed to train him though and do the heavy lifting at half price.

He should have pursued a diploma for a government job and changed his last name to something African or Asian sounding.

JD| 3.13.13 @ 11:03AM

You don't live in the real world. Any American who's GOOD at such work can pick his job right now. The need for H1Bs exists because there aren't enough good Americans.

I know, because I'm one of the good ones, and my job market is amazing right now. But please, go on telling me that you know my industry better than I do, even though it's clear you don't work in it.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 11:53AM

Yeah, a free market is awful. When there's a shortage of "good" Americans then companies should be allowed to bend or break the law to bring in non-Americans rather than raise wages. That's how "capitalism" works. Good going. And most of these "good" non-Americans will vote Democrat the second they get their citizenship.

But sure, let in the H1B's in your field and see how long the good wages last.

Regarding MSEE? A guy with an MSEE told Obama that jobs were drying up in the field and shouldn't be opened to H1Bs. Obama said he'd look into it (and didn't)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/....._blog.html

But don't worry, Obama won't take the hit. When jobs are lost the left will blame the Republicans and the Constitution will go under. Perhaps it should. It can't survive in a free market.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 12:56PM

A guy with an MSEE could walk to North Dakota and have a job.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 1:10PM

He probably won't walk to vote Republican even if Obama blows him off. Hope the Constitution figures a way to vote in his place.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 10:48AM

Try latinlovesearch.com.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 3:58PM

I tell people to learn the language of the region you're interested in (there are many classes available) and it helps to retain the culture that produced the woman in the first place (if you hang out with nobody but Americans at home, she'll soon learn to act like one.)

Then use the resources the locals use to meet women. In much of the world, there's internet chat and dating sites that they use that are not geared towards foreigners. There's a lot of sharks on the dating sites geared towards foreigners since Hillary Clinton passed a law to try to encourage foreign women to make up false claims of abuse and cash in. However, the Hillary Clinton sour grapes law doesn't apply to dating sites that are geared towards the locals.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:18PM

Try JDate.

markenoff| 3.13.13 @ 4:23PM

"There's a lot of sharks on the dating sites geared towards foreigners since Hillary Clinton passed a law to try to encourage foreign women to make up false claims of abuse and cash in."

Only applies if the website requires a paid registration. Latinlovesearch is free on both sides. Also includes a translator (software).

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 6:17PM

Auto translation is great, isn't it?

I still recommend learning the language and going local if possible. When you marry someone, you marry their culture. Or they marry YOUR culture.

Occam's Tool| 3.13.13 @ 5:52PM

QM: Get your kid to go to BYU or TCU or SMU and get a Doctorate.

William L. Gensert| 3.13.13 @ 8:40AM

"It takes a village" is bunk.

Raising a child takes at least one, preferably two people, not necessarily blood relatives, but optimally so, who care enough to put that child first in all things.

For boys, it is important to have a male close enough to mentor about life, love, respect and honor.

It may sound sexist, but I believe only a man can teach a boy how to be a man. I grew up without a father and it was many years before I realized what was missing -- or that anything was missing at all.

I have dedicated myself to being a father ever since. The two men I have called my sons and my actual son have always told me I did well.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 10:29AM

Two people. Mother and Father. Sadly, one-parent homes do not provide the needed attention.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 1:35PM

Richard Nixon signed off on the marriage penalty while simultaneously giving a larger benefit to unwed mothers. Republican administrations enforced affirmative action reverse discrimination for the past 48 years while the Democrats sat on their hands and didn't enforce illegal immigration laws. Republicans look the other way at illegal immigration so their cronies, er, 'free market capitalists' can make money off of cheap labor and then dump the worker and the kids on welfare and the taxpayers later.

It appears that the only thing that capitalists are great at destroying other than the two parent family is electoral support for their way of doing things.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 4:48PM

Nixon a capitalist?

That's news.

Of course, you keep spewing a bad definition of capitalism.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 5:18PM

I hate these definition games. Socialists play them too. "You can't criticize socialism. I'll tell you what it is. It's all this great stuff! So you see, socialism is great!"

