Raising Men

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson sits down with Geoff Owen, founder of Aligned Parenting and author of The Parenting Assumption. Together, they explore what it means to strip away performance-driven parenting and build a home environment aligned with a child's natural biology. Geoff breaks down his core philosophy of "Biologically Aligned Parenting," explaining how traditional discipline often targets behavior instead of reading it as a crucial biological signal.

Using the powerful "golf mindset" metaphor, Geoff and Shaun discuss how focusing on current capabilities rather than chasing perfection transforms both golf swings and family dynamics. They dive deep into the power of distinction, emotional broadcasting, and why boys communication is grounded in sensory experience rather than lectures. Geoff offers grounded, actionable advice on stepping out of authoritarian traps, regulating parental state, and providing the optimal environment for sons to mature into healthy men.

Key Takeaways

1. Behavior is a signal, not a problem: Modern parenting attempts to stop or correct behaviors, but behavior is actually an unconscious biological signal showing what environment or support is missing.
2. Shift from perfect to expected performance: Just like in golf, setting up for expected performance rather than theoretical perfection eliminates anxiety and builds long-term enjoyment and consistency.
3. Kids respond to your physical state, not your words: Children pick up on the emotional state you broadcast; acting calm while feeling anxious or controlling creates a disconnect that triggers resistance.
4. Treat children as capable and on the periphery: Children biologically expect to be on the edge of adult life observing and joining in, not having the entire household revolve around them.
5. Inhabit your own life: The most effective way to raise mature men is to enjoy and inhabit your own life fully, giving sons a real model to emulate rather than living through them.

00:00:00 - Introduction To The Golf Mindset

00:03:34 - The Reality Of Our Days

00:06:25 - Superficial Versus Deep Cultural Questions

00:08:35 - Restoring Integrity Through Authentic Actions

00:13:06 - Reframing Golf For Personal Growth

00:14:43 - Focusing On Expected Player Performance

00:23:04 - Parenting Through Ancient Biological Blueprints

00:28:23 - Looking Beyond Behaviors To Signals

00:32:33 - Communicating Beyond Traditional Language Methods

00:55:58 - Creating An Environment For Maturity

00:58:16 - Cultivating Growth Like A Seed

01:05:37 - Resources For Biologically Aligned Parenting

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• Books: The Parenting Assumption by Geoff Owen; ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) by Geoff Owen; The Parent Who Seems Fine (Upcoming) by Geoff Owen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GT8QYF3J?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
• Frameworks Mentioned: Biologically Aligned Parenting; The Golf Mindset https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffowen1/
• https://geoffreyowen.com/

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson sits down with Dr. Carla Caturia, an elite mental performance coach, former educator, and founder of The House of Rise. Together, they explore the hidden mental health struggles facing today’s high-achieving youth—young men and athletes who crush it in academics and sports on the outside, yet wrestle with crippling anxiety, burnout, and self-doubt behind closed doors. Dr. Caturia breaks down why kids put intense pressure on themselves to attach their identity to external achievements and how parents inadvertently reinforce praise-seeking behavior. 

Key Takeaways

• Praise the Process Over the Outcome: Praising results can accidentally teach kids to work for external approval; redirecting focus back to their internal experience builds lasting self-trust.
• Embrace Productive Struggle: Shielding kids from failure deprives them of essential problem-solving skills, making low-stakes failures in middle school or sports crucial learning opportunities.
• Train in the Mind Gym: Mental conditioning, emotional regulation, and pattern recognition require daily intentional practice just like physical training.
• Regulate Before You Relate: Parents cannot force motivation onto their sons; instead, parents must manage their own emotional reactions, step back, and observe before correcting.
• Master the Four Pillars: Sustainable self-worth relies on systematically developing Resiliency, Identity, Self-confidence, and Emotional intelligence.

