Male Friendships Are Not Doing the Job

Daniel A. Cox February 9, 2023

Three men playing cards cartoon.

In a video posted on social media, a distraught young woman recounts receiving this message moments before her date arrived to pick her up.  

“Alright you shallow bitch, don’t judge my car.” 

Confused and alarmed, the young woman expressed her discomfort at which point her would-be date grew defensive. He eventually texted an apology. But it was too little, too late.  

You could chalk it up to another example of men behaving badly. Except, I don’t think that’s quite it. There are so many of these stories. As I’ve noted previously, these “dating disasters” seem to disproportionately involve men making cringey, inappropriate, or offensive comments.  

I don’t think most men are purposefully trying to sabotage their romantic opportunities. Rather, compared to women, men often have far less experience communicating openly about their feelings, expectations, and needs. Many women develop these skills through their friends. Men don’t, and that’s a critical deficit.


Continue Reading on American Storylines


Survey Reports

Cartoon rendering of a series of different online dating app prospects, on phone screens

Daniel A. Cox
February 9, 2023

From Swiping to Sexting: The Enduring Gender Divide in American Dating and Relationships

The January 2023 American Perspectives Survey sheds some light on dating preferences, experiences, and perspectives. The national survey of more than 5,000 adults age 18 and older, including nearly 800 single adults, finds that Americans have strong dating preferences when it comes to living at home, being unemployed, and smoking.

Red leather-bound Qur'an on a wooden table with prayer beads and a light blue surgical mask draped over top.

Lindsey Witt-Swanson, Jennifer Benz, Daniel A. Cox
January 5, 2023

Faith After the Pandemic: How COVID-19 Changed American Religion

The Survey Center on American Life at AEI teamed up with researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago to measure religious affiliation and attendance both before the pandemic (2018 to March 2020) and again in spring 2022, revealing who remained at the pews, who returned to the pews, and who left.

A cartoon showing a vibrant office from the ceiling view.

Brent Orrell, Daniel A. Cox, Jessie Wall
October 25, 2022

The Social Workplace: Social Capital, Human Dignity, and Work in America

Why is work, more often than not, the center of life for Americans? Explore the social dimension of work and the role it plays in building human connections and strengthening social capital.

Photograph of pro-choice protestors holding signs

Karlyn Bowman, Daniel A. Cox
October 4, 2022

Gender, Generation and Abortion: Shifting Politics and Perspectives After Roe

Three months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the issue of abortion continues to garner widespread public attention.