Men on Strike: The Atlas Society Asks Dr. Helen Smith

Join Atlas Society CEO Jennifer Grossman for the 193rd episode of The Atlas Society Asks where she interviews Dr. Helen Smith about her 2014 book "Men on Strike: Why Men are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream - and Why it Matters" and how it captured early trends that are coming to fruition today.
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Dr. Helen Smith, a forensic psychologist and wife of Instapundit blogger Glenn Reynolds unleashed a firestorm of controversy with a pointed 2008 column popularizing the slogan “Going Galt,” a reference to Atlas Shrugged and a provocative proposal: “Should productive people cut back on what they need, make less money, and take it easy so that the government is starved for funds, or is there some other way of making a statement?”
Smith continued the theme of withdrawal with her pivotal book Men on Strike: Why Men are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream-and Why It Matters, which argues that “men aren’t dropping out because they are stuck in arrested development. They are instead acting rationally in response to the lack of incentives society offers them to be responsible fathers, husbands and providers. In addition, men are going on strike, either consciously or unconsciously, because they do not want to be injured by the myriad of laws, attitudes and hostility against them for the crime of happening to be male in the twenty-first century.”
Check Out More from Dr. Helen Smith:
PJ Media: pjmedia.com/au...
Book: "Men on Strike: Why Men are Boycotting Marriage, Fatherhood, and the American Dream-and Why It Matters" - amzn.to/48RLFg6
Book: "The Scarred Heart: Understanding and Identifying Kids Who Kill" - amzn.to/47ySy4T
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[@jaywagner2321]

So great to see Dr. Helen, had worried about her. Hope she’s happy and healthy.

[@LIVdaBrand]

Been speaking on this since 2013 at least. No one even listened to Dr. Helen Smith. Boy were they wrong! And it’s getting worse!

[@m_5373]

It's been 10 years since the release of the book "Men on Strike" and it's still relevant, Respect for Dr. Helen!

[@maslina10]

Even MORE relevant! Things are only getting worse.

[@Scotch65Leo]

Dr Helen is a huge asset to men and to society in general. I read Men On Strike and used to enjoy the guest appearances on Fox News. Good to see you again.:-)

[@helenphd]

Thanks for reading the book!

[@christophercruz8359]

If I were to be asked, "Why aren't you in a romantic relationship?", I'd answer using the Socratic method: "Where's the return on the investment?"

[@user936]

The return is measured in consistency of getting laid - and sandwiches 🍆 🥪

[@DrCruel]

Simple economics of supply and demand. When the available supply is of a substandard product with substantially higher fixed and operational costs and a high probability of catastrophic complications, it's reasonable to assume demand will plummet.

[@EricMHowardII-yh1rn]

How many letters did you get from men across America ?

[@christophercruz8359]

@@EricMHowardII-yh1rn 🤨

[@maslina10]

@@DrCruel Cruel, Doctor. Cruel. But on the mark.:)

[@albionicamerican8806]

Aaron Clarey on his KZbin channel has pointed out repeatedly that women traditionally paired up with men, but without enthusiasm because they don't like most men in general. Instead they had to for economic reasons. Now that women can make their own livings, we're seeing what they really think of us, and it is not favorable.

[@DrCruel]

Women like men. OnlyFans has demonstrated what women want from them. Simping is king.

[@tyenright1109]

That would imply that women and men didn't evolve together, and only paired because they discovered that men would for some strange reason support them. Men and women evolved to pair with each other. The closest in behaviour are gibbons, who closely pair bond. Women are socialized in Anglosphere nations to deprecate men, but that socialization can largely be laid an the feet of a subset of men, corporate men, who encouraged women to see men as incompetent fools and useless. Both early advertising late 19th Century(a monstrous woman beating her husband for forgetting to buy the Kelloggs Corn flakes) and then TV have been prominent in selling the idea to women that men are a drag and a loss. But that advertising and TV was the creation of Men, and it is Corporate Men who have now turned over the film studios to women directors, writers, actresses and producers, who are hostile to men. Corporate males are selling that the only acceptable males are homosexual and perhaps men of color other than pale. Corporate Film Industry Males blame men as sexists for not eating up the anti-male fare, and sell that excuse/concept to women and emasculated pseudo males.

