I often reflect on the true nature of fulfillment, and lately, the conversation around why traditional prestige no longer satisfies young talent resonates deeply with my observations. It appears we've arrived at a point where the carefully laid "train tracks" of education and career, once clear paths to societal validation, now lead to a profound sense of "directionlessness" among young people, as Chris Williamson highlighted in his interview with Tucker Carlson [singjupost.com]. This isn't merely a generational malaise; it's a symptom of a deeper, systemic shift in what we, as a society, have come to value.
The Allure of the False Horizon
I've seen this play out time and again: the relentless pursuit of what Chris Williamson and Tucker Carlson termed "observable metrics" – the job title, the salary, the size of the house – at the expense of "hidden metrics" like inner peace, genuine relationships, and personal fulfillment [singjupost.com]. This mirrors what Alfred D'Souza so eloquently put: "For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin. But there was always some obstacle in the way… Then life would begin. At last, it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life" [people.smu.edu]. John Lennon echoed this sentiment, reminding us that "Life is what happens while you are making other plans" [people.smu.edu]. We've been caught in a "delayed happiness hypothesis," constantly deferring joy to a future that never truly arrives, creating a society that, despite its material wealth, is increasingly unhappy, as indicated by the longitudinal studies on female happiness discussed by Tucker Carlson.
Foundations Under Strain: Family, Gender, and Community
The fabric of our society feels increasingly stretched, particularly concerning fundamental human relationships. The conversations between Chris Williamson and Tucker Carlson shed light on how structural changes in education and employment have left many men feeling "surplus" [singjupost.com]. Tucker Carlson attributed this male decline to being "browbeaten and demoralized" and attacked for immutable qualities, leading to a state where men's problems are often dismissed, as Chris Williamson pointed out with the concept of "social land acknowledgement" [singjupost.com]. This has led to challenging dynamics, such as the "tall girl hypothesis," where women, increasingly out-earning and out-educating men, face a shrinking pool of eligible partners who meet their preferences for dating "up and across" [singjupost.com].
Furthermore, the "derogation of motherhood" [singjupost.com] has had unintended consequences, transforming what was once a revered role into something often prefaced with an apologetic "just," as Andrew Schultz shared regarding his wife's experience at Google [singjupost.com]. This societal pressure, often originating from other women, as Tucker Carlson observed, creates a complex social hierarchy that Chris Williamson likened to "samurai" level intrasexual competition [singjupost.com].
I’ve long held that the family unit is the bedrock of society. The discussion on fatherlessness by Chris Williamson, describing it as the "real inequality" and a stronger predictor of incarceration than poverty or race [singjupost.com], is a stark reminder of this truth. Arthur Brooks' simple yet profound advice – "what is the best way to raise your son? Love his mum" – underscores the foundational importance of a happy marriage for happy children [singjupost.com]. My own experience with having three daughters and a son, entirely unexpected, taught me that the greatest blessings often come from surrendering the "illusion of control" and embracing the unexpected beauty of life, something Tucker Carlson also eloquently highlighted [singjupost.com].
This breakdown extends to our communities. The "loneliness epidemic," where nearly one in four adults feel lonely [myblogepage.blogspot.com/2023/10/mental-therapists-chatgpt-stella.html], particularly among young adults, underscores a critical void that technology often attempts to fill, but rarely with true satisfaction.
The Digital Sedation and the Erosion of Reality
The rise of technology, while offering immense convenience, has inadvertently become a form of "male sedation," as Chris Williamson theorized. Video games, screens, and porn offer a "simulacrum of mastery, conquer, progress, group cohesion" [singjupost.com], pacifying young men and diverting their creative energy and natural drives away from real-world pursuits. Tucker Carlson further questioned the intentionality behind this pacification, raising critical questions about societal control [singjupost.com].
This trend extends to AI companions and "AI girlfriends," which promise non-judgmental listening and emotional resonance, fulfilling a deep male need to talk to women and be heard [singjupost.com]. Yet, as I noted in my blog, "When AI Becomes a Friend" [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/07/when-ai-becomes-friend.html], this raises serious questions about emotional dependency and distorted realism, concerns echoed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who warned against deferring life decisions to ChatGPT [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/07/when-ai-becomes-friend.html].
I've been thinking about such developments for years. In my 2016 blog, "Share Your Soul: Outsourcing Unlimited" [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/07/share-your-soul-outsourcing-unlimited.html], I predicted the emergence of AI software robots taking over the role of human listeners, even morphing into "Psychology Process Outsourcing." This foresight, further elaborated in my discussions on "ARIHANT" – a mind-reading AI that could decipher "evil intentions" from spoken words [myblogepage.blogspot.com/2016/10/fast-forward-to-future-3-f.html], [myblogepage.blogspot.com/2024/01/neuralink-inching-towards-arihant.html] – becomes disturbingly relevant as companies like Amazon acquire AI firms like Bee, which make wearable devices that "listen to and analyze conversations" to build a "Database of Intentions" [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/07/eff-bezos-may-save-mankind.html]. The line between convenience and pervasive surveillance, between genuine connection and digital illusion, is blurring rapidly.
