Podcast Summary: Solutions with Henry Blodget – "Scott Galloway Says Men Should 'Protect, Provide, and Procreate'"

Podcast: Solutions with Henry Blodget
Host: Henry Blodget, Vox Media Podcast Network
Guest: Scott Galloway, NYU Professor, Author, Host of Pivot
Air Date: December 8, 2025
Episode Theme: Rethinking modern masculinity; addressing the crisis facing young men; what it means to "protect, provide, and procreate" in a rapidly changing society

Episode Overview

Henry Blodget sits down with Scott Galloway to discuss Galloway’s bestselling book, Notes on Being a Man. The conversation centers on the challenges facing modern men—falling rates of workforce and romantic engagement, loss of purpose, and societal confusion over evolving gender roles. Scott’s mantra that men should “protect, provide, and procreate” is the backbone for a wide-ranging, sometimes provocative exploration of gender dynamics, economic trends, personal history, and potential solutions for building a better, more inclusive definition of modern manhood.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Masculinity Crisis and its Manifestations

• Blodget opens by summarizing Galloway’s argument: America faces a masculinity crisis as men struggle with self-esteem, purpose, and the transition to a new economy and society ([01:46]).
• Galloway observes that, "Men on almost every dimension are just falling behind. Young men are not attaching to work, not attaching to school, not attaching to romantic partners. And they wake up at 30, obese, angry, more prone to conspiracy theory, more prone to blaming immigrants for their economic problems, more prone to blaming women for romantic problems. And they become, quite frankly, shitty citizens" ([01:05]).
• Cites data: Men are struggling in education (soon to be outnumbered 2 to 1 in college grads), relationships (only 1 in 3 men under 30 is in a relationship), and employment (1 in 7 young men is a NEET: Not in Employment, Education, or Training) ([12:31], [16:01]).

2. The "Protect, Provide, Procreate" Mantra — Traditional or Modern?

• Galloway’s book describes these as core male responsibilities—but both host and guest stress that these traits are, in nuanced ways, human traits, not just male ([05:04]).
• Galloway: "I don't think these attributes are sequestered to people born as men or women. I think a lot of women demonstrate wonderful masculinity. I think a lot of men demonstrate wonderful femininity." ([06:18])
• Explains the evolutionary roots and societal persistence of certain gender expectations, like women choosing men with resources and men feeling compelled to demonstrate economic viability, even as these roles evolve ([06:16]).

3. How Societal (and Personal) Attitudes Shape Gender Roles in Relationships

• Topic: What is a woman’s job, if male roles are "protect, provide, procreate"?
  • Galloway addresses pushback: notes that women both protect and provide, often in emotional or communal ways ([05:04]-[06:16]).
• Points to data: When women out-earn men in relationships, divorce rates rise and male self-esteem and even sexual function suffer ([06:16]).
• Blodget challenges the assumption that only men must provide, referencing his own daughters and their ambitions ([16:13]).
• Galloway: “Sometimes being a provider is getting out of the way and being more supportive because she’s better at this whole money thing than you.” ([10:46])

4. The Changing Nature of Relationships and Mating — and Why Young Men Struggle

• Galloway highlights how dating app algorithms concentrate attention on a small minority of men ("six feet, six figures") ([31:27]).
• Discusses the importance of kindness, humor, discipline, and intellect as qualities women find attractive alongside resources ([31:27]-[34:00]).
• Memorable quote: “The most underleveraged weapon in the mating world is kindness…” ([34:00])

5. Redefining Providing and Protecting At Home and At Work

• Encourages men to find new meanings of providing/protecting—such as being a devoted caregiver (e.g., as with his friend’s father-in-law) ([22:34]).
• Argues that household contributions such as emotional labor and childcare should be celebrated as legitimate forms of “providing” ([23:36]).

