In countries where manhood must be earned and constantly defended, men make riskier choices and have shorter lives.
  • tygerprints@kbin.social
    71·
    9 months ago

    I don’t know if there is any study to back this up, but it seems like in places where manhood equates to higher testosterone development, it helps age men faster. I’m the opposite, not very testosterone laden (kind of effeminate and quite boyish even now that I’m older), but friends who are much more manly and physically masculine than I am already look about 20-25 years older than I do. People still assume I’m in my 30s, and I’m 65 now. I don’t have any gray hair yet, and I only just started getting chest hair about 10 years ago!! Whether or not it’s genetic, I think my lower levels of testosterone have helped me age very slowly and not aged me in the same way some other men experience.

    • spacecowboy@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      I can add to your anecdote. I began TRT about 4 years ago as my T levels were were lower than what my doctor thought was acceptable. Fast forward to today, and while I feel and look healthier, I also look 10+ years older. I feel like I aged more in 4 years than I had in the previous 20.

      • tygerprints@kbin.social
        1·
        9 months ago

        I’ve wondered about that, because I have a friend who underwent TRT also, and he had the same experience. I’m pretty sure I’d be a candidate too (maybe) given what I’m assuming are my lower T levels, though actually I’m pretty happy and healthy as is. I think he had some health issues that were resolved after his treatment also, he seems healthier but suddenly looks older, which is kind of startling.

  • Track_Shovel@slrpnk.netEnglish
    71·
    9 months ago

    Unsurprising for the reasons they list. The other side to this, is what benefit do men get from this riskier lifestyle? I’d wager that they don’t get much from it, other than social capital with men who also see things though the same lense.

    So if the shortens your life and makes it worse off, why elect to do it in the first place?

    At the risk of sounding holier-than-thou, this is why I’m trying to teach my boys that there is more to being a man than owning a dick and a jacked up truck.

    I have worked in and around macho dudes my whole life, but I am not one. I’ve seen first hand how this perspective ruins lives and I don’t want it for them.

    Not all aspects of it are bad, but the underlying insecurity is a really doozy