Same deal with feminism. Feminism is about equality and fairness. Whose against that?

Let's deal with what things are. Now.

Ryan| 3.14.13 @ 1:33PM

Capitalism never included cronyism. "Crony capitalist" is actually a stupid line.

Nixon promoted ideas - such as wage freezes - that have nothing to do with capitalism. Affirmative action was okay for a few years, and has wound up subverting the free market.

You keep believing that fraudulent activity is a natural part of capitalism, when it is actually opposed to it.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:51PM

Polish,

I love your comments except for ones where you keep misusing "capitalism". Cheers.

Occam's Tool| 3.16.13 @ 3:20PM

As usual, you are correct, William. I also hope that your day today has minimal pain.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 8:43AM

Ross, Ross, Ross. Your Boy's 5 years old. It's nice to be Daddy, when your Boy's 5 years old. It's easy.

I suppose it could be worse.

I could work at home at my computer, in between Pedicures.

Jack London| 3.13.13 @ 9:17AM

Well what do you know. I return from vacation in Florida and find that AmSpec is still publishing nonsense. There is no 'pervasive anti-boy culture' in America.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 10:00AM

So, how was Key West?

I think that you might just be confusing your Pro Boy Vacation, with what Ross was talking about.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 10:29AM

Really?

What facts are wrong in the article?

Jack London| 3.13.13 @ 10:47AM

It's a fact free zone, full of blather. Ross touches briefly on what is most needed: economic opportunity. But that needs investment in our country, so he won't go there.

JD| 3.13.13 @ 11:05AM

Shoot, the quality of conversation here just went down.

No matter how much you lefties try to convince us that socialism is "investment", it's not.

Your side tells us every day how racist and sexist we supposedly are, but now you vehemently condemn the notion that there might be any forces at all working against boys. Why? Because you said so!

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 11:41AM

Okay, pick a fact that's specifically wrong and let's discuss.

Jack London| 3.13.13 @ 1:07PM

He hinges the whole thing on:

"The only solution to the disaster that is befalling our nation’s boys is good parenting."

First, what disaster? Second, 'the only solution'?

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 1:44PM

The "Disaster" is that they end up like You.

And, the only solution IS Good Parenting.

Something your Two Mommies obviously Failed at.

Firecracker| 3.13.13 @ 3:28PM

Lots of burpin' and fartin' on this page, as usual.

Burp, fart, burp, fart, burp, fart, burp, fart, burp . . .

More burpin' and fartin' on AmSpec than any other political blog.

And no, I am not Anna, whoever she is . . .

Everytime someone writes a critical remark on here, they are accused of being "Anna."

Very few men on this page--mostly boys, the kind of bullyboys that abound on the playground of our junior high schools.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:25PM

Actually, you are Anna, and you should really consider checking yourself into some kind if Institution, for some help.

Selling yourself outside the local 711 is no way to live.

Seriously.

Look in the Mirror.

Ryan| 3.13.13 @ 4:50PM

Ummm...maybe the idea that true manhood has fallen by the wayside? That we are going to the idea that men do not have to be responsible for themselves, their children, their families, or society in general?

Good behavior generally arises from good upbringing. Children from two-parent married homes STATISTICALLY tend to be better overall citizens - they aren't criminals, are better educated, and tend to economically be better off in the long run.

Occam's Tool| 3.16.13 @ 3:28PM

Jack: I'm a psychiatrist who works with 3 Native Reservations. Let me give you the news: You. Are. Flinkin'. Wrong.

Men are marginalized on the Rez in their kids' lives. The young men are not tamed. They grow up drug using and violent. This happens generation over generation.

You don't learn much about life among the underprivileged living on Nob Hill In SF.

Gary B| 3.13.13 @ 9:54AM

Speaking of ADHD drugs... was the tox report on the Connecticut shooter ever released?

Albert Constantine Jr.| 3.13.13 @ 9:57AM

As I read through the article and the thread to this point, I glean a lot of truth and some good advice and anecdotes on parenting in general, and teaching boys to become men specifically. As the father of sons and a daughter, as well, the topic is one which has held an interest for me for some time.

