This May Be Responsible for the High Suicide Rate Among White, American Men
Today, being white and male are the two single greatest risk factors for suicide in the US. That’s according to the authors of: Explaining Suicide: Patterns, Motivations and What Notes Reveal. Psychology professor Cheryl Meyer, is among them. She says “hegemonic masculinity” is what’s killing these men. They try to live up to a social stereotype no one could measure up to. Not only that, their model doesn’t square with today’s world.
In 2015, two Princeton economists found that the death rate among white, middle-aged men, rather than falling, like with most other groups, was instead rising. The mortality rate for working class white men, between the ages of 45 and 54 had been steadily rising since 1999.
The suicide rate among white, middle-aged men without a college degree has been increasing, a worrisome trend.
These are being called “deaths of despair.” Harvard public policy professor Robert D. Putnam, told the BBC, "This is part of the larger emerging pattern of evidence of the links between poverty, hopelessness and health.” Veterans are often one of the largest segments within this group. According to a 2014 Veterans Affairs (VA) report, 20 commit suicide each day. 65% of them are age 50 or older.
A larger segment of this group has chosen the slow suicide route. Many are succumbing to things like alcohol liver disease or a drug overdose. So what’s causing this? White men without a college degree have seen their employment prospects dwindle in the last few decades, mostly due to mechanization.
Their mental health has withered as a result. In terms of economics, globalization and income inequality have worsened the problem as well, though most economists agree mechanization is the biggest cause. However, middle-aged black and Hispanic men at the same education level, have also been impacted by these same economic forces. Yet, the suicide rate among these groups hasn’t risen.
Besides economic woes, some experts point to the heightened divorce rate among men in this age-range. Whether married or single, women tend to open up to friends and family about their troubles and build a strong network of support. Whereas men generally don’t. If they open up at all, it’s usually to their partner. But for the divorced or single, there’s no such outlet.
The customary outlook on masculinity has been shaken to its core by the realities of today’s labor market. Men were traditionally seen as providers. But today, many women earn more than the men in their lives. American women for the first time are more likely to earn a college degree than men. A “feminization” of the labor market has begun as well, offering far more positions where traditional female-oriented skills are valued.
Caucasian men have enjoyed white hegemony in the US. That’s changing. As the “Browning of America” takes shape, whites will become a minority, projected to take place by 2045. Although this may usher in more social equality, the loss of a given-at-birth superiority will chafe a certain segment of the Caucasian community.
http://bigthink.com/philip-perry/th...he-high-suicide-rate-among-white-american-men
In other words, this may get worse before it gets better.
