The question suggests a potential resurgence or new era of influences from the Bronze Age.

In the summer of 2023, a crisis of masculinity made headlines, marking a significant turning point in the way society perceives and defines manhood. This shift has been years in the making, with the #MeToo movement in 2016 serving as a catalyst.

Tom Novak, a senior behavioral analyst at Canvas8, explains that many Gen Zers are seeking new cultural scripts due to the fluidity of masculinity and culture. Novak further states that masculinity is a fragile identity and has always been defined "in opposition to a set of 'others'".

The Decline of Traditional Masculinity

Traditional hegemonic masculinity, particularly tied to economic autonomy and patriarchal authority, is perceived as declining due to shifting social, economic, and gender dynamics. Men, especially from working and lower-middle-class backgrounds, are experiencing anxiety and identity crises as their traditional roles as breadwinners and holders of authority are disrupted.

The Rise of Positive Masculinity

In response to the crisis, efforts are being made to promote positive masculinity. This includes hiring male nannies as role models, organizing masculinity retreats, bringing positive masculinity into school curriculums, and the emergence of anti-Andrew Tate influencers. Boy melodrama sports films and a documentary on how to be a man are also part of the response.

Social media trends like 'dump him' feminism and pages like @Swipe4Daddy have reinforced the perception of femininity soaring while masculinity is struggling. Meanwhile, marketing and media are starting to use labels like 'Brozempic' and 'Bromakazes' towards men, indicating a culture that is struggling to interpret masculinity under a singular umbrella.

The manosphere has introduced the term 'mascuzynity', while the sensitive, vulnerable types of men are being referred to as the "babygirl man" and the soft masculinity movement. The bro moniker is being tagged onto everyday activities as a way for men to claim mundane events as their own, exclusionary spaces.

The Girl Economy and the Evolution of Masculinity

The girl economy, including girl maths, girl dinners, Barbie, and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour movie, has been gaining prominence. In contrast, the sweet, emotionally thoughtful types of men are being labeled 'Cinnamon Roll men'.

Critical examinations of toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and male privilege have become a hallmark of cultural discourse since 2016. This call to action represents a call to rethink "manhood" beyond traditional norms of dominance and entitlement toward accountability, empathy, and partnership with women.

Emerging definitions of masculinity emphasize more inclusive and gender-sensitive perspectives, although engagement remains complex. Some men struggle to adopt these perspectives fully, either due to political resistance or entrenched gender norms. However, feminist-influenced efforts encourage men’s participation in challenging anti-gender ideologies and adopting transformative stances that resist toxic masculinity.

Thus, masculinity today is in a state of flux—losing its previous hegemonic form linked to economic dominance and patriarchal control, while new narratives of masculinity focus on vulnerability, respect, and partnership. These new definitions respond to sociopolitical movements and economic transformations that reshape gender expectations globally.

[1] Novak, T. (2023). The current state of masculinity: Challenges and transformations. Canvas8 Insights. [2] MeTooFollowThrough Movement (2018). Retrieved from https://metoofollowthrough.org/ [3] Kimmel, M. (2018). Angry White Men: American Masculinity at the End of an Era. Oxford University Press.

The summer of 2023 saw a crisis of masculinity making headlines, marking a significant shift in society's perception and definition of manhood, a change that has been in the making for years, with the #MeToo movement in 2016 serving as a catalyst.
Tom Novak, a senior behavioral analyst at Canvas8, explains that many Gen Zers are seeking new cultural scripts due to the fluidity of masculinity and culture, with masculinity being a fragile identity that has always been defined "in opposition to a set of 'others'".
Traditional hegemonic masculinity, particularly tied to economic autonomy and patriarchal authority, is perceived as declining due to shifting social, economic, and gender dynamics, causing anxiety and identity crises among men, especially those from working and lower-middle-class backgrounds.
In response to this crisis, efforts are being made to promote positive masculinity, including hiring male nannies as role models, organizing masculinity retreats, introducing positive masculinity into school curriculums, and the emergence of anti-Andrew Tate influencers.
Boy melodrama sports films and a documentary on how to be a man are also part of the response, mirroring the rise of positive masculinity.
Social media trends like 'dump him' feminism and pages like @Swipe4Daddy have reinforced the perception of femininity soaring while masculinity is struggling, with marketing and media starting to use labels like 'Brozempic' and 'Bromakazes' towards men.
The manosphere has introduced the term 'mascuzynity', while the sensitive, vulnerable types of men are being referred to as the "babygirl man" and the soft masculinity movement.
The bro moniker is being tagged onto everyday activities as a way for men to claim mundane events as their own, exclusionary spaces.
The girl economy, including girl maths, girl dinners, Barbie, and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour movie, has been gaining prominence, while the sweet, emotionally thoughtful types of men are being labeled 'Cinnamon Roll men'.
Critical examinations of toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and male privilege have become a hallmark of cultural discourse since 2016, representing a call to rethink "manhood" beyond traditional norms of dominance and entitlement towards accountability, empathy, and partnership with women.
Emerging definitions of masculinity emphasize more inclusive and gender-sensitive perspectives, although engagement remains complex, with some men struggling to adopt these perspectives fully either due to political resistance or entrenched gender norms.
Feminist-influenced efforts encourage men’s participation in challenging anti-gender ideologies and adopting transformative stances that resist toxic masculinity.
The decline of traditional masculinity linked to economic dominance and patriarchal control is being replaced by new narratives of masculinity that focus on vulnerability, respect, and partnership, responding to sociopolitical movements and economic transformations that redefine gender expectations globally.
Research resources like Novak's report, the MeTooFollowThrough Movement, and Kimmel's book offer insights into the current state of masculinity, its challenges, and transformations.

The question suggests a potential resurgence or new era of influences from the Bronze Age.