My Soviet Parents Saw Cancel Culture Coming Before Anyone Else - Katherine Brodsky
I sat down with writer and free speech advocate Katherine Brodsky to explore how fear and conformity have paralyzed honest dialogue in the West. Drawing on her own experience as the target of a cancellation mob for what should have been an uncontroversial statement, she’s been grappling with how our culture can return to sanity and re-embrace free speech as a core value. We reflect on how social media algorithms have distorted public discourse, whether the right is now engaging in the same bad behavior that defined the left over the past decade, and why having hard conversations is a skill we need to practice more as a society._____________________________________Follow Katherine on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/mysteriouskat?s=20Read Katherine’s work on Substack: https://substack.com/@mysteriouskat_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Why Katherine called me out[6:33] How Katherine got cancelled[22:18] Her Soviet parents saw cancel culture coming[28:23] Why can’t we have reasonable conversations anymore?[36:03] Instinct, rationality, and algorithmic manipulation[43:20] Why some people stand up to the mob and others don’t[48:09] Where are the conservatives in academia and the arts?[1:00:06] Searching for truth in the Israel debate[1:09:22] Did the anti-woke backlash go to far?[1:19:07] Does Twitter represent the public’s actual opinions?[1:27:14] We’re still haunted by the atrocities of 2020[1:37:57] How hands-off should the government be?[1:48:54] Bodily autonomy and freedom of speech are non-negotiable[1:56:45] Is Muslim immigration compatible with the West?[2:13:51] Why has the left embraced anti-Americanism?[2:28:42] Free speech is a muscle_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bbncXIGIJaoMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?Visit our website: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe
--------
2:41:39
--------
2:41:39
Jonathan Haidt: Why Did Our Kids Starts To Go Crazy in 2012?
I sat down with social psychologist and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt to examine how overprotective parenting and unfettered access to social media have stunted the development of Gen Z. A decades-long obsession with safety has replaced unsupervised outdoor play with online binging—and now we’re faced with a younger generation that’s more anxious, less confident, and robbed of the independence and resilience needed to grow into capable adults. What will it take for America to raise free, competent, and happy children again?_____________________________________Follow Jonathan on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/JonHaidt_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Introduction[0:49] The origin of “The Coddling of the American Mind”[2:13] What does it mean to be an adult?[10:22] Why parents should avoid over-scheduling[12:24] Is Gen Z actually that unique?[16:30] Social media’s impact on kids’ mental health[20:09] Looking beyond depression and anxiety[22:15] Do fragile kids become failed adults?[24:12] How can people achieve happiness?[28:38] The bad ideas running our society[29:39] Why is anti-fragility so important?[33:29] Stick-and-stones vs mean words[37:51] What is “locus of control”?[41:00] Should we trust our feelings?[45:20] Measuring childhood success[47:18] Kids’ problems become society’s problems[49:13] Where is America headed if we don’t change course?_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dU-TA0O0lc0Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?Visit our website: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe
--------
52:08
--------
52:08
How the Government Hijacked the Internet - Mike Benz
I sat down with Mike Benz, former State Department official and founder of the Foundation for Freedom Online, to uncover how government agencies, intelligence contractors, and Big Tech built the surveillance, propaganda, and censorship machine now reshaping the internet. Mike explains how child protection measures have evolved into weapons against free speech and online privacy, how the CIA influences the tech industry, and why you should still work to protect your personal data—even with so much already online._____________________________________Follow Mike on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/joelkotkinWatch Mike on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mikebenzcyberofficial?si=x44aaPbJ4wGMExbELearn more about Mike’s organization: https://foundationforfreedomonline.com/_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Texas app store age verification law[23:05] How the CIA gathers mass biometric data[29:02] What is a “limited hangout”?[34:06] The CIA doesn’t just target the villains[44:54] How surveillance is turned on Americans[55:45] Isn’t your personal data already online?[1:11:36] Larry Ellison’s surveillance “utopia”[1:19:02] The presumption of innocence is gone[1:26:14] Oracle is tied to all sorts of shady stuff[1:42:27] Does technology dehumanize us?[2:01:20] How elite stakeholders shape government[2:15:42] The public needs to know what’s going on_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/g1B0YmNHxwQMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?Visit our website: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe
--------
2:22:04
--------
2:22:04
The Middle Class Built Our Greatest Cities. Now They’re All Gone. - Joel Kotkin
I sat down with Joel Kotkin, author of The Coming of Neo-Feudalism, to examine how America’s middle class is being erased and what that means for the future of civilization. Joel argues that we’re entering a new feudal order, where tech oligarchs and ideological elites control wealth, culture, and opportunity while ordinary families lose the ability to own homes, raise children, and build stable communities. We explore the roots of this transformation in collapsing birth rates, failing cities, and the dominance of a secular clerisy pushing increasingly extreme ideas._____________________________________Follow Joel on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/joelkotkinLearn more about Joel’s work: https://joelkotkin.com/_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] AI will change everything[9:44] The overeducated, underpaid class[19:29] AI destroys entry-level work[29:59] America is splitting in two[43:47] People are opting out of woke[58:34] Local government matters most[1:07:18] Class matters, but race doesn’t[1:18:43] Why can’t moderates win cities anymore?[1:30:37] The rise of the populist right[1:40:36] What happened to the left?[2:03:36] Why tech oligarchs are so weird[2:19:59] Social media pros and cons[2:25:49] The British deserve credit[2:36:44] Antisemitism and political violence[2:41:38] Confirmation bias, climate, and population[2:57:22] How to build a fulfilling life_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ELt1FjWHbPkMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?Visit our website: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe
--------
3:04:30
--------
3:04:30
How To Be a Great Parent and a Great Boss - Robert Glazer
I sat down with author, entrepreneur, and leadership expert Robert Glazer to talk about how defining your values creates effective individuals, families, and organizations. His new book, The Compass Within, is a modern parable about how to establish clarity and purpose in your career and personal life. Robert is also known for his criticism of the “two-week notice” corporate norm, instead advocating for a more thoughtful process that aligns the interests of employers and employees cooperatively, rather than making exits all about conflict. We discuss our shared experiences as parents and entrepreneurs, how AI will reshape the career landscape, and why defining your personal core values helps life make more sense and simplifies the dilemmas you will inevitably face._____________________________________Order a hardcover copy of The Compass Within and claim your free course: https://robertglazer.com/compass-dad-saves-america/Follow Robert on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/robert_glazer_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Writing a modern parable about finding your values[7:01] How should we think about capacity and potential?[15:34] Rules vs values for your kids[24:00] How wealth, geography, and culture impact parenting[29:17] Savior-complex parenting delays the inevitable[35:29] The problem with the “2-week notice”[50:31] How company culture changes with scale[55:41] Have the “AI talk” with your kids[1:02:27] You’re not “owed” a job[1:06:54] Have you considered a job in sales?[1:19:26] Your kids will learn from action, not talk[1:22:18] How do you bring values into a relationship?[1:29:04] What actually ARE values?[1:33:19] Tribalism, truth, and authenticity[1:42:13] Why “not taking it personal” is complicated[1:46:57] How to identify and define your values[2:10:36] Next, put your values into action[2:14:40] Inoculate your kids to the victim mindset[2:25:08] Build better leaders in your family_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ycnnLzqVP4IMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?Visit our website: https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe
Proud papa, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and arm-chair philosopher John Papola explores the biggest issues facing our kids, our communities, and our country through the lens of fatherhood. We produce powerful stories, exclusive interviews, mini-documentaries, and deep dives on a weekly basis. Our goal is to build a movement of dads and could-be dads who embrace our heroic calling to raise a new generation ready to thrive in a free society and be champions of civilization. We’ve had all sorts of experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew, Michael Shellenberger, Bret Weinstein, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Adam Carolla.
www.dadsavesamerica.com
South Africa