Though others have touched on it, I don’t think that there is anything more critical in parenting than the power of our own example, for better and for worse. Children will in many ways reflect the negative and selfish characteristics that we display along with the positive lessons we try to teach them. While it is critical that a parent remain the most important authority figure in a child’s life, we must endeavor to be worthy of that authority, and not try to shirk that and become a non-judgmental enabling older friend. Still, the exercise of authority must be leavened with parental love, which can be forgiving of failure.

More than a quarter century working in the criminal justice system has allowed me to observe that being a good person is by itself no guarantee that your children will also be good people, but being a bad person who raises a child is pretty much a guarantee that the child will share those characteristics.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 10:09AM

So, basically what you're saying is that Hardcard's parents were Sore Losers who were always giving him Prizes that he didn't deserve. And that Alanwhateverhegoesbytoday Brook's parents raised him in the Sausage Factory that they worked at, where he spent his formative years watching them carry the finished Sausages to the Cooler, in their Mouths, and between their Butt Cheeks.

That makes sense.

I get it, now.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 3.13.13 @ 10:13AM

Speaking of Hardcard, has he left any posts in the last week or so, or did DHS really come and relocate him?

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:27PM

Ross Bailed.

Contest at Monday's Wes Welker Story.

7-08| 3.13.13 @ 8:27PM

when?

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 10:28AM

The reason for this, I think, has to do with the "village" as it were. As children grow up into teenagers and mature, they either find good mentors in the neighborhood around them or gangs and troublemakers. If they're from a good family, they'll purposely avoid the gangs even if they are prevalent. If they're from a bad family, they'll have less resistance to corrupting influences. But there are many inspirational stories of mentors helping kids out of bad homes grow up into solid citizens.

Ironically or perhaps purposefully, the welfare state has dismantled many of the institutions such as religious based organizations and 2 parent families that provided strong mentors to help get these troubled kids over the hump. The welfare state has an army of bureaucrats that supply checks to unwed mothers and little else.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 3.13.13 @ 11:07AM

Presuming that you’re addressing my last point, to some extent, your observations are correct [though the appeal of the street gang or the utility of good mentors is probably greater with absent parent(s) than those actually in the home raising their children]. My larger point though, goes beyond that to the power of the negative example.

To the extent that parents fail to provide a loving nurturing yet disciplined structure, children will often find a substitute elsewhere, whether it is a gang, drug subculture or nanny state socialism. They are rarely truly loving or nurturing, though; as a result, many wind up in the disciplined structure of the criminal justice system as a result.

Albert Constantine Jr.| 3.13.13 @ 11:15AM

Of course, another explanation might be me using "as a result" excessively.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 11:58AM

I don't think drug subcultures or even the criminal justice system are disciplining but rather the opposite: The prison system's own set of rules is counter to that of the criminal justice system seeking to discipline them.

It's tragic that the feminist and so-called civil rights movement squashed a growing black working and middle class and pushed young men into gangs and prisons as the entry level jobs went to white women. I know feminist white women who told me that they liked the idea of getting a big paycheck and then marrying a "real" man to pay the bills. (Worked great until wage deflation and higher taxes). But the fun times for white women came at the expense of working black men. In the 80's, career women showed off their diamond rings they bought with their "mad money" from blood diamond conflict nations. Jim Crow reinvented.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 1:53PM

The best example of the Uber Necessity of Good Parenting is the Incarceration Rate of Young Black Males.

With the inception of LBJ's Great Society, the Black Man was FORBIDDEN, lest the Welfare Check be witheld. That, plus the Genius of giving those single Black Mothers more money for each kid they produced, ballooned the number of Single Parent Births to over 80%.

Show me a Black Family with the Father in the Home, and in his kid's Lives?

And, I'll show you Black Kids going to school, getting an Education, staying out of trouble, and Living a good life.

Occam's Tool| 3.13.13 @ 5:52PM

TLP: Absolutely correct: Liberals kill Black Kids.

