Something I am very interested in — male depression. I cannot speak for women because I am not a woman and have never had female experiences. But let me talk from the male perspective:
Why is this such a big deal?
This is a huuuuuge deal. It seems male depression is now the de-facto norm. Most men I have met in their 30’s or 40’s seem depressed. Why is this? Some theories:
1. Low testosterone?
First theory — low testosterone in modern men. An interesting study: ‘Sex differences in anxiety and depression: Role of testosterone‘. The basic gist:
If you are a man with low testosterone, you are more likely to be anxious and depressed.
Thus it seems the simple solution:
Naturally increase your testosterone via lifting weights, getting fresh air, talking to strangers, eating a lot of fatty meats (steak, red meat, foods with high cholesterol).
Cholesterol is the road to increasing your testosterone.
2. Does alcohol lower your testosterone?
Funny bias:
We are allowed to drink alcohol and actually *ENCOURAGED* to drink alcohol … but suddenly eating meat is bad for you?
Why this bizarre bias? My theory:
The vegans and vegetarians are taking over and hijacking society.
Even Netflix — consider all this anti-meat bias and pro-vegan bias. Even the recent Netflix ‘Gamechangers’ documentary is bank-rolled by James Cameron (who apparently owns a million-dollar pea protein powder company), and has also got Arnold Schwarzenegger to promote “pro plant life diets”. Why? Follow the money. Arnold S and James Cameron are homeboys since Terminator days. As long as veganism and vegetarianism is trendy and profitable (it is), there will be a media bias for vegetarianism-veganism, and eating meat will seem as barbaric and backwards. Let us consider … if you are in liberal or left-learning circles, you are not ‘allowed’ to say “I love eating meat! Lots of meat!” You will be shunned.
3. Men who are trying too hard to impress women?
Even now — the bias of men trying to take steroids, artificial human growth hormone, external sources of testosterone, strange protein powders creatines and “preworkout”drinks. Very bizarre. But the problem:
If you take external testosterone and human growth hormone and steroids … certainly you are more likely to get depressed when you get OFF it.
I think the prevalence of all these body building magazines and websites and YouTube channels promote male depression. Why? You look at the fitness star (probably on steroids or weird stuff) and you feel *LESSER* in comparison. Why? We humans always compare ourselves to others (social anchoring) which means:
Your self esteem is predicated on your relationship or your positionality compared to OTHER men.
4. We are getting suckered by romanticism
If you want to become more manly, it is more VIA NEGATIVA… determine what *NOT* to do. For example, I say:
Don’t watch any romantic movies, films, or TV shows.
Why? It ain’t real life. Any TV show or movie or series or whatever creates a strange and distorted view of reality. We think we gotta become this (skinny) or sometimes buff prince charming in order to get the girl. I am certain that Disney films might be the culprit of all this confused moral-ethical things in American society. We don’t know what is virtuous for men or vice-ridden. We simply follow these romantic tropes thinking if we men moderate our meat intake, do yoga, act all nice and kind, and be ‘good guys’ we will somehow get the girl. But if you are truly empirical and look … this ain’t the case.
5. Video games might be to blame.
If you took all that time you spent leveling up in a video game vs lifting at the gym or the park … which would yield better results? Certainly a muscle-forward approach is superior to a video-game-forward approach.