#526 - William Costello - Are Incels A Threat To Society?

Diana Fleischman

that's an idea put forward in a great article by Diana Fleischman called Uncanny Vulvas.

Carrie Getz

So we have access to social media and dating apps.

David Buss

Read, go to the cave, read the evolution of desire.

Guest: William Costello

Episode summary

William Costello is an evolutionary psychologist, writer and Ph.D. student at the University of Texas. Men being hopeless with women is not a new phenomenon. But them self-identifying and creating a subculture around being "genetic dead ends" definitely is. William conducted some of the world's first research into the underlying psychological profile of incels to find out just what's going on. Expect to learn why 45% of working age women will be single and childless by 2030, why many incels would rather bond over failure than over trying to improve, why women dating down is causing huge problems, whether Leonardo DiCaprio should date people his own age, whether incels are alt-right, why the claim that incels are all white men is superbly wrong and much more...

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Diana Fleischman

The host mentions 'Uncanny Vulvas' to highlight the implications of modern mating dynamics and how they relate to soc…

Carrie Getz

The host discusses the concept of evolutionary mismatch in the context of modern dating, highlighting how our current…

David Buss

The host mentions 'The Evolution of Desire' to highlight the importance of understanding women's perspectives in the…

The Puzzle of Monogamous Marriage

Joe Henrik

The host mentions Joe Henrik's work to highlight the cultural advantages of monogamous marriage over polygyny. Henrik…

Case Against the Sexual Revolution

Louise Perry

The host references Louise Perry's book to emphasize the negative implications of the sexual revolution on women's em…

All or Nothing Marriage

Eli Finkel

The host references 'All or Nothing Marriage' to discuss the increasing expectations placed on spouses in modern rela…

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

The host mentions 'Brave New World' to illustrate the potential dystopian implications of the current cultural shift…

Mate

Jeffrey Miller and Tucker Max

The host discusses the challenges faced by incels, particularly the societal pressures surrounding home ownership and…

Critique of modern womanhood(1)evolutionary mismatch in mating(1)evolutionary significance of charm(1)high standards in marriage(1)incels and relationships(1)mating crisis consequences(1)modern mating crisis(1)monogamous marriage benefits(1)

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Media mentions1

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The conversation centers on Critique of modern womanhood.
A second recurring theme is evolutionary mismatch in mating.
Referenced books include Uncanny Vulvas by Diana Fleischman and Evolutionary Mismatch in Mating by Carrie Getz.
The strongest audience signal points to Individuals interested in evolutionary psychology and societal dynamics and Researchers and students in psychology and evolutionary biology..

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Which books are mentioned in #526 - William Costello - Are Incels A Threat To Society??

Uncanny Vulvas by Diana Fleischman, Evolutionary Mismatch in Mating by Carrie Getz, and The Evolution of Desire by David Buss are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Deep Dive(5)Critical Analysis(2)Highly Recommended(1)Passing Reference(1)

Audience signals

Individuals interested in evolutionary psychology and societal dynamicsResearchers and students in psychology and evolutionary biology.Men seeking to improve their understanding of dating and relationships.Individuals interested in cultural sociology and relationship dynamicsIndividuals interested in gender studies and societal critiquesIndividuals interested in modern relationship dynamics

Books Mentioned

The full list below is ranked by how useful each mention is to a listener: stronger recommendation language, clearer quote context, and better timestamp support rise first.

Diana Fleischman

Best for Individuals interested in evolutionary psychology and societal dynamicsOften cited around mating crisis consequences

“An article by Diana Fleischman called Uncanny Vulvas discusses the effects of online worlds and pornography on men's status driving mechanisms.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: mating crisis consequences

For: Individuals interested in evolutionary psychology and societal dynamics

Key quote: “that's an idea put forward in a great article by Diana Fleischman called Uncanny Vulvas.”

The host mentions 'Uncanny Vulvas' to highlight the implications of modern mating dynamics and how they relate to societal stability. Diana Fleischman's article provides valuable insights into the evolutionary aspects of male behavior in the context of changing relationship structures.

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Carrie Getz

Best for Researchers and students in psychology and evolutionary biology.Often cited around evolutionary mismatch in mating

“Carrie Getz wrote a paper about evolutionary mismatch in mating, discussing how our current environment differs from the one our psychological mechanisms evolved in.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: evolutionary mismatch in mating

For: Researchers and students in psychology and evolutionary biology.

Key quote: “So we have access to social media and dating apps.”

The host discusses the concept of evolutionary mismatch in the context of modern dating, highlighting how our current mating environment differs from the one our ancestors faced. They reference Carrie Getz's work to illustrate the psychological implications of these changes on contemporary relationships.

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David Buss

Best for Men seeking to improve their understanding of dating and relationships.Often cited around understanding dating dynamics

“The Evolution of Desire by David Buss is referenced as a significant work in understanding evolutionary psychology and dating dynamics.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: understanding dating dynamics

For: Men seeking to improve their understanding of dating and relationships.

