Mike Rowe Hits Hard for Fatherhood | Intellectual Takeout

Mike Rowe Hits Hard for Fatherhood | Intellectual Takeout
"Parents "have put their own happiness above the best interests of their kids."   
"If you’ve followed Intellectual Takeout for any length of time, you’ll know that Fatherhood is a regular topic. 
You’ll also probably recognize that it’s not a popular topic in the culture. 
The Ivory Tower declares patriarchy as one of the great sins of the West. 
Hollywood and Madison Ave. do their parts to mock and belittle fatherhood, often portraying fathers as buffoons and fools. 
And government, many would argue, has created systemic forms of oppression that work against fathers.
Yet, in the face of it all, more and more people are beginning to question the narrative. 
Here’s Mike Rowe’s recent take on the issue: 

A couple years ago, when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were getting divorced, Jolie was quoted as saying, ‘It never even crossed my mind that my son would need a father.’

I was struck by her comment, and I remember wondering how many other Americans might share her view. At the time, I didn’t think many. But today, I’m convinced the number is significant. I'm also amazed at how quickly fatherhood has fallen out of favor. Can you imagine a celebrity - or anyone for that matter - saying such a thing just twenty years ago?

This week’s episode of RTF [Returning the Favor] is about a guy named Carlos who found an effective way to deprogram bullies. Please watch it. It's a great story about a great guy making a real difference around a serious issue. It occurred to me though, half way through filming, that bullying – like so many other social ills in today’s headlines – isn’t really a problem at all; it’s a symptom. In my view, a symptom of a society that seems to value fatherhood less and less.

The facts seem pretty clear.

• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes – 5 times the average. (US Dept. Of Health/Census)
   
• 90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes – 32 times the average.
   
• 85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes – 20 times the average. (Center for Disease Control)
   
• 80% of rapists with anger problems come from fatherless homes – 14 times the average. (Justice & Behavior, Vol 14, p. 403-26)
   
• 71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes – 9 times the average. (National Principals Association Report)
   
• 43% of US children live without their father [US Department of Census]

Is it really so surprising to learn that a majority of bullies also come from fatherless homes? As do a majority of school shooters? As do a majority of older male shooters?..."

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