In this episode of The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Peterson and Megyn Kelly examine societal trends affecting young adults, particularly the increasing childlessness among women under 30 and the challenges facing young men in modern institutions. They discuss how technology and social changes have influenced women's roles in society, and explore data about workplace dynamics between men and women.
The conversation covers the relationship between political views and gender, including observations about young men's shifting political alignments and young women's responses to contemporary social movements. Peterson and Kelly address topics such as the medicalization of male behavior, changing institutional cultures, and factors contributing to reported declines in happiness among young women since the 1960s.
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In a discussion between Jordan Peterson and Megyn Kelly, Peterson raises alarm about half of Western women under 30 being childless, suggesting that 90% will ultimately regret this choice. He views this trend as a societal catastrophe with far-reaching implications.
Peterson advises young women to consider having children in their early 20s, noting that with increased life expectancy, there's still time for career pursuits after raising children. Kelly shares personal insights about the downsides of having children later in life, including limited time with potential grandchildren.
Peterson observes that young men primarily find support within the podcast sphere, while feeling abandoned by traditional institutions. He criticizes the over-medication of ADHD in young boys and the negative portrayal of masculine traits in educational settings.
Both Peterson and Kelly note a political shift where young men are increasingly embracing conservative viewpoints. Kelly attributes this to young men's sense of betrayal by the left, while Peterson suggests it represents a form of political maturity in response to anti-male messaging.
Peterson criticizes the feminization of institutions, arguing that prioritizing empathy over competence can lead to an "infantilized family" dynamic in organizations. He notes that conscientiousness, rather than agreeableness, better predicts workplace performance.
The discussion touches on data suggesting women may prefer male supervisors, with Peterson pointing to potential social challenges arising from women's recent entry into traditionally male-dominated workplaces.
Peterson suggests that technology and social changes, rather than the feminist movement alone, have significantly influenced women's current status. Kelly discusses how "woke" institutions exploit women's natural empathy, pressuring them to support causes they may not fully understand or relate to.
Peterson associates liberal young women with increased mental health challenges and declining happiness since the 1960s. Kelly points to "woke" ideologies and victimhood narratives as contributing factors to young women's unhappiness. They both discuss how the demonization of traditional masculinity has led to a feminized society, potentially pushing young men toward conservative viewpoints as a response.
1-Page Summary
Jordan Peterson and Megyn Kelly raise concerns about the significant number of young Western women remaining childless and the profound societal implications of this trend. Peterson warns that this unprecedented shift hints at a deep societal issue.
Peterson marks this as a concerning milestone, suggesting it signals an impending cataclysm in society. He states that half of Western women under 30 are now childless, and he believes the vast majority, 90%, will ultimately regret their childlessness.
Discussing the societal consequences, Peterson emphasizes the gravity of the issue, deeming it a catastrophe. He points to the far-reaching impact of women’s family decisions, suggesting that the choice to remain childless is indicative of larger societal dysfunctions and will have profound implications.
Peterson and Kelly explore the reasons behind delaying motherhood, often due to career aspirations, and how this can lead to regrets about missed opportunities in family life.
Peterson advises constructing a balanced timeline for family planning, highlighting fertility concerns as a reason for considering motherhood earlier. He expresses skepticism about whether corporate careers are fulfilling as substitutes for family life, noting that many young women are increasingly unhappy despite career success.
Both Peterson and Kelly note the addition to women’s unhappiness that could be caused by shifts in relationships catalyzed by factors such as hormonal contraceptives affecting attraction toward masculine men. Kelly reflects on her personal expe ...
Declining Birth Rates and Childlessness Among Young Women
Jordan Peterson and Megyn Kelly discuss the societal pressures and political shifts affecting young men in today's world, outlining the ways in which they feel abandoned and the paths they are taking in search of validation and a sense of purpose.
Peterson claims that young men find support primarily within the podcast sphere. He reviews statistics on the over-medication of ADHD in young boys, calling the original hypothesis regarding stimulants' calming effect "biochemical nonsense." He suggests that stimulants are often administered to suppress boys' natural proclivity for play within educational settings and criticizes this as a form of punishment.
Further, Peterson argues that any sign of ambition or competitiveness in young men is portrayed negatively, linking them to the concept of a "destructive patriarchy" and suggesting that they are viewed as enemies of the planet. This vilification of masculinity, Peterson notes, deeply demoralizes young men.
Peterson highlights the trend of young men turning more conservative and young women becoming more liberal, speculating that young men may be seeking out conservative ideologies as an expression of political maturity and as an alternative to the left's negative messaging towards them.
