"Notes on Being a Man" | Reviewed by Bill Schwab

Young men are not doing well. In 2022, among 10 to 24-year-olds, males accounted for 78% of suicides. In 2023, male high school graduates were 8% less likely to enroll in college. The labor-force participation rate has dropped by 10% among young men ages 20 to 24 over the last 30 years.

  “The data around boys and men is overwhelming,” writes author Scott Galloway, a popular podcaster and university professor. Drawing on social and economic trends and his 61 years of life experience, he candidly presents a narrative that blends memoir and social commentary, designed to help men understand themselves in the complex culture they face.

The central argument of Galloway’s book is that many young men are struggling in ways that society has failed to recognize. He presents statistics throughout the book that substantiate his alarm, men are dropping out of college at higher rates, leading to a graduation rate of  33:66 (men: women). Sixty percent of young men between the ages of 18 and 24 still live with their parents. Forty-five percent of 18 to 25-year-old men have not approached a woman in person. Men are suspended from school for the same infraction twice as many times as women. Men are three times more likely to overdose and 12 times more likely to be incarcerated than women.

A “large and growing cohort of bored, lonely, poorly educated men is a malevolent force in any society,” Galloway writes, adding that these men are vulnerable to “conspiracy theories, radicalization, and nihilist politics.”  He maintains that brain development, educational setbacks, limited social mobility, loneliness, and shifting cultural dynamics are inhibiting men from establishing their identity and finding their place in society.

The professor responds to the crisis by proposing a 3-point framework to address the current masculine crisis: “Protect, Provide, Procreate.” This traditional framework for men anchors men in responsibility, purpose, and contributions, he maintains. The author suggests that for young men who feel lost, angry, or despondent about the future, the way forward is to find meaning in life through resilience, accountability, and service to others.

Galloway writes to young men with directness and clarity, encouraging them to develop disciplined habits, cultivate friendships, take care of their health, limit their digital exposure, and always give more than they take. His down-to-earth, practical style is credible and motivating.

The author’s assertive tone will not appeal to all readers. Some of his generalizations may feel simplistic and narrow. Despite these limitations, “Notes on Being a Man” is a timely, thought-provoking addition to the current discussion about modern masculinity and its challenges. This 287-page book is extensively annotated and is a suitable read for men of all ages and a worthy resource for parents and educators.

About the author: Scott Galloway is a professor of marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He was named one of the world’s best business professors by “Poets&Quants,” a digital media company and authority on business education.

  He has served on the boards of directors of the New York Times Company, Urban Outfitters, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Panera Bread, and Ledger. Galloway is the author of five previous books. He reaches millions of followers through his podcasts and YouTube channel.

Buy the book.