00:00:00 - Praising Kids Through Self Reflection

00:00:23 - Guest Intro Dr. Carla Katuria

00:02:06 - High Achievement and Youth Anxiety

00:04:03 - Gender Differences in Athlete Burnout

00:06:48 - Separating Performance From Self Worth

00:08:29 - Shifting Mindsets Over External Motivation

00:11:00 - Allowing Productive Struggle in Youth

00:13:43 - Risks of Early Sports Specialization

00:16:48 - The RISE Framework Pillars

00:20:44 - Pattern Recognition and Mindset Resetting

00:24:14 - Achieving Flow and Strategic Recovery

00:31:00 - Essential Parenting Principles for Sons

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• The RISE Framework: A four-pillar performance model focusing on Resiliency, Identity, Self-confidence, and Emotional intelligence.
• The House of RISE: Dr. Carla Caturia’s organization and mental performance coaching platform.
• The Mind Gym Concept: A mental exercise approach for recognizing emotional patterns and building self-regulation alongside physical athletic training.
• Flow State & Recovery Cycle: The intersection of skill and challenge to achieve peak performance while integrating essential mental and physical recovery.

In this episode of Raising Men, Shaun Dawson sits down with Dr. Adam McCormick, professor of social work at St. Edward's University and author of The Cost of Becoming a Boy. Together, they explore how modern boyhood often operates as a form of cultural trauma, pressuring young boys to abandon emotional vulnerability, tenderness, and help-seeking simply to maintain belonging. Drawing from twenty-five years of experience working with youth in foster care, schools, and juvenile detention settings, Dr. McCormick breaks down how cultural shaming drives boys toward isolation, irritability, and toxic online echo chambers. The discussion provides practical, actionable strategies for parents—particularly mothers, who represent a significant portion of caregivers guiding boys—on fostering deeper connection through shoulder-to-shoulder conversations, practicing emotional presence, and prioritizing relational accountability over punitive consequences. Reconnecting young men with their authentic selves begins with understanding the wounds behind their behavior.

Key Takeaways

1. Boyhood as Cultural Trauma: Culturally feminized traits like emotional expression, vulnerability, and asking for help are essential for mental health, yet boys are systematically policed into abandoning them to achieve belonging.
2. Shame Cannot Cure Shame: Boys cannot be shamed out of behaviors they were originally shamed into; punitive responses or social exclusion only push young men into destructive ecosystems and online echo chambers.
3. Shoulder-to-Shoulder Connection: Boys are socialized against direct, eye-to-eye emotional confrontation; parents achieve breakthroughs by initiating serious conversations side-by-side during activities like driving or playing video games.
4. True Accountability vs. Consequences: Real accountability requires understanding the impact and harm of one's behavior on others, whereas simple punitive consequences fail to foster empathy or repair relationships.
5. Staying Present Through Emotion: Caregivers naturally rush to fix, lecture, or distract a struggling boy, but true emotional maturity develops when adults simply stay present and allow boys to feel their emotions fully.

00:00 – Pre-interview discussion on episode topics and audience context
 11:29 – Welcome Dr. Adam McCormick author of The Cost of Becoming a Boy
 12:57 – Boyhood as cultural trauma and early emotional self-erasure
 17:42 – Cultural double standards and the crisis facing young men
 20:17 – Why shaming boys fails to change behavior
 24:35 – The function of shame and the tension between safety and authenticity
 28:56 – The loss of community play spaces and rising male isolation
 32:32 – How depression and mental health distress manifest differently in young men
 35:35 – Tactical strategies for parents: shoulder-to-shoulder conversations
 42:46 – Differentiating behavioral explanations from excuses
 44:30 – What real accountability and relational repair look like
 51:37 – One core principle for parents raising boys

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• The Cost of Becoming a Boy by Dr. Adam McCormick
• Author of Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma https://naswpress.org/product/healing-the-helping-professional/

  
  

Authors & Thinkers Mentioned

• Dr. Gabor Maté – Concept of the traumatic tension between childhood attachment and authenticity

Frameworks & Concepts

• The Great Setup: Cultural conditioning that forces boys to disdain feminized traits essential for human flourishing.
• Shoulder-to-Shoulder Communication: Setting non-confrontational environments (driving, side-by-side gaming) to encourage young men to open up.
• True Accountability vs. Consequences: Moving beyond arbitrary punishment to relational repair, impact awareness, and tolerating shame.
• Small-T Therapy: Informal, daily relational micro-interactions with peers, mentors, and parents that regulate the nervous system.

Shaun Dawson sits down with a very special guest—his son, Lake. Stepping into the interviewer’s chair, Lake leads a candid, heartwarming, and witty conversation with his father.  Together, they explore their earliest memories, reflect on the loss of family pets, and recount the frosty conditions of Lake’s arrival during a minus-twenty-degree polar vortex.

