Gen Z

 

Today's essay has to do with the recent conversation that Linda and I had with a  Gen Z young man.  Karl Marx's ideas regarding management, labor and alienation and Sigmund Freud's concept of transference are pertinent.

Alienation refers to the psychological process in which humans become alien, at odds, in their thinking, feeling, and loving with other humans. Marx's concern was that under the conditions of capitalism,man became estranged from his own creative powers and the object of his work became alien to him . He became an anonymous, insignificant  number .These objects   eventually ruled over him and became powers independent of him.  "Labor exists for the purpose of production and not the process of production for the labor."  

 For Marx, socialism was never about the equalization of income.  It was essentially emancipation from alienation and not inequality of money.  An increase  in “wages" becomes  a better remuneration of slaves and would not restore ,either the worker to  the work  or their human  significance and worth . “ The division between labor and management interferes with the ability of man to connect with himself and develop his powers in order to be able to love and respect himself and the ability to love and respect others.  In other words,  alienation transformed man into a thing as well as making him a slave of things in our society of consumption

Marx  was concerned with the liberation of man from the kind of non challenging work which destroyed his individuality, which transformed him into a thing  and which made him into the slave of things.  It was a mode of production that destroyed individuality and enslaved man in the process.   And one consequence of this division was that the worker became poorer . And, the more the worker expended himself in work, the more powerful the world of objects that he had created  becomes .This results in him becoming poorer in his inner life and the less he belongs to himself .In other words, the object of  his production  is alien and hostile to man by mindless ,boring repetition  and his powerlessness and insignificance in the process.

In  the handicraft world, the worker made use of the tools and now it's the other way around - it’s the machines that make use of him.  In other words, at one time man was autonomous and created things with the use of tools but now it's the machine that becomes more omnipotent and significant .Man is now a cog, a thing , a non -enity in the production .

For Marx, socialism was a society in which the man experienced himself as the subject of his own powers and was able emancipate himself from the bondage of  things and circumstances In order to more fully develop a sense and capacity for love of self and the love for others 

Today in our capitalistic  consumption technological society, the worker, although needed for production, is becoming less, and less valued.  For example, an article in the June 14, 2026 edition of The New York Times was titled "Billionaires Billions Are Increasing Faster Than Ever."  That article described how the richest families and stockholders are increasing their political influence; why the rapid rise in wealth and  that the billionaires are accelerating their wealth  at the same time that the workers are getting a smaller share of the profits.  In other words, businesses have shifted the balance of power in the economy, allowing owners rather than workers to gobble up more financial rewards.  The top 0.1% of Americans, a group  of about 135,000 households own stocks, that total 13.7 trillion nearly double owned by the bottom 90% of Americans , a group of about 115 million households. And workers have less freedom, power because of the dominance, exploitation and unfair tax codes .

Essentially, man is becoming increasingly poor, even though there’s  an increasing need for money and this need for money is a real need created by the modern  capitalistic economy. In our society ,this only creates excess and  as a result greed for the favored but  exploitation, deprivation and alienation for the others. It’s the  commodity, the  possessions , the power  in how man relates himself and his status. The cliche “The one with the most and biggest toys wins.”

Our  society of consumption  affects man's tendencies.  For example, within a receptive  character orientation,the person feels that the source of all good comes from the outside.  He believes that the only way to get what he wants- something material , affection, love, knowledge,and/or   pleasure is to receive it from an outside source.  This results in seeking  a magic helper ; being loyal and dependent on others for knowledge , support ,making decisions and taking responsibility. On the negative side, man can be penniless, submissive, insecure, lacking self confidence, unrealistic , gullible and  wishful .

A brief story about our personable young man follows: 1.Homeschooling began around high school.  2.  He lives at home with his adopted parents  on farm-like property on  15 acres 3.  He said that college was expensive and that recent  college graduates can't find employment.  Currently there is a $1.6 trillion outstanding debt from federal student loans from 42 million people.  More than 5 million of these borrowers have not made a payment in the past 360 days, are in default and an additional 4 million are in what is called “late stage delinquency.”  The New York Times, April 27, 2025.  3.  He is learning to be a phlebotomist.  4.  He has had one date in his life that occurred at a coffee shop.  He said he's afraid of girls.  5.  He has an iPhone 6. He has reading difficulties . 7.  Everything is expensive except the foods that are not  healthy .8. Both  of his parents passed by the time  he was 5 years of age.His older brother was also  adopted shortly by the same parents. There are other adoptees in the home .9. He voted for Trump . On a 1-10 scale  to measure being surprised  by Trump’s not following through on campaign promises  with 10 being   the most  surprised he said ,he’s   a number 6.  A lot of people are fed up with the Democrats and won’t vote .10. He attends  a Christian church and believes in Jesus .11. He began weight lifting at age 13 because he was skinny.14. He doesn’t pay for room and board but is responsible for the total costs associated with his car.

