ManTalks Podcast

Talking points: AI, gender wars, masculinity, culture, relationships, dating, archetypes, myth All I can tell you is: this is a big one! Traver and I did an episode exchange for this one, and we always (I mean always) have great, wide-ranging conversations. It’s one of the bes gifts that comes from having old friends.  This is the episode to listen to if you want to hear directly from two men’s co...

This is something I'm seeing a lot on social media, but also in everyday dialogue and even some clients: labeling someone with a definitive psychological term to shut down dialogue or shame someone else, usually without really knowing what's being talked about. This only speeds up our polarization and harms our ability to connect. How about we...stop doing that? Note: the article in the NYT I ment...

Talking points: Navy SEALS, grit, BUD/S, hardship, mindset, rehabilitation, paralympics We had some network issues near the end, so Dan is coming back for round 2 soon! I'm grateful for every single interview I get to do, but it's less often that I'm so deeply humbled. Listening to Dan's story, and his thoughtful and considerate approach to such intense trauma, is something that will stick with me...

Talking points: regret, purpose, direction I was recently reminded of a powerful moment I had with an old mentor. At the time, I was having trouble deciding what I wanted to do, where I wanted to go, and I felt directionless and fearful of regret. This is a topic I've covered before, but it's one worth reflecting on. Listen in. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that...

Talking point: centrism, politics, social media, racism, censorship, AI, China, CRT Hot on the heels of last week's chat with Amir Odom, Coleman and I dug into a wide range of topics. We mostly focused on political polarization and where that's coming from, but also how AI might play into further issues, his definition of critical race theory, and much more. Listen to this episode if you've been c...

Talking points: porn, stress, hentai, isolation Every year, Pornhub releases a bunch of stats detailing how long people are watching, top search terms, when people are watching, and more. This data is from Dec 2022, so it's a bit old, but I wanted to share some thoughts on what some of these stats might be implying, particularly for men. This is an episode for anyone curious about porn's implicati...

Talking points: growing up gay, LGBTQ+ issues, trans issues, culture Fair warning, this is a different kind of episode than the ones I usually put out. I encourage you to listen to it fully. Thanks to Amir for his candor and willingness to come on the show. Amir Odom takes time every week to reflect on…well, anything that’s been on his mind that week. Sometimes it’s current events, sometimes it’s...

Talking points: marriage, relationships With marriage rates seemingly at an all-time low, and most of the old reasons for marriage largely defunct, it's a question many men are asking. It was something I wrestled with too. So...why bother with marriage? And why did I get married? [00:00] - Statistics on marriage and some of the reasons we used to get married [06:56] - Why I chose marriage This pod...

Talking points: masculinity, femininity, achievement, dating, psychedelics, competition, culture, truth, what men and women want (and what they get wrong) Wow. Danica and I covered a LOT of territory in this conversation. Like, top 3 widest-ranging conversations I’ve had on the podcast. Listen in for everything from masculine/feminine dynamics, to the nature of truth, to sharing psychedelic storie...

Shorter episode today, but something I'd love to get your thoughts on. This came from a recent conversation between Lex Friedman and Aella, a sex researcher, writer, and sex worker. She surveyed her followers on what men and women actually want in the bedroom, and noticed an interesting discrepancy. I polled my own followers and found something similar. Listen in! Check out Aella's work here: http...

Talking points: masculinity, men, death, porn, education There's few things I like more than wide-ranging yet deep conversations. This is one of them. Grateful to Richard for his time, eloquence, and commitment to men. This is a great episode if you're curious about some of the challenges young men face. Reeves is data-driven, open-minded, personable, and thorough, so check the time stamps to see...

Talking points: breathwork, calm, emotional volatility I've talked pretty often about leading in a relationship, but a session with a recent client inspired me to dig into one of the more key components: regulating yourself and staying level-headed while your partner is upset. What does this mean, how do you do it, and why? Listen in. 02:02 - What it means to regulate 05:24 - Why the "take a deep...