Firecracker| 3.13.13 @ 6:13PM

Apostrophe error committed by TLP.

kids' lives, not kid's lives

olainfree| 3.13.13 @ 10:40AM

Good column.
I have noticed for some decades that the rise in feminism has feminized boys to our society's detriment. These "sensitive" young men have become passive and dependent. They have lost the assertiveness (not aggression) that their healthy testosterone has endowed them with.

From the classroom to the work force, men have become so cowed by women with an agenda that we are losing the beautiful contributions that each sex brings to a balanced life.

Russel| 3.13.13 @ 10:45AM

I can't say what passes for a tv commercial these days since I stopped watching the tube years ago . But I recall ten years or so ago the advertisers were depicting white men as idiots . Balding , pot-bellied boobs who wrestled a sandwich from the dogs mouth and ate it . Riding a lawnmower with a tv duct-taped on it . Burning his fingers on a hot BBQ hotdog . All the while their wives were depicted as 'superior ' ( for lack of a better word ) . She humored the dolt . Her female neighbors shook their heads in sorrowful pity . Try doing those with the roles reversed and you'd get class action lawsuits . The war on women my ass .

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 11:53AM

Russel........you might think about Radical Feminism's assault on american culture.

Radical feminism is the most destructive and fanatical movement to come down to us from the sixties. This is a revolutionary, not a reformist movement, and it is meeting with considerable success. Totalitarian in spirit, it is deeply antagonistic to traditional western culture and proposes the complete restructuring of morality and human nature.

Janie| 3.13.13 @ 12:04PM

Pornography also plays into this state of affairs for young men, knowing unfortunately that the church and liberal press are complicit too. We have kept our eyes closed far too long and only the work of a Holy God in hope do I have.

Who Knows?| 3.13.13 @ 12:30PM

Don’t’ worry, be snappy.

It’s the culture, (that’s) stupid!

0 + 0 = 0

All people, essentially, want to be God, whether they’ll admit it or not. So, there exist material emanations, stemming from egg-sperm connections, that are well explained by Douglas Hofstadter, Pulitzer Prize winner, as “Strange Loops”. You recommend books, I do so also---“Godel Escher Bach” and “I Am a Strange Loop”, by D.H.

Your brain---use it, or lose it.

The bottoming-out of Western Civilization, as it continues to fall into more and more barbarism, at every stage presently extant, presents the platform for each new boy and girl to engage, and it’s all about adapting, n’est pas?

Anyway, most people find their level, and since the trend IS to go for the body, and eschew the mind, isn’t it obvious that deep thought is kaput? Hell, most people don’t even realize that there ARE different levels!

“Arrested Development”---that’s the ticket. Culture is mostly childish and infantile---what else can you say, when sticking gross food in the mouth is the raison d’etre for the growing masses?

Of course, energy flows in the loins, when puberty arrives, so one does their level best to spread this wealth, and female legs, if a male. Not much thought, there, eh?

Who Knows?| 3.13.13 @ 12:30PM

Pause---just had to stop, to find out what Pope Limbaugh’s encyclical for today was, and, THANK GOD! He immediately dropped trou, by advertising HIMSELF. I get to ignore Him, another day!

BTW---anyone else notice that the comments at this site almost totally cease, at 12 noon, Eastern time, when the fat mouth that roars from Florida gives His sermon for THREE HOURS?

Still, 0 + 0 = 0.

From out of the void, someone pens an article. Someone else reads it, and out of their void, they comment. Together, in combination, we return (truly never left) to the void.

Take THAT level, and shovel-ready it!

Everybody is always, already, full of it. As It.

Remember Venn diagrams? Consider the figure-ground Gestalt “thing”.

The All, than which there is nothing, splits into myriad ins and not-ins, known as out, or figure-grounds. Where is the boundary?

There Really isn’t one, despite how painful ANY feelings.

It’s about Observing, Understanding, and Transcending = O.U.T.---whatever arises.

Living in separation is simply---a challenge.

Get it? IT?

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 1:58PM

So, how's everything working out for you, down there in Florida?

Everything okay?

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 3:00PM

I think his "Villages" membership card got yanked.

