What Remains of Men: On Masculinity

The Italian publishing house "Notitempo" published a remarkable sociological book entitled "What Remains of Men: About Masculinity" (Quel che resta degli uomini. Sulla mascolinità). The 288-page book reviews the new wave of crises afflicting the contemporary male universe, dismantling the aspects of psychological and social turmoil facing young people today.The author monitors a number of signs indicating the worsening identity crisis among young people. Starting from academic difficulties and escape from the labor market, to emotional illiteracy and isolation within digital worlds. Today's younger generation seems less prepared to face a reality completely different from that of their parents, which leads them into the trap of social alienation.The book shows that the masculine issue is no longer just a psychological phenomenon, but has turned into a fertile ground for cultural and political battles. Conservative forces exploit this loss to provide easy, nostalgic answers that promise a return to “lost masculinity.” In contrast, progressive discourses fail to provide constructive alternatives, leaving a vacuum filled by dangerous regressive narratives.In this context, the work sheds light on contemporary digital phenomena such as the “Manosphere” - vast digital communities in which anti-feminism and misogyny are widespread - and the emergence of controversial figures such as Andrew Tate, who promote models of “hyper-masculinity”, transforming individual dissatisfaction into organized collective resentment.

Acknowledging weakness is the beginning of the solutionThe book rejects the idea of ​​exaggerating the portrayal of men's problems as merely "the whine of a privilege-absorbing class," and at the same time refuses to revive outdated patriarchal models. He concludes that helping boys discover their deepest motivations, and accept their weaknesses and human fragility, represents the first step in breaking the “solid mass of power” that has long been established by the traditional male brotherhood.