Social media isn't just a mirror for modern anxieties - it's the engine. Scott Galloway argues on Huberman Lab that platforms like TikTok and YouTube are the "Antichrist of progress" for young men, designed to capture every spare second with a frictionless loop of porn, gambling, and algorithmic sedation. The result is a growing cohort of asocial, asexual males who reach age 30 having never endured the discomfort of real-world social friction.
"Big Tech acts as the 'Antichrist of progress' for young men by providing a frictionless existence."
- Scott Galloway, Huberman Lab
For young women, the crisis is one of commodification. On Modern Wisdom, Freya India argues that girls who have marketed themselves on Instagram since age ten now view themselves as products. Motherhood, with its inherent messiness and vulnerability, is seen as a career-killing brand failure. This isn't a lack of ambition but an extreme risk aversion, where the goal is to stay pristine for the market.
The data shows a stark political and social divergence. India cites research showing young women have moved dramatically toward the radical left, becoming more pessimistic and hostile toward men, while young men have stayed politically stable. The "Femosphere" fuels this with content that mirrors the cynical, transactional language of the Manosphere, framing relationships as a zero-sum game. This culture has triggered a sex recession, with Gen Z having less sex than previous generations.
As traditional anchors like family and community erode, new industries fill the void. India argues the mental health industry and self-love campaigns often function as marketing strategies, selling a medicalized identity. Social media incentivizes the performance of trauma, creating a recursive loop where ordinary teenage distress is reframed as a permanent disorder. Galloway sees a parallel economic model, noting that 40% of the S&P 500's value comes from companies that monetize outrage and social withdrawal.
Both analysts call for a renewal of human connection against algorithmic isolation. Galloway pushes for a "renewal of alliances" between men and women, noting only one in three men under 30 are in a relationship. His prescription is blunt: work out, work outside the house, and volunteer. India’s is cultural: reject the pathologization of normal life. The shared diagnosis is that platforms are actively deskilling a generation, and the treatment requires logging off.
"When you have spent your life since age ten marketing yourself on Instagram, the messy, unpredictable nature of motherhood feels like a brand failure."
- Freya India, Modern Wisdom
