Is Having a Boyfriend Cringe Now? - Rob Henderson

Go see Chris live in America - https://chriswilliamson.live Rob Henderson holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Cambridge and is a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. When did having a boyfriend become cringe? For as long as men have been men and women have been women, finding a partner to share life with has been one of humanity’s oldest goals. So what changed? Why has wanting connection become something to mock, and what can be done to reverse it? Expect to learn why having a boyfriend is now cringe according to TikTok, if anti-natalism is a luxury belief, why girls lose friends when they are in a relationship, why so many serious women in the workforce don’t have children or at least let them slow them down, why men don’t show up in relationships anymore, how modern society is disrupting mate preferences, and much more… - 00:00 Is Having a Boyfriend Considered Cringe? 13:15 The Vicious Rise of Female Intrasexual Competition 26:40 How is Modern Culture Affecting Fertility? 35:43 The Difference Between Male and Female Intrasexual Competition 46:09 Are Successful Women Limiting Other Women’s Reproduction? 54:04 The Reason Women are More Against Abortion Than Men 01:01:01 The Swag Gap: How Confidence and Status Shape Modern Dating 01:16:22 Is Female Solidarity an Illusion? 01:23:25 Where to Find Rob - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostRob Hendersonguest

Nov 6, 20251h 24mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: November 6, 2025
Duration: 1h 24m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Go see Chris live in America - https://chriswilliamson.live Rob Henderson holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Cambridge and is a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute. When did having a boyfriend become cringe? For as long as men have been men and women have been women, finding a partner to share life with has been one of humanity’s oldest goals. So what changed? Why has wanting connection become something to mock, and what can be done to reverse it? Expect to learn why having a boyfriend is now cringe according to TikTok, if anti-natalism is a luxury belief, why girls lose friends when they are in a relationship, why so many serious women in the workforce don’t have children or at least let them slow them down, why men don’t show up in relationships anymore, how modern society is disrupting mate preferences, and much more… - 00:00 Is Having a Boyfriend Considered Cringe? 13:15 The Vicious Rise of Female Intrasexual Competition 26:40 How is Modern Culture Affecting Fertility? 35:43 The Difference Between Male and Female Intrasexual Competition 46:09 Are Successful Women Limiting Other Women’s Reproduction? 54:04 The Reason Women are More Against Abortion Than Men 01:01:01 The Swag Gap: How Confidence and Status Shape Modern Dating 01:16:22 Is Female Solidarity an Illusion? 01:23:25 Where to Find Rob - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Rob Henderson
guest
Narrator
other

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Rob Henderson, Is Having a Boyfriend Cringe Now? - Rob Henderson explores elite ‘girlboss’ culture quietly discourages love, marriage, and motherhood Chris Williamson and Rob Henderson unpack a viral Vogue piece asking whether having a boyfriend is now embarrassing, using it as a springboard into evolutionary psychology, luxury beliefs, and modern dating culture. They argue that some high‑status women publicly promote anti‑relationship, anti‑natal, and “men are trash” narratives while privately enjoying partners, marriage, and children, effectively suppressing the reproductive success of lower‑status women. The conversation explores female intrasexual competition, proximate vs. ultimate motives, body positivity, pro‑life vs. pro‑choice politics, and how online status metrics distort relationship priorities. They also discuss how these dynamics shape male behavior, the “swag gap” discourse, and broader cultural pressures that make family formation feel risky, uncool, or politically suspect.

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