Sting Links Masculinity Crisis to Lost Manual Labor

Musician Sting has suggested that a decline in men engaging in daily physical labor may be a contributing factor to contemporary issues with toxic masculinity. He believes that the loss of "manual productivity" has left men without a proper "direction for their energy."

Sting's musical, 'The Last Ship,' which he wrote the music for, is scheduled for a West End run this September. The production is centered around the lives of men employed in a shipyard, mirroring the environment Sting grew up in before the closure of such industries.

The musical dramatizes the crisis of identity experienced by male characters who feel their sense of self is diminishing with the loss of their work. While acknowledging the harsh realities of shipyard labor, Sting expresses nostalgia for the "sense of community" and "civic pride" that was prevalent.

'The Last Ship' has undergone revisions since its initial debut and has toured internationally. Sting reflected on the challenges of creating an original musical, calling it the most rewarding exploit of his life. He also briefly commented on ongoing royalty disputes with his former bandmates in The Police.