Author: Rich Gorecki

Recently, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce tearfully announced his retirement from the NFL after an illustrious career. Jason and his brother Travis (who currently dates arguably the most powerful pop star on the planet, Taylor Swift) have been lauded for their refreshing brand of masculinity. As Danielle Campoamor writes in this post, the Kelce brothers display “a sensitivity and emotional intelligence that bucks the toxicity of traditional chauvinism” and “prioritize affection over coldness and vulnerability over stoicism.”  In my opinion, these brothers should be celebrated, not ridiculed. They show us we can live counter to the stunted version of the stereotypical alpha male. They challenge some of the patriarchal narratives and prove that not all men are bad or toxic. Jason’s accomplishments are many: 6x All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowler, Super Bowl Champ, a top sports podcast, his own youth charity, his own documentary, his own line of apparel, 2 charity

Last week, I wrote about the Success Sequence, which is a series of certain life events to follow that helped 97% avoid poverty and therefore, enjoy a more successful adult life. I suggested that this sequence can reverse the negative effects of fatherlessness in our country and reduce the “toxic masculinity” that taints what it means to be a man today. This next post, titled “Rules for Raising Sons,” shows a father giving pieces of himself to his son. Presumably passing on the good parts (though bad fathers also pass on negative traits and behaviors as well), the post includes a list of rules that I believe also help every male become a better man. Are there other rules you might add to the list? Feel free to add them in the Comments below. Of course, there is probably a separate set of rules somewhere for teaching our daughters as

I recently heard the term “Success Sequence” which is a promising path that helps young adults avoid poverty. The term has been around for a few years and suggests a series of certain time-honored life events that lead to a more successful adult life. The most common sequence is to first obtain at least a high school education, then find a full-time job, followed by waiting until at least age 21 to marry and have children. Of American adults who follow this sequence, just 3 percent are in poverty. Flipped around, that means 97% are not poor by the time they reach their prime young adult years (ages 28-34). Now that is a great success rate! The Success Sequence is widely attributed to social policy experts, Ron Haskins and Isabel Sawhill of the Brookings Institution, who popularized the term in their 2009 book, Creating an Opportunity Society. The authors defined