Then why are they flocking to the military and the church instead of mutual aid organizations and general interest groups?

Plenty of people (including young men) want hope and community, and are finding it through means that don’t involve violence and suppression. If you don’t support violence and suppression on some level, you won’t seek community with people who do.

Does economics play a factor? Sure, but the other commenter said “many” not all or even the majority, and there’s little evidence to the contrary showing that these men are actually interested in patriotism and godliness and not the other aspects of these outlets. They don’t want to give up their vices, they just like that some churches say they should own women. They don’t want to protect their country and its values, they want to commit acts of violence. Maybe they feel this way because of the current economic and social climate, but acting as though they don’t feel this way is naive.