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The epidemic of fatherlessness has been building for decades and is now sweeping the globe. It has had devastating ramifications not just here in America, but in cultures all around the world—specifically with boys.
Dr. Warren Farrell
To help explain this, my guest today is, Dr. Warren Farrell, author of the bombshell book titled The Boy Crisis.
In his book, Dr. Farrell points out that in 70 of the world's largest developed nations, boys have fallen behind girls. And he calls attention to two categories of boys that are now emerging in today's psychological literature: dad-deprived boys and dad-enriched boys.
Farrell writes, "dad-deprived boys are less likely to display empathy, be less assertive, depressed, have nightmares, talk back, and be disobedient. These boys hurt, and boys who hurt, hurt themselves and us."
But in the age of "toxic masculinity" and gender confusion, many would argue that fathers aren't necessary. To counter this point, one example Farrell cites is the role a traditional father plays in developing a sense of delayed gratification, especially in boys. And this trait becomes a critical building block for boys' mental health.
The rough-house style play that Dads are known for is an important factor in this discussion. This very natural father-son interaction builds trust and empathy with boys, which dads then leverage to enforce rules or household expectations.
Boys with no father involvement and who don't have an opportunity to develop delayed gratification are prone to be addicted to things that provide a sense of immediate gratification. And Farrell suggests that kids with limited or no father involvement are at an increased risk for video game addiction, ADHD, and bad grades. They also tend to lack empathy, be less assertive but more aggressive, have fewer social skills, and are more likely to be obese. They experience more alienation and loneliness, drug addiction, anger, drinking problems, delinquency, depression, suicide, and prison.
These are all issues that have increased the past few decades and now run rampant in our society. So dads, never doubt the critical role you play in your home or your children's lives.
Dr. Farrell has authored numerous works which have been published in over 50 countries, and 15 languages, including two award-winning international best-sellers titled, "Why Men Are the Way They Are" and "The Myth of Male Power."
Farrell has been chosen by the Financial Times as one of the world's top 100 thought leaders. He's taught at the university level in five disciplines, and appeared on more than 1,000 TV and radio shows, from Oprah to Larry King Live. He's also been featured repeatedly in Forbes, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.
Follow Dr. Farrell Online
Visit his website at warrenfarrell.com
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