SUBVET| 3.13.13 @ 4:45PM

Tim......who knows.......knows... I knew the pope was reading your posts.

Firecracker| 3.13.13 @ 6:15PM

Troll alert (subvet)

Mr. O'Ciernan| 3.13.13 @ 1:01PM

I unequivocally believe that parents must strive to be worthy of their authority, and fear that the author's argument undermines this.

It seems that the author is more fearful that a patriarchal culture is diminishing than that young men aren't learning responsibility. I'm currently in college and a good friend I grew up with has a mother who worked full-time and a father who stayed at home. He worked several jobs for years in high school to finance his college education. My point is that young men don't have to come from an upbringing where their father serves as the breadwinner to become responsible people. My friend learned important values from both of his parents, and I hope to do the same.

I think a core problem in society is a male sense of entitlement. This nostalgia for a time when it was completely unacceptable for women to aspire for careers beyond that of a teacher or secretary is shameful (not that these careers aren't valuable to society). Quite frankly, it's time for today's adult males to stop preaching about all of the feminist injustices committed against men. This misogynist stream of thought turned some adult men into whiners. It's time these fathers stopped whining to their sons and telling them how entitled they are. Instead, it's time for them to instill the values of hard work and responsibility. Only then can they truly be men.

anna k from emory u| 3.13.13 @ 4:00PM

Almost everything about your post is phony. You are not a Mister. You are not “O’Ciernan”, or even Irish. If you are “currently in college”, you are being indoctrinated in a feminist environment, and are incapable of commenting objectively about the topic about which Mr. Kaminsky writes.

From my own experience in academia, I see your type every day. In fact, with your remarks about the patriarchy, I see that the feminization that Mr. Kaminsky describes has taken hold of you.

Before you comment on how men “can truly be men”, you might need to show that you have the gear yourself. Grab a pack and a rifle and go out and hump with an infantry squad. Cut down that dead tree with a chainsaw, rip the stump out of the ground, and cut up and remove all of the pieces. Run into the burning building, throw the unconscious man on your back and carry him back out safely.

Otherwise, come back and join me and the rest of the ladies at our desks, and keep your whiny trap shut about being a “man”, Mister.

TLP| 3.13.13 @ 4:30PM

Obviously, you speak from experience concerning humping an Infantry Squad.

Perhaps, being a Whore, isn't exactly the best way to go about your life?

I'm just sayin.

Drunken Sailor| 3.13.13 @ 4:31PM

Better be careful. You keep spouting that over the top machismo and people might begin to think your a bull dyke.

Firecracker| 3.13.13 @ 6:20PM

you're (contraction) not your (possessive)

You and TLP diminish your authority (authority--what a laugh!) when you constantly make grammar and punctuation errors.

Firecracker| 3.13.13 @ 6:30PM

And TLP is on the staff at this raunch rag.

SUBVET| 3.14.13 @ 2:30AM

Cracker Man.......if it's a rag then do us a favor.

Mr. O'Ciernan| 3.13.13 @ 4:46PM

I'm disappointed that you can't form a coherent argument that actually challenges anything I said. I expected better from the rest of the commenters on this site. Overcompensate about how you feel about yourself by taking it out on me. Be my guest.

anna k from emory u| 3.13.13 @ 5:06PM

I needn't make ANY argument. Your feminized response illustrates everything I've said about you, college "boy".

Once upon a time, until a male youth reached the age of majority, he did not merit the honorific "Mister", but was instead referred to as "Master".

Until you master something approaching masculinity, I recommend you cease commenting on how to be a man, because it is clear that you are not learning ANYTHING on that topic on campus, Master O'Ciernan.

Mr. O'Ciernan| 3.13.13 @ 8:07PM

Whoever gave you a position in academia must have been drunk. You have no class and deserve no respect. I have better things to do with my time to put up with garbage like you on the Internet. Consider this the last you'll hear from me.

anna k from emory u| 3.13.13 @ 9:14PM

From "be my guest" to "consider this the last you'll hear from me". A typical pantywaist feminized response. You'll be an associate professor in no time, as long as you keep bowing and scraping to the Department "Chair", who for you will always be a woman, who will be the queen bee to your whiny drone.