Key Takeaways

Children process life's scale differently: What feels like the "worst day ever" to a child (like missing out on a Slurpee) can quickly be recontextualized through gentle parental guidance and shared family memories.

Fatherhood creates a unique emotional bond: Deep relationships with children offer a fundamental sense of fulfillment and connection that redefines a parent's life.

Open dialogue invites curiosity: Giving kids the microphone and allowing them to ask big questions—such as why parents chose to have children—creates moments of profound trust and connection.   Early memories and identity shape us: Children absorb family history, shared stories, and physical resemblances, building their sense of belonging through parental reflection.

Grief and loss are shared milestones: Discussing the loss of loved ones and pets with children helps them process grief gently and openly within a safe space.   

00:46 Lake shares his favorite school subject and math skills
01:41 Shaun explains physics and astrophysics to Lake
02:37 Discussing the worst days ever, missing Slurpees, and pet loss
04:02 Reflecting on the best day ever and Lake's birth
04:41 Remembering the polar vortex and minus-twenty-degree weather
05:03 Lake and Shaun share their earliest childhood memories
07:02 Comparing physical resemblances and photos from childhood
07:47 Lake asks Shaun why he decided to have kids
10:11 Shaun recounts airplane conversations about parenting fulfillment
11:04 The soulmate realization and deciding to become a father
12:18 Addressing questions about loneliness and father-son closeness  

In this episode of Raising Men, Shaun Dawson sits down with Liz Ortenburger, CEO of SafeNest, Nevada's largest non-profit addressing domestic and sexual violence, to navigate some of the most daunting topics facing parents today. Together, they confront the reality of early digital exposure and pornography, discussing how accidental access impacts developing adolescent brains and skews expectations around intimacy. Liz offers a refreshing, proactive perspective, urging parents to replace shame and avoidance with early, open conversations. Moving beyond traditional masculine stereotypes, Liz and Shaun examine how fathers, coaches, and mentors can guide boys to evolve from the historical expectations of protecting and providing into becoming true partners in their relationships. 

Key Takeaways

1. Teach Kids to Swim, Don't Just Build Fences: Digital filters alone cannot stop pornography exposure; parents must actively educate children early so they can navigate accidental exposure with critical thinking instead of shame.
2. Shift from Protect and Provide to Partner: Modern masculinity requires expanding traditional roles to teach young men how to build healthy, equal, and collaborative partnerships with women.
3. Role Models and Mentors Matter: While parental shame pushes boys into secrecy, constructive accountability from respected mentors, coaches, and peer circles effectively redirects harmful behaviors.
4. Uncorrected Behavior Is Condoned Behavior: In youth environments like sports locker rooms, unaddressed misogynistic or harmful banter is perceived by developing brains as approved behavior.
5. Value Diversity of Experience: True cultural progress and healthy environments require valuing individual life journeys and diverse perspectives rather than relying on rigid categorical metrics.

00:00:00 - Unannounced Mom Knocking Teaser

00:00:25 - Guest Intro Liz Ortunburger

00:02:23 - Modern Evolution of Pornography

00:04:26 - Brain Development and Addiction

00:07:48 - Avoiding Shame in Conversations

00:11:00 - Guiding Healthy Youth Development

00:14:05 - Value of Male Role Models

00:17:46 - Shaping Locker Room Culture

00:20:20 - Extreme Consequences of Ignorance

00:23:30 - Protecting Providing and Partnering

00:28:40 - Modeling Healthy Adult Relationships

00:35:45 - Safe Nest Contact Info

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• SafeNest: Nevada's largest non-profit addressing domestic and sexual violence https://safenest.org/
• Scott Galloway: Bestselling author and statistician referenced for his writings on manhood (Notes on Being a Man)
• Mentorship Programs: Big Brothers Big Sisters, 100 Black Men, Gentlemen by Choice, Coaching Boys into Men
• Protect, Provide, and Partner: Framework for expanding traditional masculine development to include healthy, collaborative relationship skills
• Car Windshield Conversations: Tactical approach for discussing uncomfortable or sensitive topics with teens in low-pressure settings
• Liz Ortenburger on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-ortenburger-9539aa32/

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson introduces a new format focused on cultivating one of the most critical skills in modern masculinity: evaluating claims to discover what is actually true. Prompted by a viral quote claiming American teenagers have lower testosterone levels than 68-year-old men, Shaun uses this episode to practice moving from reactive emotional responses to disciplined, analytical thinking. Drawing from personal experiences—like how updated science changed his view on artificial sweeteners—and Stoic philosophy, he sets the stage for checking complex health claims. Shaun breaks down the current debates surrounding male hormone decline into three distinct perspectives: the alarmists who view it as a cultural and health crisis, the skeptics who consider it a moral panic driven by flawed data and weight gain, and the commercial entities capitalizing on the controversy. This episode lays the groundwork for critical thinking before diving directly into the scientific literature in part two.

