Almost 2 out of 10 men in their prime are not working

[xchrom]

http://lifeinc.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/27/10887850-almost-2-out-of-10-men-in-their-prime-are-not-working

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The employment-to-population ratio for men ages 25 to 54 declined sharply during the recession and has yet to improve significantly. Nearly 83 percent of men in that age group were working in February.

The recent improvements in the job market have given us reason to hope the economy is finally on the mend.

But after five years of struggles, here’s a sobering reminder of how far we still have to go: Nearly two in 10 American men in the prime of their life still are not working.

Nearly 83 percent of men ages 25 to 54 – traditionally the core of the nation’s workforce – were working in February, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That sounds like a lot, and the employment to population ratio for prime-age men has been improving steadily in recent months. But it’s still significantly lower than five years ago, when about 88 percent of prime-age men were working.

It’s also a far cry from the 1940s through the 1970s, where more than 90 percent of men in that age group were usually employed.

[KurtNYC]

1. this strikes me as one of those old fashioned stats

I don't see the point in continuing to ignore women as a part of the work force. More women than men graduate from 4 year colleges, etc.

Unemployment is bad but it is bad for EVERYONE, not just men 25-54.

[izquierdista]

2. Have you forgotten?

In those old-fashioned days, only ONE working class salary was required to support a family, not the two that are required today. Back then it was usually the man who worked in your typical straight family household, leaving the woman to do the housework (with fewer labor saving devices) and take care of the children.

Unemployment isn't bad for EVERYONE; factory owners are having a great time reducing their labor costs. The fact that more women have entered the workforce is also a great boon to the capitalists: they can pay the women less for the same work, and the fact that there are more workers overall depresses the wages even further.

[ananda]

3. Also ...

Don't forget the underemployed and those working multiple jobs for low pay.

And then it's always good to consider demographics. Of that 20% who are
not working, the percentage of Black men is much higher than that of whites.