Lionel Tiger's "Be My Valentine—With Back Up" (op-ed, Feb. 14) argues that "our system increasingly favors females" and that "men are becoming alienated from the means of reproduction." This would not be news to George Gilder, who warned of these calamitous outcomes in the 1970s and was pilloried for his trouble.
Mr. Gilder predicted that as occupations and professions became dominated by women, men would abandon these fields rather than compete with women. Today men have virtually abandoned the liberal arts and veterinary studies to women, and college itself may not be far behind.
Whether it's college or marriage, men are increasingly "opting out," as the few with resources practice "serial monogamy," while the excluded many retreat to their parents' basements to play video games. Research shows that young boys are struggling in school, but no one wants to admit that fatherless homes are the most predictive factor.
Quoting Margaret Mead, Mr. Gilder argued persuasively that civilization itself depends on men buying into marriage and the long-term responsibilities of child rearing. When they do not, men tend to "regress" to the kind of hunting and gathering "live hard, die young" behavior that has produced the violence and rampant illegitimacy so destructive to our inner cities.
Mr. Tiger is right. If the current trends continue, ever more women will be competing for a smaller pool of eligible "good men." This will leave behind a larger and larger pool of angry and bitter men "alienated from the means of reproduction" and unable to find a mate.
August Turak
Franklinton, N.C.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 