Key Takeaways

1. Move from Conan to Sherlock: Emotional or outrageous health claims target our reactive, survival-focused brain first; true critical thinking requires passing those claims to our analytical prefrontal cortex before accepting or spreading them.
2. Seek Out the Steel Man: Avoid creating easily defeatable "straw man" versions of opposing arguments; instead, find and evaluate the strongest, most serious version of a claim.
3. Question the Source of Nuance: Scientific understanding evolves over time, and even if popular claims turn out to be partly right or wrong, the underlying mechanisms are often vastly different from public perception.
4. Beware Outrage as a Business Model: Media outlets, political commentators, and commercial sellers profit off controversy and fear regardless of the truth, making healthy skepticism essential.
5. Trace Claims to Primary Sources: Before repeating headlines or accepting sweeping statistics about male health, follow the citations down to the original scientific studies to evaluate the actual data.

00:00 Intro & Teenager Testosterone Claim 
00:43 Evaluating Claims & Personal Misconceptions 
03:15 Artificial Sweetener Research Shift 
03:52 Epictetus & Evaluating Harsh Appearances
04:56 Steel-Manning the Testosterone Decline 
06:01 Deteriorating Male Reproductive Health Studies 
07:03 Camp 1: Crisis & Action 
09:29 Camp 2: Moral Panic View 
11:13 Lab Differences & Weight Factors
12:56 Camp 3: Commercial Interests
13:48 Outrage as a Business Model 
14:32 Chasing Evidence for Next Week 

Books and Frameworks mentioned

• Conan Brain vs. Sherlock Holmes Brain Framework: Shaun's neuroscience metaphor contrasting the reactive, survival-driven amygdala with the analytical, regulating prefrontal cortex[cite: 1, 3].
• Steel Man vs. Straw Man: The philosophical practice of evaluating the strongest possible version of an opposing argument.
• Epictetus on "Harsh Appearances": Stoic philosophy encouraging individuals to examine impressions before accepting them as reality.
• Tucker Carlson's The End of Men (2022): Documentary segment referenced regarding testosterone trends and red light therapy.
• 2022 & 2025 Gut Microbiome & Sucralose Clinical Trials: Studies cited by Shaun regarding artificial sweeteners, gut bacteria changes, and insulin sensitivity.
• European Fertility Conference (July 2026 Analysis): Pooled study analysis mentioned regarding male reproductive health and testosterone data.

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson sits down with Dr. Katrina Ostmeyer—CEO of Beyond the Individual, Associate Professor of the Practice at the University of Kansas, licensed psychologist, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Beyond her clinical and academic credentials, Dr. Ostmeyer brings invaluable lived experience as the mother of a neurodivergent boy. Together, they navigate the complex landscape of raising sons whose minds do not fit into standard conventional boxes.

The conversation explores the key diagnostic differences between boys and girls, how to distinguish normal boyhood energy from neurodivergence, and the delicate balance between behavioral interventions and medication. Dr. Ostmeyer highlights a transformative, strength-based perspective on neurodiversity, framing labels not as lifelong limitations, but as personal shortcuts for understanding a child's unique needs. This episode provides actionable insights and grounded encouragement for parents aiming to help their sons thrive.

Key Takeaways

• Diagnosis vs. Normal Development: Evaluating whether a child's behavior requires formal intervention comes down to whether it causes significant impairment and if simple environmental adjustments can resolve the issue first.
• Shift to Strength-Based Care: Modern clinical approaches are moving away from trying to "fix" neurodivergent children, focusing instead on leveraging their unique personal strengths to help them achieve their goals.
• Behavior as Functional Data: Misbehavior or defiance should be viewed as communication and analyzed functionally to understand why it is happening rather than simply labeling the child.
• Accommodations Build Skills: Accommodations at school or home are not about lowering standards permanently; they are tools designed to support children while they build essential skills.
• Parenthood Over Perfection: The ultimate objective of parenting is not raising a perfectly behaved child in every moment, but equipping boys with the independence and resilience needed to become happy, functioning adults.

