Six Reasons Why Men Are Avoiding Marriage, with Helen Smith, Ph.D.

Learn more in Helen Smith's "Men on Strike: Why Men Are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream—and Why It Matters"

American society has become anti-male. Men are sensing the backlash and are consciously and unconsciously going "on strike." They are dropping out of college, leaving the workforce and avoiding marriage and fatherhood at alarming rates. The trend is so pronounced that a number of books have been written about this "man-child" phenomenon, concluding that men have taken a vacation from responsibility simply because they can. But why should men participate in a system that seems to be increasingly stacked against them?

As Men on Strike demonstrates, men aren't dropping out because they are stuck in arrested development. They are instead acting rationally in response to the lack of incentives society offers them to be responsible fathers, husbands and providers. In addition, men are going on strike, either consciously or unconsciously, because they do not want to be injured by the myriad of laws, attitudes and hostility against them for the crime of happening to be male in the twenty-first century. Men are starting to fight back against the backlash. Men on Strike explains their battle cry.

[Bradwhitehead]

TRUE STORY:
I overheard my neighbors daughter talking with her friends in their backyard. One girl said her sister just got married but was planning to be divorced soon. She said she wanted to get married and have a wedding because it was on her bucket list but was never really crazy about the guy. She was gonna leave him in a few months. THAT'S SOME COLD-HEARTED SHIT. poor bastard.

[michaelmurdoch]

A neighbour of mine recently is going through a terrible divorce. He recently found out that his youngest is not biologically his, but is responsible for child support. If that's not every man's nightmare I don't know what is!

[grizzlybear]

Men opting out of marriage is not a problem.

Its the solution

[lucashorvath]

Never sign a contract with somebody who will benefit from breaking it.

[morriswilburn]

I would add a seventh: men prefer peace and quiet.

[Dreez]

Older women around my circle of friends always asks where all the Gentlemen went.
I reply - Feminism killed them.

[detailed]

You don't lose if you don't play

[Agent-mkrh]

Feminism gave women all the advantages of being a man with none of the accountability.

[mouradcohen]

Marriage is the only war where you have to sleep next to your enemy

[anonymousperson]

1. Less Respect
2. Less Sex
3. Divorce Courts favor women
4. Less Space
5. Less Freedom
6. Single Life is now better

[tylerrjohnson]

a wife is no longer an asset but actually a liability.

[RC-hsgh]

I hear a lot of women say "grow a set". Congratulations ladies we're growing them by cutting you off.

[josephkoester]

I'm 51 years old. I've been used, abused and betrayed by woman my whole life. That has kept me from dating seriously. Marriage is not on my list.

[daniellclary]

Marriage is a contract. A deal. And a deal is something that is supposed to benefit both parties. If you get absolutely no benefit to a contract, then there is no reason to sign it.

[jeremy]

what really sucks is 99% of the time the woman gets child support its used on HER and not the kids.

[christosphilippos]

Get married??? What for?? To get a divorce after three years and then pay her for the rest of my life?? Hell no

[kenw]

Living alone + not married + no kids = FREEDOM

[HighStakesDanny]

I knew this at 18. Never married, now I'm 43. No value in marriage. It's a bit lonely at times but I don't regret it.

[Aubatron]

Why would any person in their right mind want to get married with kids if their wives could take it all with the snap of her fingers...

[biglee]

I'm lazy, I ain't gonna work my ass off for a woman and kids. I work for myself.