A "pathetic man" is the guy who gets you to take care of him, because he's purposefully not taking care of himself.These are the men who lean into the hardships of modern manhood...and expect women to sooth their pain. They're popping up in our TV shows, social media feeds, and real lives. So much so that Tiktoker Josh Lora (aka tellthebeees) has declared 2026 the year of pathetic men. Host Brittany Luse and Josh raise a toast to the men who lean into the ways patriarchy and masculinity have failed them…maybe too much.(0:00) What is a "pathetic man?" And how does he manipulate people?(4:18) How to spot a "pathetic man" in pop culture and real life(8:52) How men ask others to support him...rather than supporting himself(15:18) Why society is primed to excuse men's behavior(18:46) Pathetic men are the logical evolution of soft boys and baby girls(24:06) Women are in crisis too...so why do struggling men get all the attention? Interested in other episodes about modern dating? Check these out:"The End of Men" by Hanna RosinThe Embarrassing Truth of Dating MenIs he a good guy? Or is he manipulating you?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy