The Decline of Reading Books Among Men

It is a fact that in the Twenty-first Century men do not read that much. While it is true that men are more action-oriented, and less emotional than women, making them less interested in books particularly fictional stories, it seems strange that in the last fifty years or so, the demographic has widened.  I don't think it is necessarily because more women are reading either.  It is because fewer men are finding books that they can relate to.  

Traditional books and films in American culture represent strong men as active leaders, brave adventures, and conquering heroes.  Villains are portrayed as cowards, and oppressors, who seek to serve themselves above all else.  Sure, good guys can act like jerks sometimes and the villain might have some good qualities, but in the end, it is black and white.  When you compare most contemporary men in film to classic male characters portrayed by the likes of John Wayne, Mel Gibson, or Charlton Heston, you can see an intangible difference.  It's not about the acting, as some might think. Acting in films today is probably better now because the technology of camera equipment has evolved allowing producers to only shoot little bits of film at a time making it easier to remember lines.  Here is the difference, in these traditional movies, men were meant to be solid, and noble, unlike the modern stereotype that portrays men as weak, stupid, or playing sidekicks to a smarter stronger woman. It is true that some of the greatest films ever produced are modern films made in the last twenty years. I can think of absolutely awesome masculine stories, that were released while I was growing up.  However, in the last few years, this has become a relative rarity.  In this culture, men are encouraged to show weakness and hide their power.  Girls are brought up in a country that more and more demonizes men telling them that powerful white men are the cause of all the problems in the world.  Boys are told by many progressives that they should show emotions, by crying frequently, not being rough, and acting like girls. Trying not to conquer is the new normal and if you object to this, you are dangerous to yourself and others.  Even the past historical heroes of history are now being canceled as "bigots, "white supremacists," or "misogynistic."  The objectivity of most modern historical novels, therefore, is subject to the author's own subjective opinions.

Looking at what has happened it is no wonder that men do not what read.  They have been brainwashed by the culture into believing that masculinity is evil. Movies, TV shows, and books promote this ideology heavily.  A few years ago, after coming home late from work, I watched Rambo 3 on TV, absolutely loving it, even cheering a bit in some exciting parts of the film.  The next night I again turned on the TV to see The Hunger Games was on.  I just remember after watching for a minute or so turning it off and saying to myself," It's no Rambo." Not trying to dog The Hunger Games at all, or say it is a bad story, but I think you get the point.  Most stories in the twenty-first century are not made for virtuous men.  They are made for a politically correct society.  If you need proof just look at the new Star Wars films compared to the Originals or even the highly controversial Prequel Trilogy.  I think men would read more books if they were objective and made for them instead of asking them to change who they are.