Richard Reeves, a social scientist and author of “Of Boys and Men,” appeared on CNN to discuss an increasing trend of men in their 30s and 40s who are not purchasing homes or starting families. Speaking with host Michael Smerconish, Reeves highlighted significant cultural and economic shifts contributing to this growing phenomenon.
“It speaks to a change, an important change, which is the fact that these milestones aren‘t just being reached later, but for many people, they‘re not being reached at all,” Reeves said. He referenced a recent Wall Street Journal article addressing the issue, noting that the problem reflects deeper concerns about the economic and social prospects of young men.
“Right now it looks like it‘s the economic and social prospects of young men that are the big issue facing us,” he continued. “Men in their 30s and 40s now, who don‘t have a college degree, half of them don‘t have children in their home.”
Reeves clarified that the trend is not merely about delayed milestones, such as starting a family or buying a house, but a growing number of men abandoning these aspirations altogether.
“Taking a bit more time to get educated, take your time to form a family, maybe get yourself financially settled – that‘s arguably a good thing,” Reeves explained. “But that‘s not what‘s happening now. What‘s happening now is that these milestones for many people are just not being reached at all.”
Reeves attributed the issue to a combination of economic and social factors, emphasizing that many men are not opting out of traditional life paths by choice but because they feel these goals are unattainable. “The data suggests that actually, men in particular, still want to have children, they still want to get married, they still want to form families. It‘s just that, for some reason, they‘re not able to.”
Economic instability plays a key role, according to Reeves, as young men are “feeling like they‘re not doing as well economically as they need to.” He also pointed to data that showed a third of men under 30 are not dating and 24 percent of men in their 20s are still living at home.
Reeves also addressed cultural divisions exacerbating the issue. “We just need to lower the temperature around some of these cultural issues, some of these political issues that I think have really driven a wedge between many young men and young, young women.”
