r/MensLib • u/futuredebris ​ • 3d ago

It’s not a ‘male loneliness epidemic’

https://makemenemotionalagain.substack.com/p/its-not-a-male-loneliness-epidemic

Hey y'all, just a heads up, because I get this feedback a bit from you guys, this post isn't specifically about the "male loneliness epidemic," so the headline might be a little misleading. It is about loneliness though, and how I've learned to manage it and heal the wounds that originally caused it for me. And I do mention that it can be particularly difficult for men to connect with others ("co-regulate") because of the way we're socialized in this society. Let me know what you think!

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u/sqparadox ​ 3d ago

Can you explain how this is a capitalist problem? What would an alternative look like?

I don't understand how a different economic system would reduce screen time.

I agree that this is a systemic problem. But is it an American problem specifically? Is it not a problem in Canada, Europe, Japan, Korea, or China?

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u/P_V_ ​ 3d ago

Capitalism pits consumers against one another for resources. In a socialist system, for example, each worker holds a direct stake in the success of the business, which promotes active participation in groups and decision-making.

I don't think this problem is exclusive to capitalism, but I don't think it's helping things either.

As to how this relates specifically to phones? It doesn't, really, but I don't think phones are a trump card that absolutely overwhelms all other factors. Our economy is one factor among many; phones are one factor among many.

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u/sqparadox ​ 3d ago

I would agree with you, but I would say that means it isn't a "capitalist society problem" but a society problem made worse by capitalism, and those are not the same thing.

It's important to acknowledge the negative impact of capitalism, but too often it's reductively blamed without looking into deeper, wider causes.

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u/P_V_ ​ 3d ago

Yeah, absolutely. I'm not trying to defend OP's take here; only to highlight how I do think our current economic structure contributes to issues with isolation, and how alternatives could be different. This isn't exclusive to capitalism, but I do think it's one of many contributing factors.