<center><h1>Young Men and Fragility Culture</h1></center> Across social media, a story is being told about young men in America: that they've been stripped of opportunity, dignity, and hope. After the election, this narrative reached a fever pitch, with young men claiming victory against what they see as a decade of destruction. One post captured this sentiment perfectly: ![[IMG_0046.jpeg]] With over 85,000 likes and 13M views this rallying cry embodies a growing belief in how men are treated in this country. This post struck a chord for a reason. When young men look around, they see real pain and struggle. But what's striking isn't just the depth of that pain – it's the assumption that these struggles are both new and imposed from outside. If we look at some stats, we do see genuine challenges facing men today: - Men are murdered more often - Men commit suicide more often - Men are more likely to become dependent on alcohol or report drug use - Men are more likely to fall victim to violent crime - Men make up the majority of the prison population - Men do worse in school - Men pursue higher education at lower rates At first glance, these numbers seem to confirm everything Blackstar is saying. They paint a stark picture of male vulnerability and disadvantage. But there's a crucial detail missing: these stats aren't new. They aren't even recent ![[image 5.png|image 5.png]] If you pick any of the statements above and look at their comparative charts you’ll see the same picture play out. Men have always had it worse in a number of categories. They may have worsened over the last decade, but there hasn’t been a drastic change in the last four years. --- These statistics tell us something profound about male struggle – not that it's new, but that it's persistent. For generations, men have faced these same challenges. The difference? Our grandfathers didn't see these statistics as proof of their victimhood. They saw them as problems to solve. Psychologists call this difference in perspective 'Locus of Control' – your fundamental belief about whether life happens to you or because of you. Blackstar and the young men sharing his views have embraced an external locus of control. In their world, every hardship is evidence of persecution, every challenge proof of a rigged system. But here's the irony: while they're busy documenting all the ways society has failed them, other young men are building successful lives under these exact same conditions. Same statistics, same challenges, radically different outcomes. The key difference isn't their circumstances – it's their response to those circumstances. So, let’s be clear about what this means in practical terms - the reason you have nothing is because you do nothing No skills? Go learn something. The Library of Alexandria is in your pocket, but it is up to you to take advantage of it. Want a partner? Build yourself into a man deserving of one. Your grandfather didn't wait for society's permission to be dependable, clean, and hardworking. These aren't new standards – they're timeless qualities that have always marked mature men Your prospects, whether they’re personal or professional stem from these behaviors. No one wants to hire a fucking loser and no woman wants to date one either, but being a loser is completely in your control. There are still male dominated professions at much the same rate as they were historically. We’ve even had new male dominated fields opened to us in computer science and IT. The men who are pursuing these roles have an internal locus of control. They understand that the effort and work they put into building their lives will impact their future success. The truth is, the world hasn't suddenly turned against young men. What's changed is our willingness to take responsibility for our own lives. Our grandfathers didn't wait for permission to build the future – they grabbed their destiny with both hands, even in the face of wars, depressions, and disasters that dwarf our current challenges.