I think you&#x27;re being unfair. The author is a sociologist. She&#x27;s not criticizing working men&#x27;s behavior. On the contrary - she&#x27;s simply using it as an indicator to point out that there&#x27;s something unique about how recent societal changes are impacting this group.<p>Working class doesn&#x27;t mean that the work itself is more physical: the majority of these jobs have been taken over by automation and&#x2F;or transferred abroad. A recent study in the US shows that mortality in white males has increased since the Great Recession. Not because jobs have gotten more physical, but because permanent joblessness has increased.  It&#x27;s increasingly difficult for men - especially those without the economic and employment flexibility that many of us enjoy - to find meaning in their lives according to the traditional roles under which they were raised. Long term maybe this turns out for the best as gender roles ultimately become less pronounced. But it&#x27;s a hard transition and right this is a real issue that impacts everyone. Just look at current US politics.