What makes a man?

Perspective Media
April 27, 2025

THIS WEEK’S DEEP DIVE
The making of a man
BY STEVE BIDDULPH

Steve Biddulph reflects on his four decades of work understanding and healing male dysfunction. Through his journey from clinical psychologist to bestselling author, he explores how supporting fathers, providing boys with positive role models and fostering emotional intelligence can help create a new generation of men equipped to face contemporary challenges.

READ THE FULL STORY

People

Reputations: Martin Amis

Boris Starling examines the complex legacy of Martin Amis who died in May 2023. Through analysis of his literary achievements, public persona and personal relationships, he reveals how Amis transcended the traditional role of novelist to become a cultural figure whose influence extended far beyond the literary world.

www.perspectivemedia.com/martin-amis

❝

“Writers die twice,” he said, “once when the body dies, and once when the talent dies.” It was his, and our, fortune that the two came very close together in his case

Comment

Our low-down on big issues

Free for all

Peter Phelps reflects on how his youthful embrace of hedonistic freedom in 1980s Australia gave way to a deeper understanding of liberty's true meaning. Contrasting his university days with his recent move to canal boat living, he examines how unbridled individualism and deregulation created a false vision of freedom that ultimately restricted genuine liberty for most.

www.perspectivemedia.com/free-for-all

❝

For all its sense of rugged individualism, I’ve learnt that living on the canal also means being part of a community that takes care of its own: where the freedom of one relies on the freedom of all

Life

Ask Dr Ash: on risk and mortality

Dr Ash Ranpura responds to two reader questions: on teenage risk-taking and fear of mortality. Through a blend of neuroscience, personal anecdotes and natural observations, he explores how our brains process risk differently at different life stages, while offering compassionate insights into managing both parental anxiety and existential dread.

www.perspectivemedia.com/teenage-risk-and-fear-or-mortality

❝

For an adult, risk is anything that threatens survival; for an adolescent it’s anything that threatens social standing

Support us

Perspective’s mission is to bring everyone back to the room for a conversation. Join us and discover a wealth of content not found elsewhere, from thought leaders, award-winning journalists and experts – visit perspectivemedia.com for more.