I was reading an interesting article today quoted over at A Bird's Eye View. The original story can be found at The City Journal. He quoted:

Not only is no one asking that today’s twenty- or thirtysomething become a responsible husband and father—that is, grow up—but a freewheeling marketplace gives him everything that he needs to settle down in pig’s heaven indefinitely.

I read the whole article and in the end kept asking myself, why does this author equate responsibility and adulthood with being married and having kids? That sentiment comes through again and again. Now, I agree that promiscous sleeping around isn't responsible (for either sex), but if the "SYM" (Single Young Male as she calls them), is really finding that many partners, then it's not just young men being irresponsible in that regard by anyone's definition of the word. So why do these people have to get married and create families before they're going to be seen as responsible?

Many of the traits she mentioned, such as game playing and enjoying the single life, are things I do myself, and I've been in a committed relationships for over four years now. I don't indulge myself in some of the extremes she mentioned, but then neither do 90% of the 20-30 year old males I know. Sure, their humor is coarse, but my dad's was, too so that's certainly nothing new. They drink occasionally, but since when is that limited to single people? They make jokes about girls and moan about the ones they find to date, but have you listened to a group of women in the bathroom lately?

The author of A Bird's Eye View says,

we should be very afraid of what the new child-man will make of our society.

Why? Because they'll espouse freedom of choice? Should we fear that these gentlemen will vote to de-regulate the gaming industry or somehow with no warning begin exhibiting the traits of a gorilla? Well, some girls would say they already do that last one, I suppose. But I think these girls are looking for an ideal. Instead of loving the person they find, they try to mold the person into what they love and complain when it doesn't work.

I suppose if you really fear what young men will make of society, if you really think being a single person who enjoys the fruit's of his labor is that dangerous, and if you really fear a person who doesn't make commitments until he's sure he can keep them, you should start voting for more women for public offices.