Western Men Going Soft?

A newspaper article I found:

'Australian men are going soft. That's the conclusion being drawn from a survey of 1000 Aussie men, which rated their "blokey-ness".

'Asked questions about how often they played footy, got dirty under the bonnet of their car or used moisturiser, the number who responded that they take good care of their skin far outweighed the number who know what a socket wrench is for.

'The iconic "hard Aussie bloke" is a dying breed, according to the survey, commissioned by Kirks Brewed Ginger Beer.

'Only five per cent of all Australian men regularly play a game of football with their friends, almost 50 per cent admit it has been months since they tinkered with their car and shed ownership has dropped 27 per cent over the course of a generation.

'On the flipside, concern for skin care is growing and Australian men are not afraid to wear pink.

'Cleansing with face wash was practised by 44 per cent and one per cent more used moisturiser.

'Almost a third said they owned an item of pink clothing.

'Last year Popular Mechanics magazine lambasted American males for losing touch with their DIY abilities.

'The article's author, Glenn Harlan Reynolds, wrote that although there was no archive for tracking men's handiness "there is... a lot of anecdotal evidence that what used to be taken for granted as ordinary mechanical skills now amounts to something unusual".

Popular Mechanics' list of 25 skills every man should know:

1. Patch a radiator hose
2. Protect your computer
3. Rescue a boater who has capsized
4. Frame a wall
5. Retouch digital photos
6. Back up a trailer
7. Build a campfire
8. Fix a dead outlet
9. Navigate with a map and compass
10. Use a torque wrench
11. Sharpen a knife
12. Perform CPR
13. Fillet a fish
14. Manoeuvre a car out of a skid
15. Get a car unstuck
16. Back up data
17. Paint a room
18. Mix concrete
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle
20. Change oil and filter
21. Hook up an HDTV
22. Bleed brakes
23. Paddle a canoe
24. Fix a bike flat
25. Extend your wireless network

from : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/6/story.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10508013