Raising Boys, Masculinity, Jordan Peterson, and Why Wrestling with Your Sons Keeps them Out of Prison: Dr. Anthony Bradley
Jun 10, 2024
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Dr. Anthony Bradley discusses raising boys, masculinity, and Jordan Peterson. Topics include roughhousing, fatherhood impact on behavior, challenges faced by boys today, Christian political identity, and the influence of mentors on children's lives.
Boys often penalized in school for typical behaviors, impacting mental health and education.
Societal response to toxic masculinity created stigma around male behaviors, affecting men and boys.
Men seek guidance in navigating modern gender norms, leading to uncertainty in social interactions.
Deep dives
The Crisis of Boys' Mental Health and Educational System Disparities
The podcast episode delves into the disparity in schools, where boys face challenges and are often penalized for typical behaviors like showing aggression or restlessness. There is a historical context of neglecting boys as emphasis shifted towards elevating girls. Issues like medicating boys for ADHD, and neglecting their educational needs arose. The conversation highlights the impact of these disparities on boys' mental health and educational outcomes.
The Impact of Overcorrection and Stigma Around Masculinity
The episode discusses a perceived hypercorrection in the societal response to toxic masculinity. It explores how the cultural shift towards correcting past male dominance led to consequences for boys and men, generating a stigma around typical male behaviors. The episode touches on the concept of a 'war on men' and the challenges men face in navigating interactions with a fear of being judged as patriarchal or misogynistic.
Seeking Direction and Mentorship in a Confusing Climate
The podcast reflects on how modern societal norms around gender roles have left many men feeling unsure about their actions and intentions. This uncertainty in social interactions, like whether to help a woman with her bags or open a door, has led to hesitation and overthinking in everyday situations. Men are seeking guidance from self-improvement content and influencers to navigate this confusing landscape.
Importance of Relationship Education
Many young people struggle with understanding how to navigate relationships due to a lack of guidance and education from parents. The podcast highlights the importance of teaching individuals about flirting, starting relationships, and maintaining healthy connections before they are already in one. It discusses how focusing on subjects like schooling, sports, and hygiene, while neglecting relationship education, can lead to confusion and misunderstandings among young adults.
Need for Mentors and Adult Networks
The episode emphasizes the significance of young men having mentors and networks of supportive adults apart from their parents. It underlines the essential role of these additional adult figures in providing guidance, support, and a sense of mattering to adolescents. By sharing experiences and seeking advice from other adults, adolescents can gain diverse perspectives and reinforce positive teachings received at home, contributing to their long-term well-being and personal growth.
In this podcast conversation, we talk about raising boys, biblical masculinity, Jordan Peterson, toxic masculinity vs. biblical masculinity, the so-called "war on men," and other related issues.
Dr. Anthony Bradley (Ph.D. Westminster Seminary) was most recently professor of religious studies and director of the Center for the Study of Human Flourishing at The King’s College, Theologian-In-Residence at Redeemer Presbyterian Church—Lincoln Square, and now serves as a distinguished research fellow at The Acton Institute and Research Professor of Interdisciplinary and Theological Studies at Kuyper College. His books include: Liberating Black Theology (2010), Black and Tired (2011), The Political Economy of Liberation (2012), Keep Your Head Up (2012), Aliens In The Promised Land (2013), John Rawls and Christian Social Engagement (2014), Black Scholars In White Space (2015), Something Seems Strange (2016), Ending Overcriminalization and Mass Incarceration (2018), Faith In Society (2019), Why Black Lives Matter (2020), and Heroic Fraternities (2023).