Sheridan, USA October 04, 2025 Innovation Times Senior Correspondent
What if the tears men hide are actually the key to their healing? That is the question Dr. Cicone Prince poses in his powerful chapter If Men Don’t Cry, They Crumble, featured in the groundbreaking book Men Don’t Cry. His reflections cut through cultural silence and confront one of the most persistent myths in human history: that strength requires silence, and masculinity requires the suppression of tears.
Dr. Prince begins with a memory that remains vivid decades later. On March 10, 1978, he was nine years old, spending the night at his father’s house. It was the night the television series The Incredible Hulk premiered, and like many boys of his generation, he was captivated. Just as the transformation scene was unfolding, he was called away with the words no child wants to hear: “Son, go take a bath.” That moment of frustration is more than a childhood story. For Dr. Prince, it represents the earliest lessons in controlling emotions, in holding back expressions, and in entering a world where boys are told to “suck it up” or “stop crying.”
Through his personal narrative, Dr. Prince reveals how subtle commands given to young boys become deeply ingrained expectations of manhood. While he acknowledges the reasoning behind such statements, he warns that without context, these directives send boys into adulthood unequipped to process their emotions. Worse, they can leave men vulnerable to environments where their emotions are used as weapons against them.
The chapter speaks directly to men’s lived realities. “If men don’t cry, they crumble,” Dr. Prince insists. Suppressing pain does not erase it; it compounds it. Ignoring emotions does not make them disappear; it transforms them into hidden wounds that eventually manifest as anger, depression, broken relationships, or self-destruction.
Research supports his claim. Citing a 2021 YouGov survey, Dr. Prince points out that 41 percent of men in the United States admitted to crying at least once in the past month. Though this figure is lower than the 63 percent of women who reported the same, it still challenges the myth that men never cry. Men do cry, but often in secret, fearful of ridicule or rejection.
This secrecy is precisely why If Men Don’t Cry, They Crumble resonates so deeply. It validates the reality that men have emotions, and that those emotions deserve space, language, and expression. It exposes the cost of silence and opens the door to healing.
Dr. Prince does not simply describe the problem. He reframes crying as a pathway to health. Tears, he argues, are not weaknesses but releases. They cleanse, they communicate, and they connect. By allowing men to cry, society allows them to heal. By silencing men, society pushes them closer to collapse.
As World Mental Health Day approaches on October 10, the message of Dr. Prince’s chapter feels urgent and necessary. The global theme this year, Breaking the Silence: Men’s Mental Health and Access to Care in Times of Crisis, aligns seamlessly with the truths he shares. His presence at the summit on that day will underscore the need to dismantle destructive cultural expectations and to create safe spaces for men to be fully human.
For too long, men have been praised for their resilience but punished for their vulnerability. They have been asked to be protectors, providers, and pillars, yet denied the freedom to say, “I am not okay.” Dr. Prince’s words pierce through this hypocrisy. He challenges the world to acknowledge that emotional expression is not a betrayal of manhood, but its preservation.
Readers of Men Don’t Cry will find Dr. Prince’s chapter both personal and universal. His childhood memory may be unique, but the lesson it illustrates is shared by millions. Every man who has been told to “man up” or “be strong” will recognize themselves in his story. Every family that has watched a father, husband, or brother withdraw into silence will find clarity in his analysis.
The strength of this chapter lies not only in its honesty, but in its hope. Dr. Prince invites men to imagine a different future. What if boys were taught that their emotions are valid? What if men were encouraged to shed tears as naturally as they share laughter? What if the act of crying was seen not as shameful, but as courageous?
The implications reach beyond individuals. Families thrive when men are emotionally healthy. Communities stabilize when men have outlets for their struggles. Nations prosper when men are not crumbling under the weight of unspoken pain. In this way, Dr. Prince’s message is not only about men; it is about the very fabric of society.
He writes with urgency because the cost of silence is too high. Men who suppress their emotions often experience health problems, strained relationships, and isolation. Some do not survive the weight. By encouraging men to cry, Dr. Prince is offering not sentiment, but survival.
If Men Don’t Cry, They Crumble is a challenge to stereotypes. It is a rejection of the lie that manhood requires silence. It is a call to courage, urging men to reclaim their right to feel and to heal.
For men, this chapter offers a mirror. For families, it offers understanding. For society, it offers a path forward. To read it is to confront a cultural myth that has destroyed too many lives. To share it is to participate in building a more humane world.
World Mental Health Day on October 10 is more than a symbolic date. It is an opportunity for leaders, communities, and families to take action. By engaging with resources like Men Don’t Cry, people everywhere can contribute to a movement that saves lives.
Dr. Prince’s voice is also a reminder that true strength is not measured in silence but in honesty. The men who dare to cry are not weak; they are whole. The families who allow men to be vulnerable are not diminished; they are strengthened.
This is why Men Don’t Cry is more than a book. It is a resource, a movement, and a mandate. It belongs in homes, schools, workplaces, and faith institutions. It belongs in the hands of every man who has ever been told to hide his tears.
The book is now available worldwide, making it accessible to readers across different platforms:
In the end, Dr. Cicone Prince’s chapter carries a simple but revolutionary message: if men don’t cry, they crumble. The world cannot afford that cost. It is time to give men back their tears, and with them, their healing.
Men Don’t Cry is a book that will not only change minds but save lives. Reading it is not just an act of learning; it is an act of love, courage, and humanity.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Cicone Prince is a highly sought-after International Motivational Speaker, Award-Winning Author, and Personal Development Strategist who helps people take an objective look at themselves. He is the CEO of CiconePrince.com whose slogan is “Making Motivation Personal by Introducing You to Yourself” ™
The core of his work is learning to recognize limiting beliefs and replacing them with a clearer understanding of ones gifting and the need to show up for others. With an Associate’s Degree and a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronic Engineering, Dr. Prince has used his love of learning to continue educating himself. He then passes on those lessons via engaging stories and illustrations during his motivational speeches. Dr. Prince is married to Yolanda Prince and they have 5 children, Marcellus,
Christin, Jessica, Taylor, and Johnathan
