The Strongest Predictor of Men’s Well-Being Isn’t Family or Health

Source: https://qz.com/work/1474562/what-makes-men-happy-a-study-by-harrys-says-job-satisfaction/
Published: Mar 10, 2020
Author: leah Fessler
Post Date: 2020-03-10 09:44:30 by Horse
Views: 1031

As feminism is increasingly defined as liberation for people of all genders, definitions of masculinity continue to shift away from traditionally, and many would argue toxic, norms. Long characterized by physical strength, emotional repression, and sociocultural power, masculinity is being redefined by many of today’s most influential men to include traits like compassion, sensitivity, honesty, and empathy.

In the midst of the changing trend, it feels all the more essential to ask: What makes men happy?

To answer this question, the men’s grooming company Harry’s partnered with University College London psychologist John Barry, co-founder of the male psychology section of the British Psychological Society, to conduct one of the most comprehensive studies of American masculinity on record.

The 2018 Harry’s Masculinity Report, as it’s titled, surveyed 5,000 men ages 18-95 across the US, weighted for race, income, education, sexual orientation, military service, and more. The respondents were asked about their happiness, confidence, emotional stability, motivation, optimism, and sense of being in control. They were then asked how satisfied they are with their careers, relationships, money, work-life balance, physicality, and mental health, and also about the values that matter most to them.

The results showed an clear trend: The strongest predictor of men’s happiness and well-being is their job satisfaction, by a large margin—and the strongest predictor of job satisfaction is whether men feel they are making an impact on their companies’ success.

This measure, the study finds, is influenced by whether men feel they are using their own unique talents at work, whether they are surrounded by a diverse set of perspectives, how easily and often they can chat with co-workers, whether they feel their opinions are valued, and whether they’re inspired by the people they work with.

These results aligned with Harry’s 2017 survey of 2,000 men in the UK, also led by Barry, which similarly found that satisfying, secure employment is the strongest predictor of British men’s positive mindset. ”Men who have high job satisfaction are very likely to be content in other aspects of their life,” the report on the UK study explains. “Men at work are more likely to be men at ease with themselves. Everything else—contentment at home, in relationships and friendships—flows down from men being satisfied at work.”

Following job satisfaction, the top indicators of a positive mindset and wellness for American men are, in descending order, their physical and mental health, income, age (men over age 50 were significantly happier, especially in the US Midwest), and relationship status.

The survey found that 91 percent of married men had normal or better levels of mental positivity, compared with 80 percent of single or unmarried men. Regionally, friendship is a particularly strong predictor of well-being for men in the west and northeast US, while socializing through sports and healthy competition was a stronger indicator of well-being for men in the US south.

Of course, men are not a monolith. Nor are the subset of men in positions of power—as the past year has proven, while some are abusive, others are on the forefront of change. But understanding general trends about men’s well-being is key to understanding the changing face of masculinity, and how to sustain progress in the fight for gender equality.

If this study teaches us anything, it’s that by and large, American men (along with their peers in the UK) derive happiness not from traditional notions of power and strength, but from the typically quieter task of doing meaningful work and contributing to the communities around them.

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#1: NeoconsNailed    To: Horse (#0)

Very interesting -- but with all the despair, suicide and mental trouble that keeps getting reported on ameriKans -- especially men - - how can it be that ' 91 percent of married men had normal or better levels of mental positivity, compared with 80 percent of single or unmarried men'?

I'm also intrigued by the main finding, since -- seriously now -- you rarely meet an office worker who actually likes his job. The boss or the bureaucracy is usually the problem (so much for teaching school). The report makes it sound more like 1950 than 2020 -- oh boy, I wish it was!

NeoconsNailed posted on 2020-03-10 12:17:42   Reply   Private Reply


#2: Anthem    To: NeoconsNailed, Horse (#1)

I have seen far too many of this type of propaganda in my lifetime. This is "how we want it to be", not "how it is".

In the late '80s and '90s it was, "the divorce rate is declining" along with "men are taking a more active role in the household".

In the early '70s the suicide rate among men in Sweden had skyrocketed. We discussed it in a "current events" social studies class one day and the teacher was at a loss. He mentioned that Sweden had a northern climate with long winters, yet most of the population lived in a climate similar to the NW or NE coast of the United States and the US didn't have that problem (at the time). Years later I figured out that it was the transition to socialism / feminism that was advanced in Sweden at the time (including importing "no-fault divorce" and "child support" from communist USSR) that was severely affecting men.

It took a few decades longer in the US.

Anthem posted on 2020-03-10 15:31:44   Reply   Private Reply


#3: NeoconsNailed    To: Anthem (#2)

Interesting. I think the problem overall is that prosperity breeds decadence. Decadence includes relaxed demographic policies e.g. letting jews swarm into your country, and it's all downhill from there.

NeoconsNailed posted on 2020-03-10 15:40:47   Reply   Private Reply


#4: Anthem    To: NeoconsNailed (#3)

Are you aware of what "the long march through the institutions" is?

Anthem posted on 2020-03-10 16:01:15   Reply   Private Reply


#5: NeoconsNailed    To: Anthem (#4)

NeoconsNailed posted on 2020-03-10 16:19:00   Reply   Private Reply


#6: StraitGate    To: Horse (#0)

I would have guessed that the strongest predictor of happiness for most men would be whether there's beer in the fridge and a football game on TV.

StraitGate posted on 2020-03-10 16:37:12   Reply   Private Reply


#7: Anthem    To: NeoconsNailed (#5)

Yes.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The..._through_the_institutions

That article barely scratches the surface. It barely mentions Gramsci, doesn't mention Freud or Edward L. Bernays, didn't mention the Frankfurt School (The Institute for Social Research) or critical theory.

An old friend from FR days 20 years ago, known as RLK, posted part of his work at Stone's LF a couple of years ago, at my request. It's long for a forum post, but well written. The Rise and Power of the Radical Left in America, by Robert L. Kocher

Anthem posted on 2020-03-10 21:50:47   Reply   Private Reply


#8: NeoconsNailed    To: Anthem (#7)

Believe me, I'm hip to it -- even to the plan to co-opt the 'robes'.

NeoconsNailed posted on 2020-03-11 02:21:50   Reply   Private Reply


#9: Lod    To: Horse, 4um (#0)

I believe that Maslov's hierarchy of needs/motivation pyramid is still valid today; it is in my life.

Lod posted on 2020-03-11 07:37:22   Reply   Private Reply