Men, This Way

138. The Absent Father Wound w/ Dr. Warren Farrell

Dec 19, 2024

01:09:20

"Historically speaking, when we heard criticism, it was from a potential enemy, so it was biologically natural to get up our defenses.That was really functional for survival. It's just dysfunctional for love”.- Dr. Warren Farrell

Today on Men, This Way:

00:00 Introduction of Dr. Warren Farrell
00:50 Dr. Farrell's background and contribution to understanding modern men's struggles.
01:28 Dr. Farrell's reception and personal experience in the field.
03:49 Discussing the role of criticism in personal and relational development.
04:18 The impact of workshops on handling criticism and personal growth.
05:23 Importance of non-defensive communication in relationships.
06:07 Defensiveness and its effects on relationship dynamics.
07:16 Discussion on defensiveness and its ubiquity across different types of relationships.
07:48 Gender dynamics in criticism and defensiveness.
10:08 Exploration of gender dynamics, respect, and protection in relationships.
10:45 Link between boy crisis and absence of father figures
12:08 Comprehensive discussion on the causes and effects of the boy crisis.
14:46 Role of communication in relationships and its impact on children.
16:00 Detailed statistics on the boy crisis and its societal implications.
18:33 Connection between dad deprivation and various social issues.
20:00 Broader implications of declining male societal contributions.
22:38 Dr. Farrell's shift from feminism to focusing on boys' and men's issues.
29:22 Personal reflections on fatherhood and its impact on personal success.
34:27 Comprehensive discussion on dad deprivation and its various forms.
37:39 The importance of dad-style parenting and its specific strategies.
41:55 Discussion on the importance of balanced parenting and its challenges.
47:33 Discussion on boundary setting and enforcement in parenting.
50:22 The evolving role of fathers in modern family units.
53:29 Challenges and strategies for checks and balance parenting
58:16 Strategies for single parents to incorporate balanced parenting styles.
01:01:12 Closing thoughts on the importance of father figures and balanced parenting.

Takeaways from this episode:

The shift from traditional roles towards a deeper, more emotionally connected partnership.
The societal and psychological challenges men encounter today.
How to overcome defensiveness to maintain healthy relationships.
Different impacts of "dad-style" and "mom-style" parenting.
The role fathers play in the psychological development of children, especially boys.
Societal issues like the "boy crisis," which includes higher suicide rates among boys and young men.

Connect with Dr. Farrell: