“The most dangerous person in the world is a man that is broken and alone.”

Scott Galloway wrote these words while describing a crisis that has been building quietly for decades. Today, it sits in plain sight. Boys and young men across America are falling behind socially, emotionally, and economically. They are falling farther, faster than any cohort in recent memory. And the consequences reach every family, every community, every school, and ultimately, every one of us.

A surprisingly simple path to happiness.

New research from Cornell and Movember confirms what Camping to Connect has practiced all along: happiness grows from purpose and community, not self-focus.

Every time our young men step into the outdoors to mentor, lead, and contribute, they discover what the science is now proving—connection is the cure.

Read how purpose, nature, and brotherhood are changing lives

When the van door slides open, it’s often met with hesitation. The young men inside step out cautiously. There’s a moment, brief yet profound, when the silence of the woods settles around them. One of them, usually around 14 or 15 years old, whispers incredulously, “I didn’t know it could be this quiet.” That quiet is the first exhale; a subtle, significant release from the constant tension of urban survival.