Recent events remind us that political violence rarely ends with one act—it sparks more violence. Politicians then exploit that violence to score ideological points or to win votes. But too often, the spotlight skips over the men who actually commit these acts. On this episode of Revealing Men, host Randy Flood takes on a question he’s been wrestling with for decades: what causes manhood to turn deadly?
Flood challenges the idea that political ideology or heated rhetoric alone can explain America’s staggering number of mass shootings and recent ones categorized as political violence. After all, as he notes, plenty of women get angry and frustrated, even with the state of our nation and its players, yet nearly all mass shooters and assassins are men. Why?
With honesty and urgency, Flood turns the conversation toward what really drives men—especially young, white men—to enact their rage through violence. This episode invites listeners to look beyond partisan blame and grapple with deeper, more all-encompassing issues that plague men: the unhealthy and potentially dangerous way masculinity is narrowly defined and lived out in America today. Flood argues that rather than teaching males to talk it out, society tells men to either suck it up or act out feelings they dare not admit to themselves or others. This, Flood argues, causes problems for many men, and for a minority of men, it leads to lethal acts of violence.
Imagine a Different Way
Flood closes the podcast with these words:
“Friends, these are anxious times. Violence … feels close, but the way forward is not to build bigger walls or trade blame boxes; it’s to name the truth. A narrow, dominance-driven definition of masculinity, one that prizes conquests and power at the expense of others, is a root problem. …. If we can change what we mean by being a man, if we can build deeper connection, honest accountability, and courageous compassion, then we can protect our communities from both the sudden violence of a planning mind, a retribution mind, and the slow violence of institutional power that erodes communities. That’s what I believe, and that’s what we must work for.”
Listen and Learn More
Listen to this Revealing Men segment on the podcast platform of your choice. And for more conversations on the challenges men face, you can revisit the following podcasts and articles on this site:
- Combating the Masculine Identity Crisis
- Reimagining Healing and Masculinity with Marcel Price
- Why It’s Difficult for Men to Seek Therapy and Ask for Help
- Societal Expectations about Masculinity
- Beauty and Benefits of Masculinity
- Mass Shootings: Canary in the Coal Mine for Crisis in Men’s Mental Health
Contact the Men’s Resource Center
The Men’s Resource Center provides in-person and online counseling, therapy, and coaching. Men can participate in men’s support groups as well as in individual sessions. For more information about these and other services, visit the “services” page on this site, call us at (616) 456-1178, or contact us online.
Dear Randy,
I enjoyed your analysis of males.
Thank you for your mission. Such youth-aged crimes beggar creative and productive solutions. Unthinkable crimes, but sadly true. Where does such behavior take root? Most male violence is toward males. An excellent and enlightening book about its causes and solutions is:
Why Young Men: Rage, Race and the Crisis of Identity: Jamil Jivani
This is a very solid and readable summary of the problem. He has just become an inspiring Canadian member of the House of Commons at 37! He places the absent father as a central cause in young criminal behavior. Older perpetrators may have had absent fathers and dysfunctional families.
Sadly we males are the cause of most of the negative things in history. The root causes of bad behavior can be revenge, anger, thwarting justice, jealousy, excitement, greed, economic gain, racism, lack of guilt, sexual gratification, sadism and self-aggrandizement. Destructive self-interest is at its core.
Keep up your great mission! Thank you!
Richard Templeton, M.D. Psychiatrist, Annapolis, Maryland
My website badmalebehavior.com is a resource for all. Circulate it as you wish.
Addition/Clarification: Randy, I added your podcast “Why Manhood Turns Deadly” to my badmalebehavior.com website. Thank you.
Richard.
Thanks Richard for your support and adding this to your website. Take care.
“Group X, are responsible for most of the negative things in history”. He offers no proof and you didn’t require any to repost it.
I really question your judgement if you don’t find this objectionable. Amazing. Substitute Jews, or Muslims or Black people or Asians, to see how objectionable this is. Truly disgusting.
“Group X, are responsible for most of the negative things in history”. From a Psychiatrist.
Also in this blog,
“Why aren’t more men seeking therapy? What is wrong with them?”
This podcast is about gender representation relative to mass shootings in the USA, not looking at “negative things in history”. The statistics as tracked by The Violence Project and other entities doing such have consistently found that 98% of mass shooters in USA are male. Consequently, as a social scientist it is essential that I follow the integrity of the statistics, and address the obvious prevalence of males being responsible for these shootings. Moreover, it is imperative as a psychologist specializing in men’s issues, that I address this head on, and not shy away from this sad reality. To do otherwise, is irresponsible and not addressing men’s issues, similarly to neglecting the statistics on men’s growing sense of loneliness that begins in late middle school according to longitudinal developmental studies. Furthermore, to not address the reality of mass shooters predominantly being male is not only irresponsible, but lacking compassion for males, especially when over 40% of them turn the gun on themselves after the mass shooting. I believe these men are sadly lost, lonely, confused, enraged, and often depressed. I write and podcast about mass shooters and other issues facing males as an advocate for men’s mental health, empowerment, and success in life. I believe males are not born to engage in such violent acts that kill innocent others, hurt surviving family members, and scare and intimidate the general public. When we have the courage to ask tough questions and explore the causes of such acts, we can discover the answers to prevent violent acts. This is what I set out to do and will continue to do!
Again, this podcast is about mass shooters, and “what is wrong with them?” is an appropriate question. Also, there are many other men who suffer in silence or hurt others they love, but are afraid of seeking counseling because of the stigma, and fear they may appear weak or needy. There are reliable stats and hundreds of personal testimonies from male clients we’ve served over the decades, that males can struggle to ask for help as it can challenge their sense of manhood as narrowly defined by society–real men just suck it up, and man up! Discussing the ways that counseling can help males–and any human for that matter–isn’t saying that all men have problems any more than a cardiologist marketing their services for males, isn’t suggesting all males have heart problems. Ironically, we know that many men die from heart disease, for similar reasons they suffer from mental health issues, they ignore the signs and symptoms.
You don’t address my main point.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I think it is evil to promote thinking like “Group X is responsible for most of the evil in history.” You defend it at least in the case were $X= males$. History is full of this kind of thinking and it’s consequences.
You claim that “have the courage to ask tough questions.” Perhaps you will have the courage to __answer__ the following straightforward question: Which of the following statements about groups of people would you repost on your blog?
“Sadly, we Jews are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we Black people are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we Muslims are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we women are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we Hispanics are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we poor people are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we drug addicts are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we Catholics are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
“Sadly, we gender non-conforming people are the cause of most of the negative things in history.”
Please have the courage to answer me truthfully.
My point is that you are off point from the article. And regarding your off point statements regarding assigning all historical global problems in zero sum framing, no, I think that is zero sum thinking and a lazy partisan analysis. I think each faction of society should engage in some self-reflection regarding “negative things” in history, be accountable when it is appropriate, and work to hold others accountable for “negative things”, but do so by offering a truth and reconciliation process.