6. Solutions: Economic and Social Policy, and Personal Development

• Policy ideas:
  • Dramatically raise the minimum wage ($25/hour) to fight economic anxiety ([50:18]-[53:42]).
  • Universal childcare and child tax credit to bolster family formation and economic resilience ([59:58]).
  • End the massive wealth transfer from young to old (e.g., via Social Security) ([53:42]).
  • Make it acceptable (culturally and financially) for men to work in “female-coded” professions (healthcare, education) ([51:13]-[51:25]).
• Personal solutions:
  • Men must adapt to changes in the workplace and relationship expectations.
  • Both partners in a relationship must contribute: “Everyone has to bring a partnership. That's the term.” ([42:14])
  • Encourages society to stop shaming men whose partners earn more or who take on traditionally “feminine” roles ([44:36]).

7. The Importance of Role Models, Resilience, and Opportunity

• Galloway shares deeply personal stories about his mother, who sacrificed and bolstered his confidence after his father left. Her faith in him was transformative ([56:40]).
• Research shows boys, more than girls, are at risk when losing a male role model; Galloway highlights the need for strong, supportive figures and “planting as many acorns as possible” with social programs ([57:41]-[59:19]).
• Story about Galloway’s college path: He didn’t get into UCLA initially, but appealed the decision and succeeded—a testament to the importance of persistence, second chances, and forgiving institutions ([62:44]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Scott Galloway (on masculinity crisis):
  “The most unstable, violent countries in the world have a preponderance of one thing, and that is broke, lonely men.” ([01:05])

• On traditional vs. modern gender roles:
  “I think a lot of women demonstrate wonderful masculinity. I think a lot of men demonstrate wonderful femininity… on the provider standpoint, I think it's wonderful that women are making more money. We should do nothing to get in the way of that.” ([06:18])

• On the modern partnership:
  “Everyone has to bring a partnership. That's the term.” ([42:14])

• On the importance of kindness:
  "What is underleveraged is this kindness practice... it is the most underleveraged weapon in the mating world is kindness." ([34:00])

• On adapting to new relationship dynamics:
  “Sometimes being a provider is getting out of the way of your partner and being more supportive because she's better at this whole money thing than you.” ([10:46])

• On economic anxiety and relationships:
  "The primary cause of divorce isn't infidelity or lack of shared values. It's economic anxiety." ([40:58])

• On personal growth:
  “I was not born a kind person. Everything was about me, literally fucking me all the time until about the age of 40. And then I realized, okay, I gotta get beyond this. And I started a kindness practice.” ([34:00])

• On his mother’s support:
  “Having this like, wonderful person tell you you're wonderful, it just anchors your…” ([59:58])

• On his college ‘second chance’:
  “America's about betting on unremarkable people. You want to plant as many acorns as possible because no institution or person can be the arbiter of greatness at the age of 18. You just don't know.” ([64:08])

Timestamps for Core Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------|------------------| | Masculinity crisis description | [01:05] - [01:46]| | What is a man's job? What about women? | [04:57] - [06:18]| | How relationships are changing | [09:18] - [12:31]| | Galloway on the negative impacts on young men | [12:31] - [16:13]| | Updating providing & protecting | [19:05] - [23:36]| | Attraction, mating, and the “six feet, six figures” standard | [31:27] - [34:00]| | Partnership and emotional labor | [42:11] - [44:36]| | Economic policy and lifting up young people | [50:18] - [53:42]| | Galloway’s childhood & importance of support | [56:40] - [59:58]| | College second-chance story | [62:44] - [64:08]| | Final reflection on the evolving vision of masculinity | [66:32] - [67:08]|

Takeaways and Tone

• Both Galloway and Blodget are frank, self-reflective, and empathetic. The tone is thought-provoking, sometimes provocative (with Galloway's characteristic no-BS style), but intent on finding practical, actionable solutions.
• The importance of expanding the definition of masculinity is stressed repeatedly, as is the need to support all young people, regardless of gender, with updated economic and social policies.
• Galloway’s call is not to reinstate old gender roles, but to bring practical, honest conversation and “tough love” to a crisis that affects everyone.

Conclusion

This episode offers a refreshingly candid examination of masculinity, social change, and practical solutions for men’s (and society’s) current struggles. Galloway’s personal stories provide heart, Blodget’s questions probe for accountability and nuance, and both underscore the urgent need—for both men and women—to build futures of real partnership and mutual support. Highly recommended for anyone interested in gender, economics, or simply navigating the modern world.