But Really… Are Men Lonely? 🤔🧐🚨
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this final episode of the season, Samantha and Remoy tackle a question that’s been at the heart of so many conversations lately: Are men truly lonely? It’s a topic that hits home for so many of us, especially as we think about how gender norms shape not just our actions but our deepest connections. 
Luckily, The Pew Research Center has been hard at work exploring these very questions. Their latest report, Men, Women, and Social Connections, sheds light on the gendered trends shaping relationships in America today.
Samantha had the chance to sit down with Kim Parker, one of the report's lead researchers, to dig into the findings. And in this episode, she brings all those insights back to Remoy. Samantha starts by asking Remoy a big question: How optimistic is he about life these days? Turns out, his answer puts him in the minority. Pew found that 58% of Americans lean optimistic, while 42% do not.Kim Parker shares the backstory behind this paper and how it fits into Pew’s larger research initiative on gender and masculinity. It’s all part of a broader effort to understand how Americans are thinking and feeling about these issues in real time.The big question: Are men lonelier than women? Samantha reveals the surprising (albeit nuanced) findings to Remoy, and the two dive into why this narrative about men and loneliness has taken hold.Pew’s research uncovered fascinating details about men’s and women’s literal social networks. On the surface, they don’t look that different. But dig deeper, and you find differences in how men and women use and interact with the people around them.Remoy gets candid about his own experiences, admitting that even with a great support system, reaching out for help as a man still feels like a major challenge.Samantha asks Kim about the connection between this report and Pew’s earlier findings in How Americans See Men and Masculinity.
Why do Americans say they want men to be more caring and vulnerable, yet men still struggle to seek support?
The loneliness conversation takes an unexpected turn when Samantha reveals which group of people Pew identified as being lonelier than most. Spoiler: It involves the internet—and the way technology has become an inseparable part of their everyday lives.
Samantha and Kim unpack how tech dependence can create unique barriers to connection, making it especially hard for this group to break out of loneliness.Finally, Samantha and Remoy reflect on the importance of self-care and taking a step back when needed. With everything happening in the world, it’s a reminder we all need.Important Note: MASKulinity is taking a few months off to rest, recharge, and come back stronger than ever. We’re so grateful to all of you who’ve joined us on this journey. Stay tuned for more powerful, curious stories about how masculinity shapes our world—and how we can reshape it together. See you soon! 👋
Referenced on this episode:
Here’s that surprising new report–Men, Women and Social ConnectionsHow American Politics REALLY Sees Men & MASKulinity - Our earlier episode analyzing Pew Research Center’s latest report on men and masculinity with report author and Senior Associate Director of Research at PEW Research Center, Juliana Horowitz and Next Gen Men’s Equity Leaders’ Trevor MayohHow Americans See Men and Masculinity - Pew Research Center reportA long time ago, we talked with Yuval Moses about what happens when men are victims of violent crime
COMPANION PIECES:
Pew Research Center ‘s study on Americans’ news sourcesMANY young people are getting their news from TikTokMale loneliness is often a topic of conversation
OUR GUEST THIS WEEK:
Kim Parker
Kim Parker is director of social trends research at Pew Research Center. She oversees research on emerging social and demographic trends, manages major survey projects, and writes and edits reports. Parker is an author of studies on a variety of topics including gender and work, the changing American family, generational change, higher education, the Great Recession, the middle class, aging, military veterans and Asian Americans.
