Modern Wisdom #1013 - Scott Galloway: How to Fix a Culture of Emasculated Men

Host: Chris Williamson
Guest: Scott Galloway
Date: October 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this frank, energetic conversation, Chris Williamson sits down in-person with bestselling author, academic, and entrepreneur Scott Galloway to dissect what’s broken in modern masculinity—and how society can address the “male crisis.” Galloway argues that we’ve entered a culture that denigrates masculinity, fails to support young men, and creates a mating crisis with far-reaching societal consequences. Through personal anecdotes, sharp data points, and cultural critique, the two discuss not just the problems but possible solutions, from policy shifts to individual mindsets.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Framing the “Male Crisis”: Why Talking About Struggling Men Is Taboo

• Societal Blind Spots and Biases

  • Chris and Scott reflect on why conversations about male struggles require a land acknowledgment of women’s struggles first.
  • Galloway frames it as “muscle memory” from eras when men dominated opportunity, but says the bias now prevents honest discussions about where men are falling behind ([00:49]–[06:17]).
  • Quote:
    • “If you go to the DNC...the only group that wasn’t mentioned is the group that on any metric has fallen further faster...young men.” —Scott Galloway [26:29]

• Comparisons between Genders and Public Reactions

  • Galloway observes that positive statements about women’s progress are received well, while similar commentary on men evokes discomfort or accusations of sexism ([02:42]).
  • “Women make better doctors, lawyers, consultants… People acknowledge that. If you say men might, on average, have the skills to be better entrepreneurs… there's a very uncomfortable pause.” —Scott Galloway [02:42]

2. The Data: Where Men Are Losing Ground

• College Enrollment and Academic Outcomes

  • College enrollment has flipped from 60:40 male:female to 60:40 the other way, with men dropping out at higher rates ([08:25]).
  • “It would be politically unpalatable to suggest affirmative action for men. But this is what's happening in schools. There's informal, under the radar affirmative action because admissions directors...don't feel welcome at college.” —Scott Galloway [09:23]

• Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Societal Consequences

  • Men not in romantic relationships are at increased risk of substance abuse and self-harm ([12:17]).
  • “A lack of romantic relationship...men, oftentimes...pour that energy back into unproductive things. One in three men who don't cohabit with a woman or are married by the time they're 30...1 in 3 chance they're substance abuser.” —Scott Galloway [12:17]
  • Women continue to pour their energy into friends or professional life, while men often spiral.

3. Cultural Narratives and Gendered Expectations

• Soft Bigotry of Male Expectations

  • Chris introduces the concept: while lauding women for excelling in traditional male domains, society looks down on attributes or achievements traditionally coded female ([15:00]–[19:03]).
  • “Whatever men do is seen as desirable for women...but if we laud what women can do that men can’t do, that’s somehow lesser. And I was like— that's really fucking sexist.” —Chris Williamson [18:00]

• Shame and Stigma Around Non-traditional Roles

  • Both sexes experience shame for deviating from traditional roles (e.g., stay-at-home dads face unique stigma) ([19:20]).
  • “If a man isn’t economically… There’s a general stereotype that a man who's a stay-at-home dad didn’t choose it—because he's not a real man and can't make a living.” —Scott Galloway [19:20]

• Celebrating Masculine and Feminine Attributes

  • The hosts argue for embracing distinct male and female energies: risk-taking, strength, nurturing, intuition, etc.
  • “Being strong physically, being prone to taking risks, being in some cases aggressive. Those are wonderful attributes.” —Scott Galloway [21:13]

4. Policy, Economics, and Mating Markets

• Structure of Opportunities and Sex Roles

  • Tax policies, gig economy, education structure—all disproportionately transfer wealth from young to old, benefitting those already established ([10:17]).
  • Economic viability is disproportionately important for a man’s romantic prospects; rising female success creates a “tall girl problem”—as women rise, their dating pool shrinks to the rareified, least-available men ([11:28]).

• Marriage as a "Luxury Good"

  • Marriage rates stratify by economic class; the “new luxury item is marriage” for upper quintile income men ([69:31]).

5. The Solution Space

• National Service and Universal Programs

  • Galloway proposes mandatory national service (military, civic) for all young people—disproportionately benefiting floundering young men but not limited to them ([29:51]–[31:02]).
  • “If I'm in a foxhole next to you...I don't give a flying fuck what your sexual orientation is...I care about your character and your competence.” —Scott Galloway [30:47]

• Reframing Masculine “Code”

  • Advocates for a positive, aspirational code built around providing, protecting, and procreating—with "surplus value" (putting more in than you take out) as the true mark of manhood ([63:27], [88:46]).
  • “I think masculinity...could serve as a great code. But we need an aspirational form of it.... The three legs of the stool are: provider, protector, procreator.” —Scott Galloway [64:44]

• The Importance of Fathers and Male Mentorship

  • “If you look at the single point of failure, it's when a boy loses a male role model.... The moment a boy loses a male role model...he becomes more likely at that moment to be incarcerated than graduate from college.” —Scott Galloway [39:08]
  • There’s a shortage of men willing or able to serve as Big Brothers or mentors.

6. The Social Media and Tech Disruption

• Online Life and Loss of Third Places

  • Men have fewer “third spaces” (work, pubs, community) to showcase excellence and form connections due to remote work, declining church attendance, pandemic aftermath ([55:16]).
  • Social media feeds addiction, rage, and isolation—eroding real-world relationships.
  • “We are...evolving a new species of asocial, asexual males where we're literally planning our own extinction.” —Scott Galloway [57:14]

• Romantic Risk and Dating App Dynamics

  • The cautiousness and fear sown by “MeToo” and online discourse have led risk-averse, less confident guys to stop approaching women; this leaves only the most aggressive men to succeed in dating ([44:41]).
  • “If you don’t know the difference between harassing somebody and expressing interest while making them feel safe, you got bigger problems.” —Scott Galloway [49:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• True Equality and Discomfort
  “True equality is when you have to put up with the same level of shit that everybody else does.”
  —Chris Williamson [07:59]

• On National Service
  “Some of the lowest levels of young adult depression in the Western world are in Israel, despite all the existential threats. ...They're not on their phones...They're learning to serve in the agency of each other.”
  —Scott Galloway [30:07]

• On Dating and Kindness
  “I think that's kind of the secret weapon. What I tell men is to start establishing a kindness practice such that it becomes second nature and women will notice.”
  —Scott Galloway [98:20]

• On Fatherhood and Mentorship
  “Very few people, except a father figure...can communicate both those things in equal measure and have it really resonate with a boy. I just think there's certain things that men can do for boys that is very difficult for women and vice versa.”
  —Scott Galloway [36:34]

• The Measure of a Man
  “At what point are you adding more value than you’re extracting? ... The point is to get to surplus value...”
  —Scott Galloway [88:46]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Main Problem with Discussing Male Issues: [00:18]–[02:42]
• College Gender Imbalance & Affirmative Action: [08:25]–[10:17]
• Economic Factors and Mating Markets: [11:28]–[13:32]
• Discussing Traditional vs. Contemporary Gender Roles: [19:20]–[22:11]
• Affirmative Action & Class over Race: [24:07]–[26:29]
• DNC Blind Spots on Young Men: [26:29]–[28:15]
• National Service as a Solution: [29:51]–[31:02]
• On Role Models and Single Mothers: [36:34]–[40:21]
• Third Spaces and Digital Disruption: [55:16]–[57:14]
• Dating App Dynamics and Female Preferences: [69:07]–[74:36], [75:09]–[76:05]
• Galloway’s Code: Provider, Protector, Procreator: [63:27]–[90:11]
• Kindness vs. Niceness in Dating: [94:55]–[98:20]

Closing Thoughts

Chris and Scott’s conversation is a comprehensive, deeply insightful, and provocative exploration of modern male malaise. They offer both a diagnosis—rooted in data, culture, and personal observation—and a possible path forward that stresses competence, kindness, risk-taking, and the reclamation of masculinity as a force for good. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of gender, relationships, and society.

Scott Galloway’s New Book: "Notes on Being a Man" (out Nov 4, 2025) [104:59]

Recommended Segment:
Scott’s distilled “masculine code”—Provider, Protector, Procreator [63:27]
Chris’s essay on supporting men with inspiration and compassion [33:22]

This summary captures the original wit, candor, and depth of the conversation, heavily featuring Scott Galloway’s direct speech and Chris Williamson’s pointed questions and ideas. For full context and nuance, the accompanying timestamps guide you directly to critical exchanges.