All men are bad.

Not some men. Not even most men. No, all men are bad.

Masculinity is like an infectious, degenerative disease. All men contract it at a young age, and it gets progressively worse without treatment.

Many men simply get used to it. They have been this way for as long as they can remember, and they see no reason to change.

They think they are normal. But a life infected with masculinity should not be considered normal.

Every man is expected to embody certain aspects of masculinity. They are not supposed to be emotional. They are not supposed to be empathetic. And as a result, we have millions of men with no sense of social standards and no regard for the emotions of others.

Men become sociopaths who are incapable of viewing the world through different perspectives.

Men also have a certain level of privilege and entitlement that women simply don’t have. White men in particular have had everything handed to them for centuries. All men, regardless of race, have been considered superior to women for nearly all of history.

What have men done to earn this privilege? What makes them so special?

Nothing makes men special, and they are starting to realize this.

Men are scared, especially old, successful, white men. They are so used to being unquestionably in charge that the thought of other people sharing their power rocks their pathetic little world to the core.

Women are starting to hold more positions of power. They are more than able to do anything men can do.

Men have always been given more opportunities, and now they are concerned that a more capable woman will pass them up. And they should be concerned.

But what can men do to be better?

Sure, they are infected with masculinity, but they can cure themselves.

All they need to do is learn empathy. Talk with people with different experiences, especially women.

Men cannot fathom being marginalized the way women have been marginalized. So men mistake small inconveniences for marginalization.

Speak with women about their experiences with entitled men. If you speak with 10 women, you’ll likely hear about at least nine experiences ranging from uncomfortable to traumatic.

The last thing men can do is come to terms with their fate. Their time in the limelight is coming to an end, and not a moment too soon.

The sooner they realize that, the better off we will all be.

Adam Tumino is a junior journalism major. He can be reached at 581-2812 or ajtumino@eiu.edu.