According to recent statistics, single young men are wandering in a prolonged phase of immaturity and irresponsibility. Researcher Kay S. Hymowitz claims that single young men (or SYM's) often loiter "in a hormonal limbo between adolescence and adulthood." In this limbo SYM's "often seem to hang out in a playground of drinking, hooking up, playing [video games], and, in many cases, underachieving,"

Hymowitz points to one particularly telling statistic:

Once upon a time, video games were for little boys and girls … Those boys have grown up to become child-man gamers, turning a niche industry into a $12 billion powerhouse. Men between the ages of 18 and 34 are now the biggest gamers; according to Nielsen Media, almost half—48.2 percent—of American males in that age bracket had used a console during the last quarter of 2006, and did so, on average, two hours and 43 minutes per day. (That's 13 minutes longer than 12 to 17-year-olds, who evidently have more responsibilities than today's twentysomethings.)

But after analyzing these trends among SYM, Hymowitz offers a hopeful challenge, especially for followers of Christ: "With no one to challenge [young men] to deeper connections, they swim across life's surfaces … . Young men especially need a culture that can help them define worthy aspirations. Adults don't emerge. They're made."