The Ben Shapiro Show – Ep. 2306: Generation Z(ohran)?!

October 29, 2025 | Host: Ben Shapiro

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the rise of Zoran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and leading mayoral candidate in New York City, and what his popularity signals about Generation Z's political leanings, broader youth radicalization, and the state of American politics. Ben Shapiro examines polling data, discusses the generational and institutional origins of leftist radicalism, critiques the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and interviews Senator Bill Hagerty on the alleged FBI targeting of Republican Senators and broader national and international political issues.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Zoran Mamdani Phenomenon and New York City Mayoral Race

• Mamdani leads despite unpopular policies: Shapiro starts by highlighting recent polls showing Mamdani's surge in the New York mayoral race, attributing his likely victory to vote-splitting among opponents (Cuomo, Sliwa) and the energy of youth voters, not public support for his socialist platform.
  • “There's something bizarre going on in this New York City election… people don't actually love Zoran Mamdani's policies, but he's very likely to win anyway.” — Ben Shapiro [03:00]
• Disconnection between policy and popularity: Shapiro points out polling showing majorities of New Yorkers oppose key Mamdani proposals—e.g., free buses (seen as encouraging homelessness), abolishing gifted programs, and maintaining bail reform—yet Mamdani leads due to his personality and lackluster competition.
• The generational driver: Shapiro argues Gen Z is the "jet fuel" for such political outcomes, with older voters far less supportive. He cites poll gaps as high as 61 points between Mamdani’s support among Gen Z and older voters.
  • “Among voters who are 18 to 34… Mamdani runs ahead by 61 points.” — Ben Shapiro [05:20]

2. Generation Z: Radicalization, Grievance Culture, and Delayed Maturity

• Gen Z as a leftward outlier: Shapiro disputes the idea Gen Z will become a conservative bulwark, referencing data: strong support for socialism, left-leaning views on abortion, trans rights, and immigration.
• Delayed adulthood: Citing trends—later marriage, childlessness, doubts about owning homes or having kids—he frames youth radicalism as linked to postponed traditional life benchmarks.
• Victimhood & mental health stats: Shapiro discusses over-diagnosis of mental illness, high rates of self-identified victimhood, and a belief among Gen Z that they are ‘not set up for success’, despite historically high levels of education and affluence.
  • “All the things that would normally usher you into a more mature view of life... Generation Z is apparently not interested in doing and doesn't believe that they will ever do.” — Ben Shapiro [07:00]
• Material privilege, spiritual discontent: While Gen Z are the wealthiest, best-educated generation, Shapiro argues grievance culture has made them feel uniquely aggrieved.

3. Radical Movements and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)

• DSA’s party takeover: Extensive discussion on the DSA not as a reformist force, but a revolutionary engine intent on consuming the Democratic Party from within, propelled by youthful energy and ‘cuckoo’-like tactics.
  • “DSA are revolutionaries and the Democrats are their first victims… just like the cuckoo, once the DSA grows strong, it pushes the true Democrats out, hollowing the party from within.” — Michael Knowles (Canary Mission video) [10:38-11:00]
• Privilege of revolutionary leaders: Shapiro argues that social movements are often led by privileged, frustrated intellectuals (like Mamdani)—not the working class.
• Educational roots of radicalism: The episode traces radical ideology to elite colleges—professors steeped in anti-American, anti-capitalist thought—with Mamdani cited as a quintessential example.
  • Coverage of Mamdani’s background: elite upbringing, Bowdoin Africana Studies degree, campus activism including Students for Justice in Palestine, and a narrative of revolutionary grievance despite privilege.

4. Generational Failure & the Role of Boomer and Millennial Parents

• Bad parenting critique: Shapiro blames parents and educational elites for instilling anti-American values and failing to provide moral guidance.
  • “You should be telling your kids what values to hold. That is actually the number one thing you should be doing as a parent.” — Ben Shapiro [12:30]
• Radicals across the spectrum: He identifies similar patterns on both left and right—each with its own grievance narrative, both fueled by discontent and older generations' indulgence.

5. The Institutional Permission Structure: Media and Establishment Figures

• Jon Stewart’s ‘Jackie Robinson’ moment: Shapiro mocks Stewart for anointing Mamdani as a barrier-breaker, tying him to an older, boomer-fueled framework of racialist historicization.
  • “John Stewart calling him Jackie Robinson… The idea that Zoran Mandani has faced any serious level of discrimination in the United States is nuts.” — Ben Shapiro [24:29]
• Democratic establishment enabling radicalism: Shapiro asserts moderate Democrats attempt to harness radical energy but get consumed by it (“revolutionary energy…is a universal acid. It eats right through the floor. You cannot contain this”).
• Media excuses for radical figures: Shapiro parallels Mamdani with Maine’s Graham Platner (“Nazi tattoo guy”); both attract youthful, revolutionary support and enjoy media cover or minimization of their radicalism.

6. Societal Consequences of Radical Policy

• Example: LA’s ‘kitty stroll’ and prostitution decriminalization: Shapiro highlights the unintended consequences of progressive criminal justice reform via a surge in child sex trafficking post-SB357, pushed by progressive lawmakers.
  • “Radicalism has consequences. Those consequences can actually be counted in lives lost, in lives wrecked and all the rest.” — Ben Shapiro [34:55]

7. The Right’s Own Radical Grievance Narratives

• Right-wing grievance politics: Shapiro notes the rise of victimhood narratives on the right as well—focused on white, Christian, or rural Americans—and warns that both movements threaten American norms.
• Mainstreaming of radicalism and violence: Discussion of media/academia excusing leftist violence, contrasted with quick condemnation of right-wing violence.
  • “When some fringe right winger does something awful, he's castigated, thrown into prison... When a fringe left winger commits terrorist attacks, sometimes he's given university positions…” — Guest Commentator [36:45]

8. Bill Gates & Climate Change U-Turn

• Gates reverses apocalyptic rhetoric: Shapiro observes Gates now downplays climate doomsday predictions, admits Paris Accord goals were never realistic, and recognizes tradeoffs—years after “climate realists” like Shapiro said the same.
  • “It turns out that's stupid. And here's Bill Gates saying that the Paris climate goals were unrealistic to begin with, which of course is true.” — Ben Shapiro [41:41]

9. U.S. Political Updates: Government Shutdown & Biden’s Cognitive Health

• Government shutdown: Shapiro argues Democrats are losing the shutdown optics, with Republicans gaining in polls and Democratic messaging failing to land.
• Biden ‘auto pen’ controversy: GOP claims Biden’s use of auto-pen for executive actions signals cognitive decline; Democrats call it a distraction.

10. Interview: Senator Bill Hagerty ([48:27]–[59:25])

Topics Covered

• FBI & DOJ targeting: Hagerty recounts learning his phone records (and those of 7 other senators) were handed to Special Counsel Jack Smith during a probe; characterizes it as partisan overreach and a violation of legislative privilege.
  • “For my carrier, Verizon, in this case to just turn around and hand over my phone records... I talked with people very familiar with how this works... they said, had I been a drug dealer, Ben, I would have probably been notified by Verizon. But as a sitting US Senator, no notification.” — Sen. Bill Hagerty [49:45]
• Corrective actions: Hagerty calls for swift punishment and legal action against Verizon and tighter controls against future surveillance of lawmakers. He vows to persist in uncovering the legal rationale.
• On President Trump’s Asia trip: Hagerty is optimistic, emphasizing deepening U.S.-Japan and trilateral relations (with South Korea), foundation for economic, technological, and military cooperation; frames Trump as proactive against China’s aggression.
  • “Japan became, when I was ambassador, the number one investor in America… The Japanese want to be our strongest possible ally.” — Sen. Bill Hagerty [55:32]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gen Z’s political reality:
  • “There is a segment of Gen Z, particularly young white men, who [are] moving to the right... But in general, Generation Z is the most left generation by a country mile.” — Ben Shapiro [04:50]
• On parental responsibility:
  • “The most important thing you can do as a parent is to become part of that chain... maintaining the wisdom of generations and passing that on to your kids. If you're not doing that, you're not doing your job.” — Ben Shapiro [12:30]
• On revolutionary energy:
  • “Everyone who hopes to harness the revolutionary energy and channel it toward more moderate goals fails. The revolutionary energy always eats everything around it. It is a universal acid.” — Ben Shapiro [26:20]
• On media enabling radicals:
  • “The whole goal is to cover for the radicals, to allow the radicals free reign. That is the entire goal here.” — Ben Shapiro [30:57]
• On child prostitution consequences:
  • “Radicalism has consequences. Those consequences can actually be counted in lives lost, in lives wrecked and all the rest.” — Ben Shapiro [34:55]
• On left-wing violence excused:
  • “When some fringe right winger does something awful, he's castigated, thrown into prison... When a fringe left winger commits terrorist attacks, sometimes he's given university positions…” — Guest Commentator [36:45]

Important Timestamps

• 03:00: Mamdani leads NYC mayoral poll despite unpopular policies
• 05:20: Breakdown of Generation Z’s overwhelming support for left-wing policies
• 10:38–11:47: Canary Mission/DSA segment (“DSA are revolutionaries…” – Knowles/Shapiro/etc.)
• 12:30: Shapiro's critique of modern parenting and value transmission
• 24:22–24:29: Jon Stewart invokes ‘Jackie Robinson’ moment for Mamdani
• 26:20: “Revolutionary energy is a universal acid” – why the establishment can’t co-opt radicals
• 34:55: LA “kitty stroll”—radical criminal justice reform and its fallout
• 36:45: Excusing left-wing violence in academia and media
• 41:11: Bill Gates admits Paris climate goals were unrealistic
• 48:27–59:25: Interview with Sen. Bill Hagerty: FBI phone records, legislative privilege, Trump’s Asia trip

Summary Flow

• Opening: The rise of Zoran Mamdani and the paradox of unpopular radical policies succeeding due to youth momentum and vote-splitting.
• Main Analysis: Dissection of why Gen Z is so left-leaning and how that reflects a broader societal malady—grievance culture, delayed adulthood, and misplaced victimhood.
• Institutional Roots: How academia, boomer/millennial parenting, and the media amplify radicalism; the case study of DSA's influence.
• Contemporary Parallels: Revolutionary fervor seen on both left and right, each with its own mythos and unintended policy consequences.
• Policy Impact: Specific radical policy failures, especially in criminal justice, highlighted with real-world fallout.
• Media’s Role: The establishment’s complicity—from Stewart to MSNBC—in soft-pedaling radicalism under the guise of wokeness and historic firsts.
• Current Events: Quick-fire analysis of the government shutdown optics, Bill Gates’s climate reversal, and the Biden auto-pen scandal.
• Interview Segment: Hagerty discusses governmental overreach in Senate surveillance and reflects on the importance of U.S.-Asia alliances.

Conclusion

Shapiro threads together themes of youth radicalization, failed generational stewardship, and institutional complicity for the leftward tilt in American politics, forecasting further triumphs—then consequences—of radicalism barring a major cultural course correction.

For listeners who missed the episode, this summary provides a comprehensive roadmap through inflection points, major takeaways, and signature moments of conservative analysis and rhetoric.