Life in the Fast Lane Has Taken a Toll on Relationships

In New Orleans, many years ago, there was a local newspaper that ran a column called "Male Call." The in-depth focus was on issues men were having at the time: work, career, family, socializing -- and of course -- relationships. While these issues weren't always resolved by the column's author, they were put on the public table for dissemination, and there lay the importance. A surprising number of men were going through intense confusion, frustration and pain when it came to navigating the murky waters of modern life and love. They had a forum to discuss these issues, often anonymously, and gain new perspectives. In today's world of real-time Internet activity, message boards, e-newsletters and beyond, it's easy to forget how difficult it was for men of the past to air their grievances. We're aided now by myriad forums to discuss ideas and hopefully solve problems. We have it made in the shade ... or do we?

Less Time, More Information
Much like the increased success of USA Today after it changed to its "more information in less space" format, every waking, information-gathering day now is filled with a seemingly endless stream of sound bytes, one-liners and quick imagery. Information is carte blanche for the masses, and this comes with great advantages. As men searching for advice on life and love, we can sift through information providers until we find the ones -- or one -- we trust most. We have the technology-facilitated ability to hone in on jackpots of advice. The downside to this, though, is that we also can bypass sources until we settle with the ones which agree with us; we seek the ones which validate our own, individual opinions. It's like turning down qualified psychiatrist after psychiatrist until we settle on the sofa of the one who agrees with us fully, the one who says we are in the right.