The Decline of Fatherhood David Popenoe’s “The Decline of Fatherhood” discusses the rapid decay of our children due to the loss of male parenting. Popenoe’s use of logos and ethos are efficient in the context of the paper to relate the behavior of present day children due to the growing absence of fatherly figures. The author, however, uses very little if any emotional appeal; but because of the nature and direction of the writing, the lack of pathos has no profound effect on the overall intent of David Popenoe’s purpose. “The Decline of Fatherhood”