Firecracker| 3.13.13 @ 6:29PM

Mr. O'Ciernan, surely you are not serious.

Coherent argument from these potty-mouthed haters? Their schtick is to berate everyone on this site who is not in their little brown-shirt boys' club.

AmSpec is a right-wing slum of hateful and obscene discourse. They lost the election to Obama, and they're losing their white man superior status, and it's killing them. Killing them!

Losers, all of them.

anna k from emory u| 3.13.13 @ 9:22PM

Firecracker, once again you prove to be a dud. Your excessive use of "they" is an indicator of your bigoted tendency to separate, segregate and discriminate.

You are the phony who brings HATE here. Everyone recognizes you and the fake names you hide behind.

I HATE that.

Spring is getting closer in the South. Soon the trees in Atlanta will be in full bloom.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:54PM

It is always so amusing how the "tolerant" left maliciously, and easily, stereotypes OTHER people.

PolishKnight| 3.13.13 @ 8:31PM

Most men would be more than satisfied simply to enjoy the "equal" treatment that feminists had originally claimed they wanted instead of perpetual quota preferences in hiring and academia to supposedly make up for previous discrimination along with continued preferences in family court and criminal sentencing. Let the women truly compete, as equals, then we can discuss the men being intimidated by "equal" women. But for now, they're just as reliant upon chivalry as they were a 100 years ago.

Petronius| 3.13.13 @ 1:40PM

We've been here before. Real Men haven't had any clout since the blue collar tradesmen who used to embody those words died off. Manhood is all but gone because making a living no longer comes the hard way. The largest male demographic is no longer hardscrapple wage earners. Today, boys don't follow dad into union trades or industry. And the few who do are wary of having a family anymore since He has all the liability and NO Rights. The ruling class contains no Real Men. Masculinity is not just declasse' but on a par with cancer as a result.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:56PM

The thinker's name escapes me for the moment, but he predicted that the next totalitarian state would be inevitably petty and feminized. Not "Big Brother", but "Big Mother". Look at our rulers (let's face it, we don't have representatives any more) and you see softboy after softboy.

7-08| 3.13.13 @ 8:12PM

I apologies for not reading the comments due to time restraints - but I did read the article and it is astounding that Ross did not mention the combat branches of the military. I had the absolute pleasure of being in a business that catered to soldiers (soldiers being of either gender). Half my clientele was from a local military base.
I assure you they were adults, fiscally responsible, and outstanding parents (I mentored many of their children with jobs and excursions while their parents were deployed).
Imagine my shock when I closed that business, acquired several degrees and started a collegiate career as an graduate level instructor.
Night and day, even the athletes in my undergraduate classes did not measure up.
Responsible adults exist - they are just a bit harder to find.

Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 3.13.13 @ 9:45PM

All though I always had notions of wanting to find a suitable mate to marry and starting a family young I believe I suffered from the lack of strong gender roles in our society and I was a teenager in the 90's. It wasn't until I spent considerable time in Central Asia that I came into contact with what a society was like that had maintained the traditional gender roles despite the communist attempts to undermine them during the Soviet Times. Boys learn everything from their fathers. They learn to chop firewood, how to correctly cook shashlik (kabobs), how to kill a lamb, chicken or even bull and skin it and cut it into choice pieces of meat. It is the fathers and grandfathers who give boys their sense of identity in Central Asia not the school (which is strictly for academic purposes) and not popular culture because all though half naked Russian and American women are appealing to young Central Asian men they are steeped in Central Asian culture and tradition from birth with very important ceremonies and celebrations for each stage of life and in the end that holds more weight than Western and (unfortunately Western inspired) Russian pop culture. Parents still have the last say in who their son or daughter marries and young men are supposed to marry Central Asian virgins and have children immediately.

Dimitry_Aleksandrovich| 3.13.13 @ 9:45PM

That I believe is and should be (even in the West) the natural order of society. Gender role confusion eventually leads to actual gender confusion and the insane radical individualist society that we now live in the West.