[@khure711]

And when they are 50 childless alone they regret never having a family.

[@HD46409]

Do men really like women? Patrice O'Neal said that "men want to be alone but not by ourselves." As long as you are getting somewhat regular sex from "spinning plates" and you have friends to hang out with, what more do you really want? Do you really want to deal with women (e.g., weekend shopping trips) on a day to day basis? I would guess that if your needs were being met, you would pass on cohabitational relationship.

[@WilliamMartinez-vq2bn]

Aaron clareys truths are things 90 percent of Americans could careless about all of his books are. Master piece s of good commonsense guidance that most can't handle. The man's advice saved me over 20k in mistakes and or bad decisions

[@markdforster1381]

Thank you Dr. Helen. I thought your book so insightful when you released it that I had my coworkers read it. Very interesting to hear your comments on the responses to the book, its impact, and your observations over the years. 42:14

[@jkbrown5496]

The most telling sign is when, mostly women, college graduates complain about the job/money not materializing after graduation with the lament: "I did everything I was told". The women were likely "A" students, but we know the most successful are the "C" students who weren't the best kids in school so learned not to blindly follow the "adults".

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

Wrong. A students perform better in life and the workplace than C students. Women are getting stupid degrees that don't translate to the market. Men go into trades that are guaranteed to pay off in the market. Some high IQ outliers are C students before dominating an industry, but A students are consistently better than C students 9 time out of 10. You are objectively and unequivocally wrong.

[@darbyohara]

It’s cuz they’re uncreative followers who blindly follow government or academia or the tv rather than the actually data around them

[@RealSix200]

The Passport Bro lifestyle isn't just about men seeking women. In fact, it's mostly about men seeking a more favourable environment - economically and socially. Going abroad and bringing a woman back to the West goes against logic. It's to a man's advantage to live and work within a patriarchal society if he wants to build and raise a family. Men need a religious foundational culture to enforce the proper order of God > Man > Woman > Child. Without it, all hell breaks loose.

[@darbyohara]

Bingo. Men go where they are respected

[@jimb3093]

Agreed!

[@kapppeela5328]

Don’t believe we will be going back anytime soon. Would take a crash of epic proportions to go backwards. This is a whole complex issue and women have no concern of fixing male issues in society. The laws won’t change because the system benefits greatly by leaching off of a man’s labor or relative penalties with child support. You can see that woman aren’t concerned about men’s issues by street interviews some content creators have done.

[@darbyohara]

It’s never going back

[@pratiktembhekar1996]

Rrspect for Dr. Helen.

[@S.J.L]

It's better for the kids when men have more ownership aka responsibility and thus it's better for society. See Unwin's "Sex & Culture."

[@genestone4951]

Ya that's all fine, but why bother? Men are way better off doing other things.

[@crazyralph3585]