According to an article in the New York Times June 22, 2025 "There is a Way to Bring Back Childhood,"  stated excessive smart phone usage by children and adolescents has been associated with mental health problems, suicide, depression, bullying behavior ,reduced dating, less  marriage,  fewer having children, and a plethora of problems associated with cognitive decline. 

 In a Gen Z survey ,many young people felt trapped by Tik Tok ,Snap Chat  and other avenues in which nearly all the participants expressed regret about having access to many of the most popular social media platforms.  Many of these parents gave their children smart phones and social media access too early; wished that social media had never been vetted and hoped for new  external social norms, policies and restrictions.Too late mom, too late.

Our young  man has been subjected to homeschooling ,living in a rural area and primarily relying on parents and siblings for his socialization along with his electronic devices.  In other words, his world, his socialization ,outside family , and opportunities for interacting with others has been limited with  reliance  primarily on consuming technology.

 Electronics has interfered with the meeting of ego needs and have replaced humans for comfort,security,acceptance, permissiveness  and reduction of separation anxiety. His socialization has  been disrupted ,his experiences have  been limited in dealing with others, but instead  has tended to rely upon technology with all its  toxic  lies and misinformation. 

Essentially, the inorganic , became a transference on a “thing” that represents the human qualities of power,love, acceptance, knowledge,safety,connection  and expertise -the  emotional deficits he experienced early on . And, as a result these objects psychologically  artificially “provide “  him with those qualities .However, this technology  did not and does not endow him with human or realistic emotional experiences but instead , he relies on the consumption of technological and social media responses that are programed on the  statistical averages  of the algorithms along with preponderance of misinformation ,prejudice  and deceit provided by AI.

Also ,other emotional deficits pertain to him as he is lacking in the capacity and readiness for intimacy.  Currently, he is unable to commit to concrete affiliations , reciprocate, to please and receive affection ,to remain loyal and  to follow through despite many differences.   And, has been unable to face his female fears  at this point, to  engage in close affiliations, sexual unions and close friendships.  The inability to meet the ego need of affiliation experiences leads him to isolation , self absorption and reliance on the inorganic for comfort in order to reduce his separation anxieties..  Unfortunately, in order to engage, he has to overcome those psychic difficulties with humans whose essence, at this time , seems dangerous and counter intuitive to his own survival.

Cognitively speaking, a relevant article titled "Thinking Is Becoming a Luxury Good" was found in the August 3, 2025 edition of the New York Times.  The writer pointed out that smart phones are breeding a new kind of inequality that's bad for democracies. For instance, individuals are reading less and literacy scores have declined significantly.  Nearly half of Americans read zero books in 2023.

Important brain activity, found in the analytic left hemisphere is related to capacity for concentration, linear reasoning, deep critical thinking and executive functions which are severely and negatively associated with this technology.  Also,  rich kids spend less time on their screens compared to the poor kids which also places them in a better position to enter the knowledge intensive industries that focus on thinking, reasoning, and are associated with higher pay.  Another concern was that  this  cognitive dumbing down favors oligarchs that  easily manipulate our citizens with their contradictory double talk , simplistic , irrational  and  populist brain rot  messaging .Essentially “smart” phones and these Mega rich types  are propagating an  additional inequity that’s detrimental for cognitive and emotional development .

PS

Fromm, Erich.  Marx's Concept of Man.

Thom  Darden and I have been invited by the University of Michigan Alumni to host a webinar regarding Bo's Warriors.  The event is scheduled for August 16, a Sunday, at 1 PM Pacific coast time.  To register for the event 

https://umalumni.my.site.com/s/lt-event?id=a1QUS00000C3rAX2AZ 

Satisfaction

 

This essay is based on a May 5, 2025 article titled “Satisfaction “ found in the New York Times.  Happiness can be defined as a state of being; happy as in joy which is the feeling, or state of well-being and contentment.  A few synonyms of joy include enjoyment, pleasure , gladness, bliss joyfulness, blissfulness ,felicity, euphoria, glory ,satisfaction, ecstasy and intoxication.  In other words, there are many words associated with  happiness.  Therefore, an operational definition of happiness is necessary for any research.  In this essay I will address happiness  along with anxiety and affiliation.

