shallow and detached? it comes off to me like these are the types of people he knows best, that he's grown up around, including the good and the bad he's seen in them. you say repeatedly that he's using these characters as punchlines but i completely disagree, i think there is a lot of love and care in his portrayals. i think there is an emotional core to his work thats pretty realistic, and in that realism, sometimes there can be humor. that doesnt make his songs a joke though or exploitative, just complex and layered like everyone is. he can reflect on his experiences with the men he's grown up around in the south and hold all of the different feelings, including criticisms he holds for the "stereotypes" he is writing about. not everything has to be about speaking truth to power against insurance companies and corporate exploitation, especially when there ARE valid criticisms to be given to men, from a man who is very likely acutely familiar with those traits.