Transcript Summary

00:00 Introduction
02:26 Balancing clinical expertise with raising a neurodivergent son
03:52 Gender disparities and diagnostic bias
04:54 Disambiguating natural male energy from clinical neurodivergence
07:01 Rethinking classroom environments and expectations for young boys
12:27 Evolutionary perspectives on ADHD and shifts in treatment options
16:30 Moving from negative disability labels
23:20 Understanding childhood defiance 
27:46 Real world parenting stories 
35:28 Early childhood milestones and determining when to seek professional help
39:50 Reframing neurodivergence through strengths and personalized support systems
47:08 Dr Ostmeyer's core principle for parents raising excellent men

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• Beyond the Individual: https://www.beyondtheindividual.com
• PSYPACT (Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact): Telehealth authority framework across 44 states.
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-4 / DSM-5): Referenced diagnostic frameworks for ADHD and Autism.
• 504 Plan Framework: Educational accommodation framework used in public schools.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Guidelines: Reference framework for treating ADHD.
• Berry Picking Paradigm: Evolutionary psychology framework regarding foraging behaviors and ADHD traits.

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson shares a special solo reading inspired by a recent conversation with Dr. Randolph Schiffer, author of Bedtime Stories That Will Terrify Children. Exploring how experiencing controlled fear in a safe environment is essential for a boy's emotional health, Shaun reads "Dog"—a story about two young brothers navigating late-night dread inside a forest cedar house. As sounds echo through the dark, seven-year-old Brenton and five-year-old Randy must find the courage to confront the unknown together. From cold floors to a shaking white door, the tale reveals how fear gives way to brotherhood, resilience, and unexpected relief. Join Shaun for a story about stepping into the dark, overcoming panic, and discovering what really lies on the other side.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Experiencing controlled fear helps young men develop emotional resilience and courage in safe environments.
2. Older siblings carry the natural weight of responsibility, but brothers draw strength from each other when facing the unknown.
3. Courage is dynamic—its loss is common, but its resurrection allows even the youngest to take action.
4. Imagined fears in the dark are often far more terrifying than the reality waiting on the other side.
5. True strength involves taking small, shared steps forward together when facing panic.

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• Bedtime Stories That Will Terrify Children by Dr. Randolph Schiffer https://www.amazon.com/Bedtime-Stories-That-Terrify-Children-ebook/dp/B0FVG5S1RH
• Controlled Fear Framework: Facing fear in safe environments to build emotional health in boys https://randolphbschiffer.com/home

In this episode of Raising Men, host Shaun Dawson welcomes Dr. Randolph B. Schiffer, a neurologist, former Marine infantry officer, and founding director of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Brain Health. Together, they examine how modern parenting culture often protects children from discomfort, inadvertently creating a fearful society that avoids failure, responsibility, and risk. Dr. Schiffer explains that while fear is built into human biology, courage—the capacity to think, speak, and act despite fear—is a skill that must be learned. Drawing from his experiences in combat during Vietnam, decades in medicine, and creating stories for his young son during a battle with leukemia, Dr. Schiffer highlights the transformative power of storytelling. By internalizing heroic figures, children learn to process fear, build resilience, and cultivate self-curiosity. This conversation provides actionable insights on modeling emotional processing to raise courageous men.

Key Takeaways

• Courage Is Learned, Not Innate: While fear is hardwired into infants and young toddlers, courage—the capacity to think, speak, and act despite fear—must be actively learned and modeled by adults.
• Overprotection Creates Cultural Anxiety: Shielding children from upsetting experiences or fearful situations creates long-term societal anxiety, leading to a fear of failure, responsibility, and life itself.
• Dads Must Model Fear Processing: Parents often fail to talk explicitly about their own fears, missing a crucial opportunity to model for their children how to process and overcome frightening situations.
• Storytelling Serves as an Emotional Anchor: Fictional and heroic characters stay with children forever, giving them internal models to navigate moral conflict, pain, and adversity.
• Self-Curiosity Is the Ultimate Operating Principle: Developing self-curiosity about who we are and who we wish to be is the most valuable skill for raising men of character.