The Peril of Ideology and the Decline of Critical Thought
Beyond technological shifts, the ideological landscape presents its own challenges. Clifford Gould’s powerful article, "My Grandmother Escaped the Holodomor—Now Her Killers’ Heirs Cheer from Mansions" [https://people.smu.edu/cgould/2025/11/05/my-grandmother-escaped-the-holodomor-now-her-killers-heirs-cheer-from-mansions/], offers a scathing critique of modern elites who, from their "fake worlds," champion ideologies like "enforced righteousness" – a thinly veiled socialism or communism [people.smu.edu]. He names historical figures like Herbert Marcuse, Adorno, Horkheimer, Rudi Dutschke, Saul Alinsky, Angela Davis, and Tom Hayden as architects of this "long march through the institutions," particularly academia, that has led to a suppression of dissent and true intellectual debate [people.smu.edu]. The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk [people.smu.edu], mentioned in another of Clifford Gould’s articles, underscores the perilous nature of speaking truth in such a polarized environment. I recall Jordan Peterson's astute observation that "the ideological possession of the soul is a terrible thing" [people.smu.edu], a warning that resonates deeply.
The decline of reading, as detailed by James Marriott and Neil Postman [people.smu.edu], and the shift towards emotion-driven, short-form digital content, threatens the very capacity for critical thinking. Thomas Jefferson's vision of an educated citizenry essential for self-governance seems distant when "biblical literacy" is also declining, as noted by Gary M. Burge, leaving individuals vulnerable to "siren voices" [people.smu.edu]. My earlier blogs on critical thinking and AI overdependence [mylinkedinposting.blogspot.com/2024/10/critical-thinking-achilles-heal-of-ai_26.html] emphasized the need for digital literacy to counterbalance this erosion of human intellect.
Reclaiming True Meaning and Cultivating Courage
What, then, is the way forward? It begins with a courageous embrace of reality, even its discomforts. Clifford Gould’s piece, "The risk of the discomfort of balance" [https://people.smu.edu/cgould/2025/10/21/the-risk-of-the-discomfort-of-balance/], urges artists and creators to portray societal divides with genuine balance, humanizing all perspectives rather than retreating into nostalgia or one-sided narratives. This call for authenticity aligns with my own belief that truth-telling, however complex, is the only path forward, as Tucker Carlson wisely concluded in his conversation with Chris Williamson.
We must heed the timeless wisdom of Saint Augustine, who declared, "Our heart is restless until it rests in you," and C.S. Lewis, who observed desires "nothing in this world can satisfy" [people.smu.edu]. This points us towards a search for meaning beyond the temporal. This echoes what I discussed in my blog from earlier this year on the "Meaning of Life," synthesized by five LLMs debating various perspectives, from Viktor Frankl's existential resilience to the Dalai Lama's relational ethics [http://myblogepage.blogspot.com/2025/07/5-llms-are-any-day-better-than-one.html].
We must also rediscover the power of "no," not as a denial, but as a protective and perfecting force, as seen in the Bruce Almighty metaphor [people.smu.edu]. This requires cultivating a vigilant conscience, an "inner alarm" that guides us, as described by Clifford Gould, reflecting the insights of Paul and Martin Luther [people.smu.edu].
The idea of a "national divorce," glamorized by media, stands as a chilling warning. Abraham Lincoln's plea that "A house divided against itself cannot stand" and Martin Luther King Jr.'s admonition that "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools" [people.smu.edu] remind us of the imperative for unity. Figures like Plato, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, and Sun Tzu all, in their own ways, warned against the destructive power of division and the illusion of winning through conflict [people.smu.edu]. My own reflections on this "horrible reality" [https://people.smu.edu/cgould/2025/10/09/the-horrible-reality-of-national-divorce-a-civil-war-no-one-wins/], underscore the need for a "muscular peace" built on empathy and unwavering resolve.
Ultimately, finding joy is not about waiting for a diploma or tenure, as Clifford Gould reminded us [https://people.smu.edu/cgould/2025/10/10/happiness-is-not-waiting-for-your-diploma-or-tenure-finding-joy-in-the-college-grind-october-2025/]. It is about embracing the present, nurturing real relationships, and building a life of meaning that transcends fleeting external validation. The pursuit of immortality, for me, is not just about extending physical life, but about ensuring that our human spirit, our capacity for genuine connection, critical thought, and purposeful creation, endures.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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