The Cultural Consequences of Unemployment
Last November nearly a fifth of all men between 25 and 54 did not have jobs, the highest figure since the labor bureau began counting in 1948. We are either at or about to reach a historical marker: for the first time there will be more women in the work force than men.
Full David Brooks editorial here.
This is probably the main reason the Democrats are getting creamed in the elections.
If it were the other way around, and women were taking the brunt of the recession, the story would have been front page, above the fold, in the New York Times.
Men on the other hand are expendable in the world of political correctness.
It is just unbelievable to think one-fifth of working-age men do not have a job. I read a study several years ago that analyzed the lifetime job and income prospects of aspiring academics (i.e. PhD graduates) entering the job market during a recession. Their lifetime income was estimated to be much lower due to delayed entry into the job market and the likelihood of accepting a job less prestigious than they otherwise would have accepted (both of which would be perceived as an indicator of a less qualified candidate to future employers).
The result wasn’t merely missing a few good paychecks. Rather, it resulted in an earnings and career trajectory that was less steep than similar peers graduating both before, and after, them. This is something that the aforementioned unemployed men will likely face as well.
Do you suppose that this may have something to do with the tea Party movement?