They say we're quitting on society, relationships, and responsibility. But that's not the real story. The truth is, men aren't broken — we're reacting.

When the rewards for hard work shrink and the risks of relationships skyrocket, checking out isn't weakness. It's self-preservation.

Why chase a system that demands more while giving back less? Why climb a mountain when the summit is booby-trapped?

It's time we stop blaming men and start asking harder questions about the world they're expected to perform in.

This isn't about resentment — it's about reality. Because until we address the broken incentives, men won't lean in. They'll keep stepping back — and who can blame them?

The Incentive System Is Broken

Men aren't lazy. They're logical. They've run the numbers, consciously or not, and realized they're being asked to put in more for less.

Climb the career ladder. Hit the gym. Build a business. Become a provider. That used to mean something — because at the top of that mountain was a loyal wife, a stable family, and social respect.

Now? That same mountain leads to a shrinking pool of women with rising standards, fading femininity, and courts ready to clean you out if things go south.

This isn't about bitterness. It's about math.

Welcome to the New Dating Economy

Let's rewind to 1970. Back then, the average woman earned about 59% of what the average man did. Today? It's 83%, and in many cities, young women are outright outearning men. That's not a problem in itself — props to them. But it does have consequences.

Women haven't stopped seeking partners who are at least as successful as they are — if not more. That's hypergamy in action. And as women climb economically, the pool of "suitable" men shrinks.

What does that mean for the average guy? Simple: he's invisible.

It gets worse. A small-town girl used to meet a few decent guys in her area. Today? She's getting DMs from men in Dubai, likes from influencers in LA, and attention from blue-check bodybuilders across the globe.

So yeah, Chad from down the street with a good heart and stable job doesn't quite compete.

The Decline of Value

Here's the other half of the equation: the rising "cost" of women… paired with their declining "value."

Yes, I said it.

What are men getting in exchange for all this effort? A generation where femininity is fading, body positivity has replaced accountability, and promiscuity is paraded as empowerment.

It's not that women are the enemy. It's that what's on offer no longer matches the price tag.

If you told a man in the 1950s that he'd have to work 60 hours a week, get shredded, build wealth, and master emotional intelligence just to maybe date a girl who's been with 20 guys, posts thirst traps, and thinks traditional roles are oppressive… he'd laugh in your face.

Yet here we are, pretending like men should just "man up" and do the work anyway.

Divorce: The Ultimate Risk

And let's not ignore the back-end risk. Marriage used to be a stable foundation. Now it's a legal minefield.

Men don't just fear rejection — they fear ruin.

The idea that "women don't leave alpha men" is a fairy tale. Women initiate around 70% of divorces. Not always because of abuse, neglect, or betrayal — but because they can. No-fault divorce + favorable asset division + no social stigma = a powerful incentive to walk.

If a man leaves? He's a villain. If a woman leaves? She's finding herself.

That's not equality. That's imbalance.

So What's the Real Problem?

The culture keeps asking: Why aren't men stepping up? Why aren't they striving, courting, committing?

But the better question is: Why should they?

When you raise the price of admission and lower the quality of the show, don't be shocked when people stop buying tickets.

Men aren't broken. They're not lazy. They're responding to the system around them. One that demands more from them while offering less in return.

We've told women to "never settle." Maybe it's time men did the same.

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