Ingersolid| 3.14.13 @ 2:08AM

So...volunteerism is a sign of "cultural decay", was it? How does Mr. Kaminsky figure that? To the extent that one volunteers ad nauseum is possibly evidence of economic hardship, but aren't there, by Kaminsky's own account, far worse things these young people could be doing? I seem to recall the vivid image of a rude, slothful X-Box player being mentioned somewhere.

All told, I suspect the real reason Kaminsky looks askance at volunteer work is because it reminds him too much of the [Kenyan, Muslim, Socialist, etc.] President's background in community organizing. Resentment and insecurity should not be so obvious.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:59PM

Ingersolid,

If you were thinking instead of getting your panties in a wad, you'd realize that all "nonprofit" work depends on the work of others - just like government and true charities. While many nonprofits are engaged in noble pursuits, they are still parasitic by nature. At the center of everything stands the noble businessman, and instead of getting credit, the very leeches living off of him look down their noses at him. Amazing.

nike air max pas cher | 3.14.13 @ 4:55AM

These changes in higher education can turn into a self-reinforcing problem if women’s perception of American men leads them to believe that career is a better opportunity than family. With the plunging odds of finding a quality man, a man who can adequately support a family and also be an excellent husband and role model for children, the single, career-minded life becomes a better bet for American women. And intentional single motherhood becomes a more www.buyairmaxfr.com/chaussures.....-c-10.html rational choice, although I wonder if most single moms know just how important it is for their sons to have exposure to good male role models — something a woman, by definition, simply can’t be.

I GOT HUNG UP SILLY| 3.14.13 @ 5:06AM

We are going to keep reminding all American parents about calling your U.S. Congressional Representative and encourage them to create future legislation preventing our elite owned www Networks from being allowed to ever supply our little children adult hardcore www Porn 24/7..

dumbingdownofamerica| 3.14.13 @ 2:11PM

BOTH public schools and private schools (even worse) are making eunuchs out of our boys. They emasculate them and sissify them with the incessant need for community service (did Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and thousands of successful businessmen need this in K-K12?). Virtually no serious time spent today on the Constitution and our founding fathers and their sacrifices, the miracle of private property ownership, capitalism, free markets, freedom, liberty, patriotism, duty, honor, love of country, a way of life not enjoyed by any other country in the world, etc. etc. etc. Many organizations have banned keeping scores of games....you don't think the kids don't know who won and who lost?....and the devaluing of competition, etc. Father figures on TV and in movies are regularly demeaned, scorned, made fun of as dumb, stupid, klutzes, clueless, etc. that sends clear messages to our sons that they are not worth a penny, that they need to take a back seat to the girls since they have been neglected all these years, etc. So....it is obvious why there are now fewer young men in college, why their motivation is diminished, etc....all because the boys have been relegated to the back seat of the bus.

Big Bob| 3.14.13 @ 4:02PM

You also need to read "The War on Boys". I think it's been recently re-released and renamed. It is stunning. We raised two boys, now 30 and 26, no small feat. Turning boys into men in this society is darn near impossible. Biggest problem now is finding girls who realize they need men!! How sexist THAT is...just wait.

Occam's Tool| 3.14.13 @ 7:03PM

A couple of points: this newest Anna From Emory U does NOT appear to be mean to people or cruel to posters here such as TLP. Perhaps we can give her a chance at repentance, eh?

Second: I just wanted to point out a few things---every week (several times) I tell my children that the best decision I ever made was adopting them. I kiss my son and tell him how much I love him every day. I kiss my daughter and tell her the same. I tell my kids daily what blessings they are to me.

My daughter, age 9, is reading Isaac Bashevis Singer, ON HER OWN. Life is very, very good.

Marriage to my wife, of course, was the second best decision of my life, and I am hers. Adopting our children and raising them together was the best decision, and she is responsible for that, as she is for all good things in my life.

