Right in time for the recession.
ChatGPT summary -
Here are the key points from Rachel Drucker’s Modern Love essay “Men, Where Have You Gone? Please Come Back” (published June 20, 2025) based on the Reddit thread summary :
1. A cultural shift in male presence
- Many men have withdrawn from vulnerability and intimacy, not through aggression but through indifference. They are no longer fully “present” on dates or in connections.
2. From real connection to “directionless orbiting”
- The author laments the rise of “situationships”: casual emoji check-ins and flirtation without real commitment or movement forward—an abdication of emotional ownership.
3. Emotional retreat and convenience culture
- Men increasingly prefer curated, frictionless digital experiences—scrolling, filters, passive engagement—over the messy process of genuine human connection.
4. The erosion of intimacy rituals
- Shared rituals—like lingering over breakfast after a one-night stand—have largely disappeared, replaced by walled-off experiences and missed moments of closeness.
5. A call for rediscovering presence
- The author invites men to return with authenticity and willingness, not perfection—highlighting the need for breath, eye contact, emotional presence, and simply being with each other.
Standout Quotes from the Essay
“The way many men had quietly withdrawn from intimacy and vulnerability. Not with violence or resistance, but with indifference.”
“What I won’t entertain is directionless orbiting … We call it a situationship. But mostly, it’s avoidance.”
In essence, Drucker explores how male emotional absence, driven by digital convenience and cultural burnout, is reshaping romantic rituals. She believes women continue to show up—waiting for men to show up with intention. And her plea is simple: “Come back—not with fireworks, but with your whole, beautiful, imperfect heart.”