Key quote: “Read, go to the cave, read the evolution of desire.”

The host mentions 'The Evolution of Desire' to highlight the importance of understanding women's perspectives in the dating market. This book provides insights into evolutionary psychology that can help men navigate their dating strategies more effectively.

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The Puzzle of Monogamous Marriage

Joe Henrik

Best for Individuals interested in cultural sociology and relationship dynamicsOften cited around monogamous marriage benefits

“Joe Henrik wrote a great paper called The Puzzle of Monogamous Marriage, discussing the cultural advantages of monogamy over polygyny.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: monogamous marriage benefits

For: Individuals interested in cultural sociology and relationship dynamics

Key quote: “Joe Henrik talks about how cultures that began to practice monogamy flourished more than those that stuck with polygyny.”

The host mentions Joe Henrik's work to highlight the cultural advantages of monogamous marriage over polygyny. Henrik argues that monogamy leads to a more egalitarian distribution of women, which can result in societal flourishing.

Amazon search results · affiliate link

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Case Against the Sexual Revolution

Louise Perry

Best for Individuals interested in gender studies and societal critiquesOften cited around Critique of modern womanhood

“Louise Perry's book is mentioned as a phenomenal critique of the idea that loveless sex is empowering for women.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: Critique of modern womanhood

For: Individuals interested in gender studies and societal critiques

Key quote: “Loveless sex is not empowering.”

The host references Louise Perry's book to emphasize the negative implications of the sexual revolution on women's empowerment. They argue that the promotion of loveless sex as a form of empowerment ultimately disadvantages women in the long run.

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All or Nothing Marriage

Eli Finkel

Best for Individuals interested in modern relationship dynamicsOften cited around high standards in marriage

“Eli Finkel's book discusses the increasing pressures on marriage and how expectations have evolved over time.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: high standards in marriage

For: Individuals interested in modern relationship dynamics

Key quote: “There's a really good book by Eli Finkel called All or Nothing Marriage.”

The host references 'All or Nothing Marriage' to discuss the increasing expectations placed on spouses in modern relationships. They highlight how these expectations can lead to challenges, particularly for lower socioeconomic marriages.

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Brave New World

Aldous Huxley

Best for Individuals interested in societal trends and cultural critiquesOften cited around modern mating crisis

“The discussion references Huxley's 'Brave New World' in relation to modern societal trends and the mating crisis.”

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Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: modern mating crisis

For: Individuals interested in societal trends and cultural critiques

Key quote: “It's like this kind of hedonistic life of going on lots of trips, having very atomized type of sex.”

The host mentions 'Brave New World' to illustrate the potential dystopian implications of the current cultural shift towards singlehood and individualism. They draw parallels between Huxley's vision of a hedonistic society and the current trends in relationships and societal expectations.

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Mate

Jeffrey Miller and Tucker Max

Best for Individuals interested in gender dynamics and modern relationshipsOften cited around incels and relationships

“Mate by Jeffrey Miller and Tucker Max is a fascinating read that explains what it feels like to be a woman in the dating market.”

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Sentiment: Critical Analysis

Trigger: incels and relationships

For: Individuals interested in gender dynamics and modern relationships

Key quote: “For men, sex is like pizza. There's good pizza and there's pizza.”

The host discusses the challenges faced by incels, particularly the societal pressures surrounding home ownership and relationships. They reference the book 'Mate' to highlight the complexities of modern dating and the implications of sexual dynamics between genders.

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The Descent of Man

Charles Darwin

Best for Individuals interested in evolutionary psychology and human relationships.Often cited around evolutionary significance of charm

“A quote from Charles Darwin highlights the importance of charm in attracting mates, emphasizing the evolutionary significance of finding and retaining a partner.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: evolutionary significance of charm

For: Individuals interested in evolutionary psychology and human relationships.

Key quote: “A quote from Charles Darwin highlights the importance of charm in attracting mates, emphasizing the evolutionary significance of finding and retaining a partner.”

The host mentions 'The Descent of Man' to illustrate how charm plays a crucial role in mate attraction from an evolutionary perspective. This reference serves to underscore the biological underpinnings of human relationships.

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Uncanny Vulvas

Modern Wisdom · 20:06

that's an idea put forward in a great article by Diana Fleischman called Uncanny Vulvas.

Evolutionary Mismatch in Mating

Modern Wisdom · 36:54

So we have access to social media and dating apps.

The Evolution of Desire

Modern Wisdom · 27:04

Read, go to the cave, read the evolution of desire.

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Mentioned at 20:06

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Diana Fleischman

The host mentions 'Uncanny Vulvas' to highlight the implications of modern mating dynamics and how they relate to societal stability. Diana Fleisch…

Amazon search results · affiliate link

Mentioned at 36:54

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Carrie Getz

The host discusses the concept of evolutionary mismatch in the context of modern dating, highlighting how our current mating environment differs fr…

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Mentioned at 27:04