All I can say is THANK GOD THAT WE LIVE IN AMERICA where we have the freedom to choose how we live our lives! Men are not legally required to get married and reproduce. Even most religious leaders agree that marriage is not for everyone. Nonetheless, it takes courage and strength to take a stand against radical feminism, against gender role expectations, against the system itself; and to be your own man, not a puppet on a string. But we can do all things with the strength that God gives us (Philippians 4:13). I am not advocating that men should withdraw from society, or practice the sin of homosexuality. Nor am I advocating that we should hold malice towards women, or avoid having close female friends. But as men, we cannot wait for women and society to change their way of relating to us; we need to do something for ourselves. The blatant truth is that for men, nowadays, the only way to level the field, in the area of male-female relations, is to GET A VASECTOMY and STAY SINGLE. I made this decision many years ago, and I have no regrets. I encourage all men to follow my example. In doing so, we are not only practicing personal responsibility; but we are making use of our God-given freedom and boldly declaring "My life! My body! My choice!" Besides, we have over 7 billion people in this world, most of whom are impoverished and/or spiritually misguided. Do we really need to make any more? My four bits of advice for young single men are: Trust in God; Work hard; Stay healthy; and Stay single. Don't let your parents persuade you with any sentimental hogwash about wanting to be grandparents. Parents who do this aren't concerned with your welfare, they are only looking out for their own personal interests. Consider the words of St. Paul: "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you single? DO NOT SEEK A WIFE."(1Corinthians 7:27). Therefore, if you are single, and you choose to stay single, then STAND YOUR GROUND and know that YOU HAVE GOD'S APPROVAL. And if God is for you, no one can be against you (Romans 8:31). What's more, being single means having more time and energy to give to friends, to family, to hobbies, and to God. And this will lead to men having healthier, happier lives. There is still the propensity for romance. But by remaining single and childless, men and women have the ability to relate to each other for companionship, as friends and lovers, NOT AS RELATIONSHIP OBJECTS. Codependency of gender role expectations is replaced by mutual acceptance, love, respect, and appreciation of each other as unique individuals. Instead of relating to each other as GENDER IMAGES, where men exude only "masculine" qualities and women exude only "feminine" qualities, both can relate to each other as whole persons. This will help free men from the rigid gender roles and gender stereotypes that have been destroying our lives for so long. And, this will also help women by making them stronger, more self-reliant, and more secure in themselves; as well as giving them a more positive attitude. In doing so, they may come to appreciate us men as people, and as individuals; NOT AS SUCCESS OBJECTS. I believe that all of this will lead to more positive relations between men and women. We've had women's liberation, NOW IT'S TIME FOR MEN'S LIBERATION. It is time that men left the slave plantation of gender roles and gender stereotypes altogether; and that we claimed our God-given freedom. And if God has made us free, then we are free indeed (John 8:36); regardless of what women and society have to say. So let's cast these three demons out of our lives: marriage, cohabitation, and reproduction. And let us "Stand fast in the liberty by which God has made us free, and not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage."(Galatians 5:1). I, personally, would rather die a free man than to live life enslaved or imprisoned. We should heed the immortal words of Patrick Henry: "Is life so dear, or is peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of CHAINS and SLAVERY? FORBID IT, ALMIGHTY GOD! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, GIVE ME LIBERTY or GIVE ME DEATH."

[@alexsimmons4693]

50% of marriages end in divorce, 70% of them initiated by women. They get most of everything following the divorce, including the kids. Women get sole custody of the kids around 80% of the time, and the father loses almost all his rights to those children, except for the financial connection. Yet you blame men for refusing to play this rigged game?

[@christophercruz8359]

I didn't want to risk KZbin's ridiculous censorship, but the one question I have for Helen, "What does a woman know about men's issues?"

[@christophercruz8359]

I should clarify that, by censorship, I was referring to the live chat.

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

I'm curious about your question. Most women don't know or care about men's issues. Of the women discussing men's issues, most have only shallow knowledge of men's issues and are bad advocates. Some women (e.g. Karen Straughan, Dr. Helen Smith) know more about and are better advocates of men's issues than almost any male researchers or advocates. Dr. Smith is a knowledgeable, sincere, and effective advocate. Do you agree with the above?

[@christophercruz8359]

@@mouseutopiadystopia24601 "Dr. Smith is a knowledgeable, sincere and effective advocate". Keep telling yourself that. My question is rhetorical.

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

@@christophercruz8359 Yes, I assumed it was rhetorical, which is why I figured you would not agree with my previous comment. What are your criticisms of Dr. Smith?

[@christophercruz8359]

What kind of men's rights activist believes that feminism was once a positive thing? Whom within the MRM believes that women should be in politics? What kind of anti-feminist wife keeps her maiden name? My answer is in the form of the above questions.​@@mouseutopiadystopia24601

[@surfinwax58]

Trump ought to consult with her when he’s President again on male issues!

