Sting believes disappearance of physical labour fuels toxic masculinity

Music superstar Sting, 74, has shared his thoughts on the widespread rise of toxic masculinity. The rock legend suggests that the decline of physical labour may be a key contributing factor to the phenomenon.

Rock superstar Sting, aged 74, has offered his perspective on what he believes is driving the global spread of toxic masculinity, pointing to the disappearance of physically demanding work as a possible root cause.

The former frontman of The Police, who grew up in a working-class community in northeast England, has long spoken about the importance of hard work and purpose in shaping a man's identity. In his view, when men lose access to physically meaningful labour, a sense of direction and self-worth can erode — potentially giving rise to the kind of aggressive and destructive behaviour often described as toxic masculinity.

Sting's comments touch on a broader debate that has gained momentum in recent years, as economists and sociologists have noted the decline of traditional blue-collar industries across the Western world. The automation of factories, the outsourcing of manual jobs, and the shift toward a service-based economy have left many men without the roles that once defined their place in society.

The musician and activist has previously spoken about his own upbringing in Wallsend, a shipbuilding town near Newcastle, where men's identities were closely tied to physical work. He has described witnessing first-hand how the collapse of such industries can affect entire communities and the men within them.