This Is Why 7 Million Men Refuse to Work, According to Dave Ramsey

This post may contain affiliate links which may compensate us based on your interaction. Please read the disclosures for more information.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Some are more insightful than others. 

Dave Ramsey is concerned about the number of American men currently unemployed and unwilling to go back to the old 9 to 5. Ramsey’s sidekick for this taping of The Ramsey Show was Ken Coleman, a regular Ramsey contributor.

According to a report the men picked up at Fox News, 7 million able-bodied males between the ages of 25 and 40 could work but are not looking for employment.

Ramsey’s take

Ramsey primarily blames the women in their lives for what he refers to as the “wussification of America.” Ramsey said, “As a parent, you suck because your kids have no grit.” He then tells mothers to throw their 25-year-old out of their basements and teach them to work.

Ramsey goes on to say that these mothers are not only doing a disservice to their sons but also to their neighbors, America, and the mental health industry.

The financial guru wraps up by saying that the government, mothers, and live-in girlfriends are enabling unemployed men.

Ramsey, whose typical discourse covers issues like debt and investing, believes he knows where the problem started. It all began with Americans taking “pain away from kids,” removing struggles from their lives, and not allowing them to learn about the sting of rejection.

Self-medicating?

Ramsey and Coleman claim that men between the ages of 24 and 40 spend an average of 2,000 hours a year on their computer screens. Coleman calls it “self-medicating.”

According to Ramsey, unemployment causes mental health issues. And to a degree, he’s right. Can unemployment cause depression? Absolutely. Trying to get by without a job and money in the bank is one of the most stressful experiences an adult will face in their lifetime.

However, according to Harvard Business Review, after years of research, the medical community now accepts the relationship between workplace stress and illnesses like heart disease, hypertension, upper respiratory infections, peptic ulcers, reduced immunity, and migraines. And yes, they’ve also identified the connection between a miserable job situation and depression and suicidal tendencies.

What goes unsaid

What Ramsey and his friend failed to discuss is why these people are not anxious to get back out there. There was no mention of why their families — those who know these men and their struggles best — don’t appear to be pushing them out the door.

Here are three other potential reasons these folks are currently unemployed:

99.9% of all businesses in the U.S. are small businesses. Some of these men may see this as their opportunity to build something of their own.Ramsey spoke of how “unfair” it is to current business owners that these men will not accept their open job postings. He did not cover how unfair it is for business owners to treat their employees like a commodity, expecting them to give their all for a non-living wage. He didn’t mention how quick businesses are to lay employees off anytime profits dip.Coleman, who seemed to be in charge of the statistics for this particular episode, did not break down how many of the unemployed are men of color. To do so would demand a frank discussion about the financial fallout of COVID-19 on Black and Hispanic communities. It would also require acknowledging that racial inequity is alive and well — even in the workplace.

Coleman ended the show by saying, “Just no more government entitlements.”

Nothing in life is black and white, including the millions of Americans who continue to weigh their options. Hopefully, when these men do go back to work, it will be to interesting jobs that pay a living wage.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR until 2024

If you’re using the wrong credit or debit card, it could be costing you serious money. Our experts love this top pick, which features a 0% intro APR until 2024, an insane cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee.

In fact, this card is so good that our experts even use it personally. Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

Read our free review

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

 Read More