[@EricMHowardII-yh1rn]

Do you have plans to write about domestic violence that has been flipped around towards men without disability ? In America or England ?

[@jefknutson3278]

Having just ended 8 yrs of residency in the Caribbean, the discussion here on how women in some foreign cultures (e.g., latin/hispanic) seems only vaguely on target. In fact, if asked about men/women/relationships and romance, Caribbean women would typically (and laughingly) ask why US men and women overthink the topic so much. And for the romance topic, this chat also seems very cerebral...

[@ContrarianExpatriate]

Oh I guess Caribbean women are the standard to which we all should aspire. 🙄. If they were serious, they’d would figure out how legally and financially men can be ruined by the Family Courts so the overthinking is very much justified.

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

Meh... This is a global issue, and almost every nation is experiencing this phenomenon to some degree. Third world and second world countries are less impacted (or more slowly impacted). Both monogamous (traditionalist) and polygynous cultures in the 3rd and 2nd world would say we're overthinking this. However, the more polygynous cultures of the 2nd and 3rd (e.g. Africa) world have major issues with paternity fraud, illegitimate children, DV, and general instability; while they have high birthrates, they could benefit from thinking about this a lot more. On the other hand, the more monogamous (traditionalist) of the 2nd and 3rd world (e.g. South Asia) don't have those issues, but they have few marriages, collapsing birth rates, and could benefit from thinking about this a bit more. The Caribbean nations are not in a good position (in family, society, or nation) to be an example of "not overthinking it" being successful. My ancestry is Caribbean (not that it should matter).

[@charleschamberlain]

It's just not a good idea to get married anymore, especially since a man can bust his but for years, and the moment a woman decides to leave he loses three quarters of everything. It's actually beneficial for a woman to file for divorce, because it's profitable for the woman.

[@josefranciscodasilvaeolive674]

What is up with the $ broach? 😅 Seriously, this isn't a hip hop music video. Can we say "tacky"? 😂

[@albionicamerican8806]

A technologically competent future civilization which respects men and promotes human flourishing is probably going to look less like _Star Trek_ and more like a cross between _The Expanse_ & _The Handmaid's Tale._

[@DrCruel]

I think of Blake's 7 as depicting the Star Trek universe after ST:D.

[@mouseutopiadystopia24601]

The Handmaid's Tale? Really? The source material of The Handmaid's Tale is actually biblical. The biblical story is not about the victimization of women at the hands of men; rather, it is about the victimization of a man at the hands of both men and women. The Handmaid's Tale itself is a feminist fever dream that is completely inconsistent with all biological and anthropological evidence. No civilization has ever existed for the benefit of men at the expense of women because humans are biologically hardwired for gynocentrism, not misogyny. To be fair to you, I have not seen The Expanse, but I see absolutely no legitimacy is the Handmaid's Tale as a plausible technologically advanced society that respects men.

[@hk-1290]

No offense are woman ever happy 😱?

[@darbyohara]

Only temporarily 😂

[@SirWeedBongVentura]

There's a missing ingredient to these soundbites. I find it not-unencouraging, that women are talking together about men's issues. I expect Candace Owens & Pearl Davis to offer little, if they do have an open debate/discussion. What I mostly hear that they have in common is mentioning guys like Andrew Tate or Rollo Tomassi. Both men I never heard before a year or two ago. Nor do I agree with much of what they say. I've been in Monk Mode, for over a decade & during that time followed some of the same figures on these interwebs. I'd like to see others brought in, to really get some of those missing points filled in. To name a few: @TheMadMonk9 @SandmanMGTOW @undeadchronicxiv4189 @BetterBachelor @AnEarforMen @drwarrenfarrell @AaronClarey @redonkulaspopp

[@57ashdot]

Joker is libertarian also, he would be a good fit for this type of convo with Atlas

[@Charlie-hz3tk]

Nahh…get popp on there….