Why are Gen Z men abandoning the rituals of romance?
For the first time in modern American life, nearly half of young men in Gen Z report that they are not dating at all. This is not simply a pause in the so‑called “hookup culture” of the 1990s and early 2000s; it is a sign of something deeper and much more troubling. The retreat of young men from relationships is not a victory for chastity or a sign of renewed seriousness about commitment. Instead, it reflects a generation of young men who feel increasingly uncertain about their place in a culture that often treats them as unnecessary — or even unwelcome.