Talking points: male isolation and "lostness", dating, dating apps, relationships, redpill, AI AJ, John and I covered a lot of ground, my friends. I've been following along with their work for a while and was recently on their podcast, The Art of Charm. Check the timestamps to see just how wide the net is! This is a great episode to listen to if you're wondering about some of the challenges younge...

Talking points: masculinity, discipline, purpose How's that for a spicy title? This is a look at some common behaviors and patterns I've seen in men overall, clients I've worked with, and my own life. Patterns that erode our capacity to truly live, lead, and love. 01:31 - We lack impulse control 04:06 - We chase p***y over purpose 08:42 - We don’t clarify our values, and we don’t say no to ourselv...

Talking points: gender, gender equality, alpha males, alpha females, violence, culture, psychology I’ve been following Frans’ work for a while, and have admired how dedicated he is to his work and to uncovering the complexity of primates. This was such an enjoyable and fascinating conversation! This episode is a compelling look at just how complex and nuanced something like gender can be, from one...

Talking points: dating apps, selection preferences, statistics, what to do I don't know the specific number of people actually satisfied with the modern dating scene, but given what I've read and researched, it's a VERY small number. What happened, and what can men do? In this mini-ep, I dig into some statistics around modern dating, how it's been a growing shift for a while now, and what young me...

Talking points: vision quests, initiation, culture, ritual Do things like vision quests and ceremony actually DO anything? Should they? What does it mean to "connect to a place"? What happens to a man when he's immersed in nature—without a phone or a to-do list or even a destination? These are some of the wonderings I had with Mr. Darren Silver in this fascinating and enjoyable conversation. I'm a...

One of biggest traps in anyone's healing journey is the idea that it's linear and rational. Yeah, you need tactics and plans, but if you go in thinking healing of ANY kind is like a recipe for cookies, you're not gonna have a good time. This is where the archetypal and symbolic power of myth comes in. Have a listen. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-b...

Talking points: breath work, balance, burnout, stress and the brain, hustle culture, children, digital detoxing It's a very demanding jungle out there. In a culture that seems to thrive on your being burnt out, how do you fight back? Can you? I sat down with my old friend Adam Hart this week to cover exactly that. Many of Adam's clients compare his work to a finding the “Fountain of Youth” as they...

Cue "Sweet Little Lies" by Fleetwood Mac, please. Why DO we self-sabotage? Why do we spend the money we don't have, break down the gym routine or go for the nastiest fast food—even after we've decided we're stopping? I think one of the most popular reasons we're given is actually pretty...wrong. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality,...

Talking points: working in/with the wild, initiation, trauma, what nature teaches you, masculinity This has been one of my most anticipated guests of all time. Like, years. An incredible storyteller, a man with a mighty heart and passion for everything wilderness, this is an episode I encourage you to share with the men in your life. Seriously. The wildlife and literacy activist Boyd Varty, author...

My son turns two in just a couple of weeks, so this topic has been on my mind: in what ways do we prepare our young boys? What do we teach them? To start, here are some things I wish I'd known a long time ago. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 20% off your next purchase...

Talking points: dad life, parenting, teenagers, masculinity Very excited to share this conversation. I've found Dr. Shefali's approach to parenting both fascinating and helpful. This week over Zoom, we dug into what kids and parents are facing these days, and how parents and parenting culture can best support children. Dr. Shefali received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia Univers...

This one might ruffle some feathers. I've hesitated to fully dive into things like redpill, the "manosphere", etc. over the years—mostly because all I see are misconceptions and infighting. But maybe it's time to look a little deeper. This podcast is brought to you by Organifi! Plant-based nutrition that's science-backed, high quality, and something I use literally every day. Hit up the link for 2...

Talking points: porn, masculinity, male decline, radicalization Listeners, this one has been a long time coming. I've been a big fan of Scott's work for a long time, and love his no-nonsense approach, particularly when it comes to what's going on with men and modern culture. Not only that, but Scott has the science to back it up, something I deeply appreciate. Men, share this with your friends. La...