CHAPTER MARKERS

00:00 - The distinction between innate fear and learned courage 
00:37 - Introduction to Dr. Randolph B. Schiffer and brain health 
01:58 - How overprotective parenting creates a fearful culture 
05:45 - Navigating modern cultural expectations for young men 
09:07 - Why parents must model processing their own fears 
12:26 - Using storytelling to teach children resilience and values 
14:12 - The neurological connection between memory and emotional arousal 
18:47 - Redefining truth and lying in parental storytelling 
22:52 - Lessons on internalized hero figures from combat in Vietnam 
24:46 - Writing bedtime stories to help a son battle childhood leukemia 
30:13 - The long-term psychological impact of war and medical service 
32:05 - One key operating principle for raising men of courage

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• Book: Bedtime Stories That Will Terrify Children by Dr. Randolph B. Schiffer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FVG5S1RH?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback
• Literature/Pop Culture Reference: Frank Merriwell (fictional heroic athlete from Yale used as an internalized model of courage)
• Framework: Learned Courage Model (fear is an innate biological impulse, whereas courage requires adult modeling and intentional practice)
• Framework: Emotional Memory Colocation (the brain's memory and fear systems are co-located in the medial temporal lobes, making emotionally charged stories stick permanently)

In this episode of Raising Men, Shaun Dawson explores the cultural noise surrounding trans issues, encouraging listeners to approach complex debates with grace, protection, and humility rather than online outrage. Shaun reflects on a story from The Bulwark Daily podcast about Julia Curlee, the first openly transgender CIA officer, and her daily security briefings with former Vice President Mike Pence. Despite Pence holding public, conservative convictions that conflicted with Curlee’s identity, he maintained an exemplary professional relationship with her defined by meritocracy, dignity, and honor. Highlighting this interaction, Shaun outlines a blueprint for modern, healthy masculinity: holding firm personal convictions without demeaning or victimizing others. He emphasizes the importance of utilizing the strategic "Sherlock brain" over impulsive reactions, prioritizing long-term character, and remembering the real human beings behind hot-button cultural debates.

Key Takeaways

• Default to Grace and Protection: Modern healthy masculinity requires reacting to protect rather than attack, aiming to lower the emotional temperature around hot-button debates.
• Hold Convictions Without Dehumanizing: It is possible to maintain deep personal convictions while treating people with professional excellence, honor, and dignity.
• Sherlock Brain Over Conan Brain: Use thoughtful, regulated logic to override impulsive reactions when encountering unfamiliar perspectives or experiences.
• Social Media is Signal, Not Connection: Online platforms encourage virtue and vice signaling rather than meaningful dialogue, making it essential to remember the human being behind the screen.
• Mind the Permanent Record: Words and actions on digital platforms leave a lasting legacy, requiring long-term value alignment and critical thinking.

Transcript Summary 
00:07 Recommended episode of The Bulwark Daily podcast 00:38 Sharing personal honesty regarding experience and qualifications on broader cultural trans debates 01:54 The importance of extending grace and recognizing real human struggles behind nomenclature 02:48 Revisiting healthy masculinity principles of protective behavior and lowering emotional temperatures 04:16 Social media as a platform for virtue or vice signaling rather than thoughtful debate 05:27 Introducing Julia Curlee, the first CIA officer to transition openly 06:10 Explaining Curlee’s daily intelligence briefing responsibilities for former Vice President Mike Pence 07:19 Examining Pence’s professional treatment of Curlee based strictly on merit and excellence 08:57 Describing Pence's respectful interaction with Curlee's mother and honoring her career 10:02 Outlining the blueprint for modern healthy masculinity found in holding convictions with dignity 10:53 Engaging the strategic Sherlock brain over the impulsive Conan brain 12:25 Teaching sons long-term value alignment and considering the human on the other side of the screen

Books, Links and Frameworks Mentioned

• The Bulwark Daily Podcast https://www.thebulwark.com/podcast/the-bulwark-podcast
• Cowards are Running This Country: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1hdsF5c0pYrZHn13DgqxRq
• Secret Preview: The Mike Pence Story That Makes Trump Look Even Worse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwcRVBN0Iag
• Two-Brain Theory (Conan the Barbarian vs. Sherlock Holmes Brain) — A metaphor for emotional regulation and using the prefrontal cortex over the amygdala.