| Several years ago, my friend, Dr. Jed Diamond | | | | maintaining their employment. The 'feminine' makes up |
| explained how masculine acculturation was creating a | | | | the core of the entire knowledge industry: their |
| huge obstacle for men in the workforce: both young | | | | networking and interactive skills are now the economic |
| and old. As the world moves from an industrial model | | | | foundation for the Western world. Day by day, 'muscle' |
| to a "post-industrial" (or knowledge-based) economy, | | | | and theoretical problem-solving become more and |
| the skill sets most in demand evolve away from brute | | | | more irrelevant. The Times article seems to assume |
| strength (construction and manufacturing) and systems | | | | that, once the recession is over, men will be flooding |
| and problem-solving (engineering, etc.) and toward | | | | back into the workforce. To a certain extent that's |
| sharing, empathy, and networking. These last are the | | | | bound to be true. On the other hand, they'll never return |
| very skills that have traditionally been beaten out of | | | | to the preeminence that they once held in the |
| the males of our western culture. Those men who, in | | | | marketplace. Those places have either been eliminated |
| the past, have dared to develop their "feminine" side | | | | or they're already taken. |
| have paid dearly with their self-esteem (dancers, | | | | We have to face up to the facts that - once the |
| artists, decorators, florists, etc., etc.). As a result, the | | | | construction workers and machinists have gone back |
| driving force behind our economic engine is reflecting | | | | to their jobs - the remaining men in the workforce are |
| the skills that empower it: it's becoming decidedly | | | | going to face more than just re-training. What's going |
| female. | | | | to have to happen is nothing short of re-acculturation. |
| Now, we find ourselves plunged in a global recession. | | | | Without a redefinition of what it means to be a man in |
| As national economies falter, one after another, and | | | | the 21st Century, a large segment of our workforce |
| the world-wide demand for goods and services dries | | | | will very likely find itself unemployable. I can't foresee |
| up, companies cut back on staff and unemployment | | | | that our culture will ever have re-acculturation |
| skyrockets. Who are these people being laid off? | | | | programs to parallel the job-training programs of the |
| They are overwhelmingly male. The bulk of the male | | | | last century. Re-acculturation is a process that's going |
| job market remains focused in traditionally 'macho' | | | | to have to rely on individual initiative, guided by the |
| corners of the economy; and these are exactly the | | | | foresight of some intellectual visionaries like Dr. |
| corners that are losing jobs at a frightening pace. In a | | | | Diamond. |
| well-publicized article last week, The New York Times | | | | There are some people - and I believe that I'm one of |
| reported that fully 82% of the job losses in this current | | | | them - who believe that this process should be going |
| recession have affected male workers. | | | | on right now (before the job market reopens). We're |
| Here's a quote from that article: | | | | writing about it and putting together programs to assist |
| The proportion of women who are working has | | | | men who stand at the turning point, facing the |
| changed very little since the recession started. But a | | | | prospect of reinventing themselves from the inside out. |
| full 82 percent of the job losses have befallen men, | | | | For example, Marcus Buckingham (of the Gallup |
| who are heavily represented in distressed industries | | | | organization and author of First, Break All the Rules |
| like manufacturing and construction. Women tend to be | | | | and Now Discover Your Strengths), in an interview |
| employed in areas like education and health care, | | | | broadcast just last night, suggested that people could |
| which are less sensitive to economic ups and downs, | | | | use the time during the downturn to reinvent |
| and in jobs that allow more time for child care and | | | | themselves and refocus their energies into more |
| other domestic work. | | | | socially-aware outlets (note the focus on social |
| Even The New York Times doesn't fully appreciate | | | | empathy and networking). The handwriting is on the |
| the impact of shift away from 'macho' work in the | | | | wall. Those who want to thrive in the new economy |
| workforce. It's not only in "education and health care" | | | | would do well to take careful note. |
| (where women predominate) that women are | | | | |