Why some men are opting out of life and escaping into digital media

Article here. Excerpt:

'University of Notre Dame anthropologist Michael Jindra first noticed in the late 1990s that more and more, his students, particularly the young men, seemed less invested in their studies.

“It’s hard to describe. It just seemed like their heads were someplace else,” Jindra said. “More than in the past.”

Jindra talked to some of his struggling students and found various reasons for their academic performance, but one thing stood out: all-night video game marathons.

A theory took root that Jindra's been studying ever since — a cultural shift is under way, a kind of escapism where a growing number of young people, especially men, are becoming more invested in recreational pursuits to “escape” their traditional social roles, like being fathers or career-driven providers.'