Modern men are wimps, says Australian anthropologist

**debbystewart** · #1 10-20-2009, 11:08 PM

In the opening lines of his new book, "Manthropology: The Science of the Inadequate Modern Male," anthropologist Peter McAllister writes, "If you're reading this then you--or the male you have bought it for--are the worst man in history. No ifs, no buts--the worst man, period...As a class we are in fact the sorriest cohort of masculine Homo sapiens to ever walk the planet."

CRIPES!

McCallister's theory has more to do with physicality--things like strength, speed, and endurance--than it does modern man's emotional state or intellectual acuity. The Australian scientist based his research on a variety of sources--from 20,000 year-old fossilized footprints to photographs taken as recently as early last century--and concluded that all of our male ancestors could run faster, jump higher, and row harder than any men living today, even our most well-trained athletes.

"We are so inactive these days and have been since the industrial revolution really kicked into gear," McAllister told Reuters. "These people were much more robust than we were."

McCallister's sad, flabby reality makes sense, really, when you consider that most men spend their lives sitting in front of computers, not out hunting for food. However, the fact that this weakness, or "wimpiness," isn't really men's fault (our societies have changed! We're all softer and lazier!), hasn't stopped some women writers from pouncing on McAllister's findings and using them as an excuse to bash our male counterparts.

Read more at Are modern men wimps? Also: Who cares if they are? - Love + Sex on Shine