Dad Saves America

I sat down with psychologist and author Peter Gray to unpack why anxiety, depression, and immaturity are rising at the exact moment kids have more “support” than ever. Peter explains how we stripped childhood of the one ingredient that actually builds competence: real freedom. We talk about the collapse of free, self-directed play, the fear-driven culture that keeps kids under constant adult management, and how modern schooling turns learning into compliance and metrics—resulting in bad habits and chronic stress. Play isn’t a “bonus” part of childhood; it’s how children learn judgment, resilience, social intelligence, and self-control. The path back to healthier kids starts with letting them take risks, solve problems, and grow up the way humans evolved to.

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Check out Peter’s work on Substack: https://substack.com/@petergray

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Outline:

[0:00] Intro

[1:06] Essential skills for a successful adult life

[6:52] Education vs. schooling

[19:40] Anxiety, depression, and immaturity

[33:12] Is high school stress anything new?

[36:48] Why parents to over-manage their kids

[47:26] Are we training kids to accept authority and control?

[55:58] The history of the school system

[1:11:13] The policies shaping modern classrooms

[1:19:01] The seven sins of the education system

[1:38:58] What Peter learned from Ruby Lou

[1:43:37] Play literally is education

[1:51:04] Why trustful parenting works best

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I sat down with clinical psychologist Dr. Camilo Ortiz to unpack why modern parenting has become so exhausting—and why it’s also making kids more anxious, not less. Dr. Ortiz explains why kids need daily exposure to the four D’s—discomfort, distress, disappointment, and danger—and how natural consequences teach better than nagging or punishment ever will. We explore the limits and potential harms of today’s feminized therapy culture and how we can rebuild real-world independence through risky play, mixed-age freedom, and even early work.

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Follow Dr. Ortiz on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/DrCamiloOrtiz

Visit Dr. Ortiz’s website: http://drcamiloortiz.com/

Learn more about “independence therapy”: https://letgrow.org/program/independence-therapy/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=12566881823&gbraid=0AAAAACiZd3IWu23qJsSxpn65U7GX9fkVZ&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0p7KBhCkARIsAE6Xlam-UlbNorBHFogiD9_yToVLHOcEIJaxqI86ql2tEa_EKyKbQkbimREaAomwEALw_wcB

Dr. Ortiz’s article in “The Free Press”: https://www.thefp.com/p/the-secret-to-parenting-do-less-of-it

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Outline:

[0:00] How parenting went wrong

[5:45] The feminization of parenting and psychology

[15:25] Abigail Shrier’s “Bad Therapy”

[15:56] Therapy isn’t the solution to every problem

[24:02] What are “mindfulness practices”?

[31:25] Are mental health issues really that common?

[36:13] Moms vs dads on childhood independence

[43:19] Why is evolutionary psychology ignored?

[54:19] Is academia biased by ideology or personality?

[1:01:17] Nagging your kids doesn’t work

[1:09:29] The collective action problem of childhood

[1:12:42] Parents shouldn’t try to win every battle

[1:23:15] What is “independence therapy”?

[1:27:40] Are kids lacking freedom or authority, or both?

[1:33:49] Focus on productive behavior, not identity

[1:50:47] “Gentle parenting” is the worst of both worlds

[1:54:06] How can you address real trauma?

[2:02:58] The case for child labor

[2:08:16] A lighthouse for sanity in psychology

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Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/cLouj8Hgvbg

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I sat down with former Amway CEO Doug DeVos to talk about what it means to believe in the American way in an era defined by cynicism. Prosperity doesn’t come from slogans or politics—it comes from families, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who take responsibility and create real value. We unpack why pessimism has become a cultural default, how that mindset quietly erodes ambition and gratitude, and why faith in America must be rooted in action, not nostalgia.

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Follow Doug on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/Doug_DeVos?s=20

Read “Believe! Journal” on Substack: https://www.thebelievejournal.com/

Purchase a copy of “Believe!”: https://a.co/d/8SfMYUV

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Outline:

[0:00] Elite influence or philanthropic leadership?