Megyn Kelly shares her perception of young men's shift towards conservatism, which she attributes to the observation of how the left has treated them. She insinuates that young men are reacting to a sense of betrayal by the left and are, therefore, looking for leaders and institutions that validate their experiences and identities.
Peterson uses the personal story of a waiter who initially conformed to a radically liberal ideology to appease h ...
Challenges and Anxieties Facing Young Men Today
Peterson and Kelly delve into the nuanced debate of gender roles within organizational dynamics, focusing specifically on the concept of feminizing institutions and its potential impact on professional environments and social constructs.
Peterson criticizes the archetype of feminized males who adhere to modern feminism tropes by being overtly non-threatening. He contends that an absence of managerial acumen in large organizations can lead to an 'infantilized family' dynamic, wherein prioritizing empathy over practical managerial skills might infantilize everyone in the institution. Peterson observes that in workplaces extending beyond small kin groups, empathy cannot serve as a guiding principle due to its failure to scale effectively.
In discussing performance in large corporations, Peterson points out that the personality trait of agreeableness does not predict workplace performance. Instead, conscientiousness, which he deems a conservative attribute, is a better predictor. This suggests to Peterson that a focus on agreeableness, or empathy, may misdirect institutions from the traits more indicative of competence.
Jordan Peterson also criticizes the shift towards cooperative games with no winners or losers in schools, describing it as pathological for prioritizing empathy over competitiveness and competence.
Peterson touches upon the dominance of women in university disciplines, suggesting that such fields have become "wokeness" breeding grounds due to empathy being prioritized. He questions what would occur if the leadership, currently dominated by women, shifted to a predominately male composition.
Peterson proposes that an ...
Empathy, Compassion, and Gender Norms
The discussion centers on the implications of the feminist movement and societal changes on women’s roles and happiness. Technology and multifaceted societal dynamics are proposed to influence the current status of women more than the feminist ideology alone.
Jordan Peterson raises the question about the feminist movement's responsibility for women’s status, suggesting that other factors like technological and social changes have played a more significant role. There seems to be a consensus that the feminist movement, while impactful, is only one part of a complex interaction involving various societal shifts that lead to outcomes like unhappiness, lower birth rates, and potential family collapse.
Peterson touches on the rising unhappiness among young women against a backdrop of increased childlessness and lower marriage rates. He hints at the possibility that the feminist movement's emphasis on career over family might be contributing to this unhappiness. Kelly broaches the topic of boomer mothers who pursued careers, thereby fostering independence in their children, but potentially leading to overcorrections in parenting styles in later generations.
Peterson notes the contradictions within the feminist movement, being left-wing but also pro-career and anti-capitalist, indicating a complex impact on women's status. He also points to the shortened time frames women have to act as grandmothers due to delayed childbearing as a source of potential unhappiness and impact on family dynamics.
Changing Dynamics and Challenges For Women in Society
Jordan Peterson and Megyn Kelly discuss the impact of left-leaning ideologies on young women's mental health. Peterson associates a significant percentage of liberal young women with diagnosable mental disorders and a decline in self-reported happiness since the 1960s.
Kelly illustrates a broader cultural problem where "woke" ideologies and the victimhood narrative contribute to young women's unhappiness. She observes how increased mother's presence at home has led to overprotectiveness and encourages children to lean into victimhood, vying for attention by exaggerating issues.
Peterson sees social platforms popular among young women as breeding grounds for social pathology, while Kelly offers an alternative voice on TikTok to counteract what she sees as harmful popular narratives.
Kelly suggests educational systems exploit young women's empathy to make them adhere to leftist beliefs, making them feel intolerant if they oppose issues like trans girls in girls' sports. Schools, rather than inoculating young women against such indoctrination, may be pushing them to fight against their natural instincts, such as discomfort with boys outperforming them in sports due to trans policies.
Kelly also criticizes the societal push against the choice of motherhood and the lack of acknowledgment of stay-at-home motherhood as valid by academic institutions.
Peterson and Kelly argue that the demonization of traditional masculinity is leading to a feminized society, ultimately pushing young men towards conservatism. Kelly points out the difficulty for young women on college campuses to find men who exhibit traditional masculine traits due to the negative portrayal of such behaviors.
Leftist ideology is seen as promoting men who claim to reject toxic masculinity yet may engage in abusive behaviors. Peterson suggests that institutions dominated by women are "wo ...
Ideology, Values, and Gender Norms Influence Trends
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