( CNN ) -- `` That 's the second unmanly thing you 've done today , '' is the punch line of the most frequently played Miller Lite ad during NFL games . It ends with the ultimatum , `` Man up . '' In a new McDonald 's commercial , two newlyweds delay their honeymoon after the man hears that McDonald 's is featuring the McRib sandwich again . The woman says in disbelief , `` I married a 14-year-old . '' If popular culture is any indicator , manliness is on our minds . Six new TV shows this fall focus on man 's role in society and the family , according to the Wall Street Journal . Three are appropriately titled , `` Last Man Standing , '' `` How To Be A Gentleman , '' and `` Man Up ! '' Something is going on here . In all these shows , men have become the butt of the jokes . From weakness to irresponsibility to immaturity , the modern idea of manhood is in doubt . A shift in cultural norms , a changing workforce and the rise of women have left many men in an identity crisis . It makes for good comedy , but bad families . Although men remain at the top of the heap in terms of compensation and job status , particularly in fields like science , business , and politics , things are changing . This year there will be more women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies than ever before . And for the first time , American women now gain more advanced college degrees , as well as bachelor 's degrees , than American men . My first CNN column on this subject identified what I think are the common problems with some men today : deficiencies in work , marriage and faith . The overwhelming response I received , from men and women alike , worries me . Many women told me the problems are much worse than I described . They explained to me how they have to lower their standards to find a man . Young women , in particular , complained that men are dragging them down and holding them back . As one woman told me , if 60 is the new 40 for men , then 25 is the new 13 . Most feminists are not celebrating the decline of men and shouting it from the rooftops . Certainly , the far-left feminist movement has sought to diminish the role of men , but a majority of women want able , competent men of their equal . Strong men make stronger women ( and vice versa ) and stronger families , and women want that . Many men today are n't sure what they want . In developed Western countries , man has unprecedented freedom to chose , to a degree heretofore unknown , a life of his own wanting and design . A mere hundred years ago , man could n't afford to dawdle in limbo between adolescence and manhood ; manhood was thrust upon him for survival . Today , more opportunity lies at his feet than ever . Yet with this increased opportunity comes increased confusion , and the response on the part of some men has not been encouraging . Take the Occupy Wall Street movement , for instance . While diverse and scattered , some of the mottos and slogans on display are in stark contrast to the traditional and time-tested ideas of manliness . Instead of industriousness , responsibility and entrepreneurship , these men demand free college education , required living wages and greater distribution of someone else 's wealth . Rather than look inward and rely on their own self-sufficiency , they look for a handout . A man 's livelihood once depended on his hands , back and brain . Today , the government can do all that for him , if he lets it . The struggle between dependency and freedom has provoked many to ask the question : How does one be a man today ? Boys become men through mimesis -- the Greek word for imitation . Boys look to role models , from parents to coaches to teachers to fictional characters , for actions they should imitate . The forces of imitation can be either constructive or destructive , making it essential that boys imitate the right kind of men . My brother and I were raised by a single mother , but she went through any pains necessary to put good men in our lives -- good priests , teachers and coaches . As a child , I had many heroes . I was drawn to Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane in `` High Noon . '' He was n't the toughest and coolest guy , but his compassion and strength were inspiring . Through the instruction of my family and teachers I was exposed to other heroes and heroines , like Lou Gehrig , Abraham Lincoln , King David , Esther , Mother Courage , the Rev . Martin Luther King Jr. and so on . Today , heroes like these are in shorter supply . Ask a boy today who his hero or heroine is . The answer , or lack thereof , will speak volumes . We must teach our boys what is to be loved and imitated . As the writer Tom Wolfe said , we must engage in a great relearning . It is our generation 's task to instruct and train our boys to be men . As Proverbs says , train a child in the way he should go , and when he is old he will not turn from it . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of William J. Bennett .
William Bennett : Ads , TV shows focus on the changing role of men . In the shows , men have become the butt of the jokes , he says . Bennett : The modern idea of manhood is in doubt . He says it 's important for people to train a new generation of young men .