[7:48] The Midwest’s community culture

[11:19] Does online polarization represent real life?

[21:53] American idealism vs. “burn it all down”

[28:43] How did family formation become political?

[36:37] Trust fund kids and generational wealth

[42:38] The history of Amway

[49:18] Criticisms of multi-level marketing

[51:11] Sales is the most underrated career path

[1:03:17] Free enterprise as a moral system

[1:08:54] How do successful large organizations work?

[1:14:43] Is the optimistic American spirit fading?

[1:19:17] Life, liberty, and the pursuit of virtue

[1:23:41] Building trust in a post-truth world

[1:26:51] The Founding Fathers’ skepticism of power

[1:34:40] The internet, social media, and AI

[1:38:18] Does anything shake Doug’s optimism?

[1:43:17] America is the comeback nation

[1:46:27] How becoming a parent frees you from ego

[1:50:01] Take on the responsibility of citizenship

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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/R2wk_QgvBwA

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I sat down with comedian, writer, and host of “Walk-Ins Welcome,” Bridget Phetasy to talk about how she recovered from divorce, hookup culture, and addiction—and how those experiences shaped her views on our current cultural crisis. Writing for Playboy in the 2010s gave her a front-row seat to a society going mad. Bridget’s previously mainstream liberal beliefs were shattered one by one, eventually leading to the realization that marriage and parenthood were right for her all along.

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Follow Bridget on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/BridgetPhetasy?s=20

Watch Bridget on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@phetasy?si=vocDzLaTe0_885Nz

Watch “Walk-Ins Welcome”: https://youtube.com/@morebridgetphetasy?si=xkIAzwIDvtMP3rKQ

Follow Bridget on Substack: https://www.phetasy.com/

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Outline:

[0:00] What parenting teaches you

[14:01] Start your family early

[18:10] Where feminism goes too far

[23:02] Hookup culture isn’t empowerment

[34:53] Divorce triggers a dark spiral for kids

[45:43] How pop culture shapes your beliefs

[50:21] “Staying together for the kids” and real love

[1:02:51] Having kids resets your ambitions

[1:08:49] How broken people get lost in darkness

[1:20:25] Identity is way more than your superficial traits

[1:25:16] Trans surgeries and the power of sex

[1:41:49] Is Islam incompatible with the West?

[1:53:42] Group differences vs individual treatment

[1:59:18] Can the 12 Steps heal America?

[2:08:28] Institutional trust and the AI revolution

[2:14:09] Psychological, ideological, and technological crises

[2:28:19] Focus on creation, not destruction

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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/TwdnGWyjmUc

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I sat down with Dr. Drew Pinsky to unpack how a culture of narcissism is warping our relationships, our politics, and the way we raise our kids. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Drew explains how collapsing family structures create adults who are fragile on the inside but obsessed with curating a perfect image on the outside. We talk about how social media rewards performative outrage and mob “justice,” why so many young people now filter everything through a lens of victimhood, and how the sexual revolution reshaped intimacy in ways most people still don’t fully understand.

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Follow Dr. Drew on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/drdrew

Subscribe to Dr. Drew’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@DrDrew?si=ep1LT1yWvqUKxrYW

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Outline:

[0:00] Intro

[0:53] What is narcissism?

[15:17] Activist mobs, false empathy, and free speech

[22:42] Narcissism vs sociopathy vs psychopathy

[29:18] The impacts of social media

[30:59] What is adulthood?

[39:05] Family breakdown and the psychological crisis

[51:38] “It Doesn’t Have To Be Awkward”

[56:38] Grappling with gender identity confusion

[1:05:53] The lasting effects of trauma

[1:12:51] Marriage, divorce, and relationships

[1:20:40] Why are gay and transgender issues lumped together?

[1:23:18] Do Americans just need to toughen up?