Sorry you can't find a guy to love you like I do my wife, Andrea, but your selection parameters suck. I could tell you how to change them and do better, but that advice is $500/hr.

lmhawkins | 3.15.13 @ 1:10AM

"Indeed, to the extent that more young adult Americans are spending their weekdays in volunteer work or “community service” I would suggest that is a sign of cultural decay (and lack of economic opportunity) rather than progress, of irresponsiblity rather than the hard work and psychological and economic risk of being judged by the brutally honest free market." ---

I agree with everything in this essay except for the above. Granted, community service isn't the same as working in the free market, but certain jobs pose exceptional challenges of their own. At risk of sounding like a die-hard Marxist, the profit motive should not be the sole determinant of a man's ambition & worth.

May I suggest you take a serious look at: (1) the military, and read some bios of the great generals; (2) The clergy & GENUINE religious leaders. Why not start with Pope Francis I? Here is a REAL MAN, one whom many of us (male & female) would do well to emulate in certain spheres. Is his life a lesser one because he hasn't been "judged by a brutal free market?" (3) medical research - many dedicated men have toiled in the trenches for below-market pay at nonprofit institutions, sadly unsung but appreciated by those of us who worked with, or under, them; (4) musicians - mainly in the classical realm. Unwavering commitment to bring awareness of classical music to the unimpressed/uninformed/uninitiated is NOT a job for the faint-hearted. It's definitely very tough work!

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:11PM

lmhawkins,

Did he hit a nerve? The author is EXACTLY correct. We have a MASSIVE nonprofit sector in this country now, beyond anything that came before. If even half these people were working in market jobs, our country would be so much better off, and I say that as someone who has worked in the nonprofit sector. There is a lot of great work being done there, but there is also a lot of mischief and in the end it depends on someone else's work to be funded just as the government does.

chuck in st paul| 3.15.13 @ 2:20AM

this is a [proper] rehash of the 80's. The feminazis had already started culturally castrating boys back then. It has continued and the results are plain to see in all the dippy BA grads in college and at Burger King. Not a "man" among them.

Yet, as has been pointed out, there's the lads in the military. Only problem is that they are such a very small percentage of the population.

"America" is headed for the crapper. All the signs are there. Obysmal is just helping it along. Between the idiotic New Age morons in media and education (sic) and all our external enemies and the critical mass of Cargo Culters here at home, we're so screwed.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:08PM

Chuck,

Unfortunately, the military is not even what it used to be. There is literally nowhere in the US now where a man can have truly, exclusively male responsibility..and privilege or reward.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:06PM

I literally grieve in my sould for my son he has to grow up now. Even the good women in our midst have no idea of how to nurture boys (how could they?), and there are so few "real men" left. Look around you and almost half of your son's friends will end up reared by a single parent, most likely the mom (although that is changing). It is ironic that I used to consider myself "soft" and not as reliable and tough as my father (and that is true), but when I look around today and see couples where the man is "softer" than the woman, heck, I might as well be the Marlbrough Man and Teddy Roosevelt merged together! Compared to many of my peers I am a paragon of reliability (this is not to brag, but to show how far our society has fallen). My girlfriend constantly tells me how safe and protected she feels and how much she appreciates me being strong, etc. - and it just seems odd to me - I am just being me.

delahaya| 3.16.13 @ 12:07PM

But my childhood was a different time - a time when men were valued and not the butt of every commercial or sitcom joke. A time when men didn't complain but just took care of business - every time, all the time, no excuses. Well, its time to be men some more. To take it to a higher level. I know we're tired when we get home, but instead we have to seek out ways to get involved in the community and even more involved in our children's lives. We need to volunteer to organize things instead of leaving it to the moms. We have to seek out opportunities with our children. We have to be "eternally vigilant". There are millions of boys out there that need a good role model - not the NBA or NFL player, but a local man in their neighborhood they see just doing, faithfully and correctly, all the little things of life that end up being the big things. I can definitely do better; we all can.

Occam's Tool| 3.16.13 @ 3:25PM

The young Cubs don't get tamed unless there are old Bears to thump 'em and learn 'em.

My son does so well because his old man disciplined him when younger, so I don't have to repeat the process now---I just have to work on what he needs to learn to do well. He knows I work my tail off to take care of him, and that is what a man does.

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