Retreats offer men a safe space to open up amid loneliness epidemic

[ecstatic]

At "Evryman," a weekend getaway in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, around 50 men gather to open up about struggles that men often bury — like loneliness.

"As men, we've traditionally been put in a box and given a very small range to express our emotions. There are a lot of men walking around, not necessarily overtly a loner, but feeling very lonely," Krump said.

Roughly 1 in 7 men say they have no close friends, according to data from the Survey Center on American Life.

"What men are really looking for is to belong. They want to be part of something," Krump said.

Article: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/loneliness-epidemic-men-retreats/

I think this "loneliness epidemic" is affecting the politics of this country--pushing us in the wrong direction. Is it possible (or even worth it) for Democrats to step into this space and make a difference? Or has maga already won these guys over?

[Wounded Bear]

1. Was a member of a Men's Group back in the 80's-90's for a few years...

We took a bit of a mythological approach, using drumming and story telling as well as direct sharing.

I found it helpful. We eschewed formal religions for the most part and developed our own rituals, often making them up on the fly. Good mix of mythology, folk tales, mysticism, and some pop psychology mixed in.

Most important thing was to not take ourselves too seriously.

[ecstatic]

2. Interesting. Was it free to join?

[Wounded Bear]

7. IIRC, we had a nominal fee to pay for expenses, $10 or so/month...

Not a lot. We brought our own drums and instruments. Story tellers had to pay for their own research: books, etc. There was some communal property: props and such.

We rented a small facility for Sat meetings. Started as all day, then went to half day toward the end. Best part was usually the annual campout in the mountains, which fell off when the fire danger go so high we couldn't have a fire.

[Johonny]

3. I heard its fun to stay at the YMCA

[CrispyQ]

4. I would like to ask republican & maga men,

"When did you decide to embrace the worst of human attributes & call that being a real man?"

When you act like uneducated, privileged brutes who believe might makes right, why are you surprised that you're lonely? Who wants to hang around with jerks like that? You complain that you were put in a box, so lift the damned lid, get woke, & climb out. Dare to be different. A shit ton of men have already done that & have been doing that throughout time.

Perhaps as a species, if we had more cooperative attitudes instead of such competitive ones, we wouldn't be sitting on an ecological brink. It's not a competition. He who dies with the most toys doesn't win a damned thing.

[Ritabert]

5. Well said

[Ritabert]

6. I have an idea

Join a club that does something you're interested in: hiking, biking, visiting museums, flea markets, etc. You'll meet new people and do new things. Or take some adult ed classes.

[Unladen Swallow]

8. The men's loneliness epidemic is on both sides of the isle

I've seen more community among moderate and right-leaning men, however.