The Man They Wanted Me to Be Audiobook By Jared Yates Sexton cover art

The Man They Wanted Me to Be

Toxic Masculinity and a Crisis of Our Own Making

Preview

$0.00 for first 30 days

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

The Man They Wanted Me to Be

By: Jared Yates Sexton
Narrated by: Jared Yates Sexton
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.19

Buy for $17.19

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Based on his provocative and popular New York Times op-ed, The Man They Wanted Me to Be is both memoir and cultural analysis. Jared Yates Sexton alternates between an examination of his working class upbringing and historical, psychological, and sociological sources that examine the genesis of toxic masculinity and its consequences for society.

As progressivism changes American society, and globalism shifts labor away from traditional manufacturing, the roles that have been prescribed to men since the Industrial Revolution have been rendered as obsolete. Donald Trump's campaign successfully leveraged male resentment and entitlement, and now, with Trump as president and the rise of the #MeToo movement, it's clear that our current definitions of masculinity are outdated and even dangerous.

Deeply personal and thoroughly researched, The Man They Wanted Me to Be examines how we teach boys what's expected of men in America, and the long-term effects of that socialization-which include depression, shorter lives, misogyny, and suicide. Sexton turns his keen eye to the establishment of the racist patriarchal structure which has favored white men, and investigates the personal and societal dangers of such outdated definitions of manhood.

©2019 Jared Yates Sexton (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
Gender Studies Social Sciences Funny Social justice Health Mental Health
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_webcro805_stickypopup

Editor's Pick

I like my memoirs with a side of gender theory
"Having studied gender and masculinity in college, I always get excited when I find a listen that offers up gender analysis with a personal twist. Moving between personal anecdotes and scientific arguments that support his arguments, Jared Yates Sexton offers a glimpse of how toxic masculinity has affected his own life and lived experiences. Feminism has explored what it means to be a woman, but isn’t time we take a deeper look at what it means to 'be a man'?"
Michael C., Audible Editor

Powerful Storytelling • Personal Authenticity • Insightful Analysis • Compassionate Perspective • Historical Context
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
My inner thoughts, brought out and vocalized. We're not alone. Thank you Jared Yates Sexton.

Shocking Mirror

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Jared’s story of the abuses he and his mother suffered at the hands of men subscribed to the myth of masculinity is often difficult to listen to. It is a story well told, though, and Sexton does a great job of making it easy to understand how the patriarchy exploits many and is exploited by others. I saw people I know in this story, and my guess is that you will, too. Sheds light on the rise of the malignant force in the White House. Highly recommended.

Interesting, insightful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I learned a great deal about the underlying internal emotional conflict and social pressures for men. The book provides understanding and compassion without denying responsibility for harm caused. It also provides some ideas for social progress to move forward in a thoughtful, deeply humanistic way.

Exceptional Insight

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I know many men in my life that had similar experiences. It takes a truly strong human being to admit that things should change. Thank you Jared for sharing your journey.

Great storytelling

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

i finally understand why half of the USA follows what to me is an anti-social path! Well done.

outstanding

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

A powerful mix of personal narrative and societal observation. It gave me new perspectives. Only critique: drags a little at certain points.

Thought-provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

One of the most universally accessible books I have encountered this speaks to all men around the world.

#TruthMedicine

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Recommend to any baby boomer who wants to understand how the view of gender and male protection is being examined.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I so enjoyed this book it explains so much about trump supporters . Highly recommend it .

Great book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

After reading this book, I finally understood my Boomer dad's worldview for the first time in my life. Instead of seeing him as an old racist homophobic, I now understand that he is just a scared old white man trying to live up to the impossible standards of masculinity that his generation accepted as the norm.

This Book Explained My Dad

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews