Podcast Summary: On with Kara Swisher

Episode: Why Scott Galloway Wants Us To Celebrate Masculinity, Not Diminish It

Host: Kara Swisher
Guest: Scott Galloway
Release Date: November 3, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode features a candid discussion between Kara Swisher and her Pivot co-host Scott Galloway about the challenges facing men and boys in modern society, inspired by Galloway’s new book Notes on Being a Man. Both reflect on personal experience, research, and social trends, questioning how masculinity is currently defined, portrayed in media and politics, and what a healthier, more inclusive model might look like. The episode explores the role of fathers, the impact of economic shifts, the dating landscape, and what reforms—personal and policy—can help young men redefine themselves and thrive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Talk About Young Men Now?

• Personal Motivation: Galloway describes his shift from focusing on his sons to broader concerns about young men lacking direction, mentorship, and a moral code (05:03).
• Early Stigma: Addressing young men’s struggles used to provoke backlash, as the topic was seen as a far-right talking point, but is now gaining more mainstream attention (05:03).
• Statistics: Galloway cites high rates of suicide among young men, millions out of work or education, and social isolation fueled by technology (05:03–05:55).
• Code & Role Models: He emphasizes the need for a modern code of masculinity, which can serve as a guiding principle, replacing traditional sources like religion, family, or military (05:55–07:12).

“Every young person needs a code to help them sort through and navigate the thousands of decisions they make every day... I think that masculinity can serve as a code when it’s described in an aspirational, updated way.”
— Scott Galloway (06:37)

2. The Gender Divide and Parental Influence

• Comparing Boys and Girls: Girls are “pulling away” from boys in academic and social maturity, leading to fewer viable male partners and a drop in men’s college attainment and economic prospects (07:31–09:16).
• Mother’s Influence: Galloway’s close relationship with his immigrant, single mother gave him confidence, but he laments lacking male role models, noting that boys in single-parent households often face worse outcomes than girls (10:41–12:49).
• Role Models (Positive & Negative): Galloway shares touching stories about mentors like his mother’s boyfriend and a stockbroker who fostered his confidence—and highlights the urgent need for more male mentorship without suspicion (12:53–17:32).

“While boys are physically stronger, they’re emotionally and mentally much weaker than girls.”
— Scott Galloway (11:42)

3. Constructing a Modern Masculinity

• Three Pillars: Galloway’s “three-legged stool” of masculinity—Provide, Protect, Procreate—goes beyond stereotypes, emphasizing emotional and economic support, active partnership, and kindness (28:13–35:10).
• Protection Redefined: True masculinity means noticing others’ needs and providing a sense of security, not aggression or dominance (30:30–31:43).
• Kindness as a Secret Weapon: Galloway and comedian Michelle Wolf discuss why kindness, though basic, is transformative for men—a theme echoed throughout (35:23–38:08).

“The only time I’ve ever felt sated is late at night. My kids are asleep...I know my partner feels secure and safe and protected. And I feel like, quite frankly, I feel like a man. I feel like my life makes sense.”
— Scott Galloway (29:15)

4. Masculinity in Contemporary Politics & Culture

• Trump, Musk & The Manosphere: Swisher and Galloway unpack how aggressive, coarse role models have filled the vacuum for young men (43:33–45:13), while the left often only offers men the alternative of “acting more like women” (49:21).
• Risk vs. Cruelty: Healthy masculinity values risk-taking and valor, not coarseness or cruelty. Galloway calls for new role models who are strong yet kind—naming figures like Van Jones, Richard Reeves, Obama, and even Hillary Clinton for her “masculine” strengths (49:26–51:29).
• Zero-sum Falsehood: He strongly refutes the idea that helping boys comes at the cost of women or marginalized groups (45:52–47:50).

“The greatest alliance in history is the alliance between men and women…anything that helps men must also support women, and vice versa.”
— Scott Galloway (46:14)

5. Policy & Cultural Solutions

• Education: Delay school start (“redshirt” boys), recruit more male teachers, rethink suspensions, increase physical activity, and support vocational training alongside traditional college (52:53–54:10).
• Social Infrastructure: Subsidize “third places” where people can socialize outside school or work, supporting healthy relationship formation (55:10–55:56).
• National Service: Proposes mandatory national service for all youths to bridge divides and cultivate responsibility (55:10–55:56).
• Economic Policy: Reform tax structures that disadvantage young people, expand university access, and adapt to automation (54:10–55:10).

“If you are not expanding your freshman class size faster than population growth, you lose your tax-free status. Universities are public servants, not fucking Chanel bags.”
— Scott Galloway (54:13)

6. Personal Reflections & Emotional Core

• Fatherhood as Purpose: Galloway discusses how being a father shifted his focus from career and affirmation to nurturing his sons, learning he’s “not their friend, I’m their dad” (59:23–60:50).
• On Regrets: He’s candid about not being present in his sons’ early years due to work, seeing economic provision as necessary in a capitalist society, but also learning to balance (22:41–26:55).
• Learning from Parents: Despite disappointment in his own father, Galloway acknowledges inherited strengths like communication and risk-taking, and urges empathy for parental imperfection (56:20–59:13).

“What I have learned from my boys or what they’ve given me is I finally have a sense of purpose for the first time in my life.”
— Scott Galloway (59:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On mentorship and masculinity:
  “If we want better men, we have to be better men.” – Scott Galloway (16:04)

• On young men’s struggles:
  “My biggest supporters are single mothers... A lot of them are feminists who say something’s going on.” – Scott Galloway (07:58)

• On the current vacuum for boys:
  “The right has incorrectly conflated masculinity with coarseness and cruelty. The left has said the answer is, ‘act more like a woman.’ I don’t think either is right.” – Scott Galloway (49:20)

• On the value of humor and kindness:
  “My interpretation of a woman: I’m laughing, I’m laughing, I’m naked… The secret weapon is kindness.” – Scott Galloway (34:36)

• On women and toughness:
  “If a guy’s harsh and he’s Steve Jobs, he’s cruel but smart, a genius. If you had a female Steve Jobs in the 90s, I can’t even imagine the words that would have been used.” – Scott Galloway (38:08)

• On the personal cost of provision:
  “One of the worst days of my childhood was when I lost my second jacket…because we just couldn’t afford the $30 for a jacket.” – Scott Galloway (23:10)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction / Why Focus on Boys: 04:45–07:18
• Galloway’s Upbringing & Influence of His Mother: 10:41–12:51
• Male Mentorship & Action Items: 12:53–17:32
• Defining Modern Masculinity: 28:13–35:10
• Kindness, Humor, and Dating: 35:23–38:02
• Masculinity in Politics (Trump, Musk, Left/Right Models): 43:33–51:29
• Policy Solutions (Education, National Service, Social “Third Places”): 52:53–55:56
• Legacy and Learning from His Father: 56:20–59:13
• Parenthood and Finding Purpose: 59:23–60:53

Tone & Style

The conversation is equal parts introspective, vulnerable, humorous, and critical—mixing data, anecdotes, and thoughtful critique. Galloway’s candor and Swisher’s incisive questions create an atmosphere of honesty and practical hope, aiming to spark a more constructive discourse about masculinity.

Conclusion

Scott Galloway and Kara Swisher collaboratively challenge outdated notions of masculinity, advocate for robust support—personal, social, political—for boys and men, and call for a collective reclamation of male purpose rooted in care, kindness, and strength. The episode is an accessible, nuanced starting point for all seeking to better understand—and resolve—the crisis facing modern young men.