[1:25:18] Mental health impacts of COVID lockdowns

[1:27:16] Social media hits girls and boys are differently

[1:30:53] Homelessness, fatherlessness, and foster care

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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/RV0dnLFbu-k

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I sat down with neuroscience PhD Delia McCabe to explore why our brains are struggling in the modern world and what that means for our kids, our politics, and how we handle the AI revolution. Delia has spent her career digging into the effects of nutrition on mental health—either optimizing cognitive function or sending our brains into disastrous feedback loops. We also discuss biological sex differences, the rise of gender confusion, and the cognitive biases that have deranged our public discourse.

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Read Delia’s Substack: https://deliamccabe.substack.com/

Learn more about Delia’s work: https://www.lighterbrighteryou.life/

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Outline:

[0:00] What’s wrong with clinical psychology?

[7:13] The link between food, behavior, and mental health

[19:36] How neuroplasticity actually works

[28:24] Thinking burns more energy than physical labor

[33:15] Does neuroscience disprove free will?

[39:43] Emotions can literally change what we know

[45:30] You can’t separate the mind from the body

[55:49] Confirmation bias vs “the feeling of knowing”

[1:03:20] When is it safe to “trust your gut”?

[1:12:27] Why smart people believe dumb ideas

[1:18:40] What happens to your brain in your mid-20s?

[1:30:14] “Social-emotional learning” and the trauma obsession

[1:45:26] The black mirror, the uncanny valley, and narcissism

[1:55:33] Male and female brains are objectively different

[2:08:05] What’s causing the explosion of gender confusion?

[2:21:38] Is feminization destroying our society?

[2:38:32] Confronting your ignorance is painful but necessary

[2:43:14] How can we heal the gender divide?

[2:49:47] How can you change someone’s mind?

[3:01:35] Why our psychology leads to big government

[3:12:54] The jobs that attract smart psychopaths

[3:25:56] Stress, focus, and creativity

[3:36:43] Understand the brain, save America

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Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/caiubV_hqCg

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

I sat down with Jay Heinrichs, best-selling author of Thank You for Arguing, to explore the lost art of rhetoric and why Americans should relearn these skills. Most of us have forgotten how to persuade one another, and in an algorithmically optimized social media era, we’re increasingly vulnerable to constant manipulation. We dig into how, from Gavin Newsom to Donald Trump, our politicians use rhetorical tactics to greater and lesser effect. The ancient Greeks treated argument as a civic virtue—a tool for building relationships and solving problems. In the modern era, where political tribes talk past each other and rely on logical fallacies, elevating our public discourse is long overdue.

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Learn more about Jay’s work: https://www.jayheinrichs.com/

Read Jay’s work on Substack: https://substack.com/@jayheinrichs?utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page

Purchase a copy of Jay’s latest book: https://a.co/d/5BV8IEF

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Outline:

[0:00] What is “rhetoric” and why did we forget it?

[8:17] The collapse and rebirth of public debate

[17:28] Inoculate your kids against manipulation

[24:59] Disinterest vs “lived experience” in debate

[34:51] Arguing about the past, present, and future

[42:51] How to apply these tactics in a job interview

[50:01] Why we’re skeptical of slick-talkers

[59:52] Can rhetoric help rebuild institutional trust?

[1:07:02] Physical closeness, emotion, and human connection

[1:17:58] Empathy, sympathy, and manipulative rhetoric

[1:22:54] Greta Thunberg’s vs Al Gore’s climate change rhetoric

[1:32:01] How to avoid logical fallacies

[1:51:59] Why bipartisanship is so elusive today

[2:01:31] Empower your kids to speak better

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https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/

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Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

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Follow Katherine on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/mysteriouskat?s=20

Read Katherine’s work on Substack: https://substack.com/@mysteriouskat

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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

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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/bbncXIGIJao

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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?

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Follow Jonathan on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/JonHaidt

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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?

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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-TA0O0lc0

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.

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Follow Mike on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/joelkotkin

Watch Mike on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mikebenzcyberofficial?si=x44aaPbJ4wGMExbE

Learn more about Mike’s organization: https://foundationforfreedomonline.com/

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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

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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/g1B0YmNHxwQ

Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