Bill, these are not generalizations, they are the responses from real men of all different ages and backgrounds in three different countries. Of course, these beliefs don't apply to every single respondant or every single man because that's not how research works. The results from this study as well as the one done by Paul Kivel in the 80s reports what men themselves say about masculinity and what is expected of them around it.
The Promundo study, which is the one I mostly spoke about says this about their research methodolgy: "We gathered a representative, random sample of young men aged 18 to 30, reflecting the ethnic and social diversity of each of the three countries. Combined with that survey, we convened focus group discussions of young men in each of the three countries to hear, in these men’s own words, what it means to be a man." For more about how the study was conducted, you can click on the link under the word "asked" in the second paragraph to get to the original report, complete with raw data as well as the conclusion which they drew. There is nothing wrong with their research methodology, and pretty much all studies done on this topic reach similar conclusions.
If you don't like what men have to say about masculinity, join the club, because it's pretty damned disturbing. This doesn't mean that men are inferior, immoral, or incapable of honorable intentions or behaviors. It means that many of the things the culture demands of men are harmful and destructive to their physical and mental health, as well as to other people and the society at large. Being defensive and acting like men are being attacked by pointing out these societal pressures on them is par for the course, but also pointless. Men and boys report these things about themselves and about what they know they are expected to do. This doesn't mean that all of them do every last bit of it - as I very clearly pointed out in more than one segment. I also talked quite a bit about the progress that's been made towards letting guys be who they actually are, while still noting the coercion that exists to toe the line - which sometimes comes from women.
Around 70% of all suicides are middle-aged white men. If that's OK with you, please be my guest, and keep complaining about how unfair to men it is to talk about this stuff.
