There is no greater chasm on earth, than the one between celebrity mental health influencers, and the men whom they claim to speak for.
I’m sorry to break it to you –
But the epidemic of male suicide that continues to ravage our society, is not primarily being experienced by economically powerful, multi-millionaires, sat cosily in their gated mansions, strutting the red carpet of their latest Hollywood film.
No.
The misery that so many suicidal men quietly marinate in, is a lived experience, not best expressed by some mealy-mouthed celebrity know-it-all, jetting around the world, from podcast, to private club, to fancy conference, to home.
In fact, statistically speaking, the man most at risk to suicide as I write this, is a broke, working man, living in the north, working in a blue collar job, living with an addiction, a physical disability; in the midsts of a divorce, and fighting for custody of his child.
Which of our glossy array of good-looking celebrity ‘mental health advocates’ speaks for him exactly?
It’s a story you will not hear as such advocates chink champagne flutes, clap each other on the back, and compare who got the most views on their latest social media post.
And that’s not to say celebrities are not welcome, or needed – they certainly are.
But we need them to shine a spotlight on the men who otherwise get none, rather than centre themselves.
The men in the shadows matter more than whatever book you’re selling, podcast you’re slinging, or film you want us to watch.
So let’s talk about the men who really do need our help, because not all of us need to “talk”, in fact, some of us really ought to learn to shut up.
What do you think?
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Full podcast with The Hodgecast here
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