There have been many studies of satisfaction and happiness employing a diversity of subjects.  One study began in 1938 at Harvard that included John F. Kennedy and Ben Bradlee. A short summary of results follows: 1.  Youth and modest life aspirations were key components to happiness as well as the person's mindset  2 .Happy people tended to refrain from comparing themselves with others ; had  a more positive perception of others ; found ways to be satisfied with a range of choices and did not dwell on the negatives 3.  Performing five acts of kindness resulted in students being happier by the end of six weeks 4.  Students contemplating ,once a week , the things for which they  were grateful .  5.  Happiness happens to people by virtue of their genes and circumstances are both 6.  Finding purpose in serving others. ; spending time and being connected to others.  7.  Having smaller points of connection throughout the day also leads to happiness.  And it's important every day to connect with other humans.  8.  Happy people seem to engage in religious observance, socializing and exercising.  9 Happy people spend less time alone every day 9.  Those in happy marriages, socializing with others in their circle contributed to their happiness 10.  Those in pain or ill health reported that spending time with their spouses seemed  to protect them from the mood of dampening effects of physical suffering 11.  People who scored highest on measures of attachment to their spouses were also the ones who reported the highest levels of happiness.  12.  The best predictor of a couple's overall well-being in their old age was how happily married they were at age 50.  12.  Happy people spent less time alone than unhappy people.  13.  Even interacting with strangers in public transit seemed to help people get a mood boost.

These studies suggest, because we are social animals, that "happiness" is related to interpersonal contact, connections and relationships.  With that being said, picture the following connections.  The sperm connects with the egg and it's called fertilization.  In the placenta is the mother's umbilical cord which is a conduit or connection between the developing embryo or fetus in the placenta.  Turning to psychology is the occurrence of the birth trauma which is a separation between the mother and newborn.  This trauma is the first separation between mother and baby, which results in anxiety and trauma from the influx of stimulus for that newborn.  Freud called the birth trauma ,the prototype of anxiety as it's the first reality signaling a dangerous situation.  In fact, Heidegger stated that mere anxiety was the source of everything.

Following birth, we have a multitude of significant and important connections and separations with the interplay between mother and baby.  That infant "learns" over time as to whether or not that mother can be trusted for nurturance, safety, protection and comfort.  If there are positive reinforcements occurring, a preponderance of positive reinforcements result in a sense and expectations of trust.  Thus, with a positive sense of trust becomes a favorable association or connection between the two, and, importantly, that infant baby emotionally develops a favorable interpersonal expectation that can generalize to others.  In other words, an interpersonal connection becomes established, and if that emotionally close connection becomes severed ,anxiety and a threat occurs .In other words, separation anxiety begins about six months, especially after that close bond or connection between mother and child.

The relationship or association between affiliation and anxiety has also been studied in depth .In one research,  Schechter studied female college students and subjected them to either high or low anxiety.  He found that high anxiety subjects chose to wait with others as opposed to being alone.  In other words, he concluded that anxiety leads to affiliative behaviors. Sarnoff and Zimbardo found that placing one group of subjects under a strong fear of shock resulted in more of a desire to affiliate with others compared to  those under low fear.  It should be noted that affiliative behavior is associated and based on anticipating past successful experiences that reduce  the discomfort of anxiety.

It's not surprising that psychologists , philosophers and others have identified the association of anxiety and affiliation for man's survival.  Of course, being with a positive other is more productive to reduce anxiety than being with a negative individual. Being with another is one way to  reduce anxiety as is sex,drugs,alcohol,and various other activities.  It's the belonging that reduces  anxiety and that offers a key for obtaining a sense of  happiness , enjoyment, pleasure , and satisfaction.

Stories, songs,  novels etc. have described a variety of significant  positive and negative interpersonal relationships .. The  stress ,anxiety , conflict , loss and intense emotional feelings in the stories of  Samson and Delilah; Helen and Teseus; Cleopatra and Antony; Abelard and  Heloise   come to mind as well as with  Taylor and Burton; Dr. Zhivago and Laura; Butler and O'Hara; and Bogart and Bergman.  Song lyrics  such as “Will You Love Me Tomorrow, “  “When Will I Hold You Again”and “ ,The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “ I Can’t Live without You” are three examples .  The novelist John Steinbeck’s portrayal  of Lennie and  George from  “ Of Mice and Men “ and brothers Cain and Abel  from East of Eden depict stress,anxiety ,separation and conflict are other illustrations pertaining to  human connections.The most intense and most desirable passion between humans is love and with  separation -anxiety, it's not surprising to find in a long-term relationship that the death of one is shortly followed by the other. 

Affiliation is one of the ego needs described by Murray.  He defined it: To draw near and enjoyably cooperate or reciprocate with an allied other-and others who resemble the subject or who likes the subject.  To please and win affection of a cathected.  To adhere and remain loyal to a friend.  In other words, affiliation is one of our ego needs.  And ,successful gratification  with significant connections as in being loved,liked ,cared for and appreciated  leads to a reduction in anxiety with positive emotions which is just one of the variables associated with well-being.   However, it's clearly an important need to be gratified and one of the best ways to  protect against fear, anxiety ,terror and loneliness .

I prefer to use the term well-being. or eudaimonia  In describing my motivation.  I take into account  growth ,development and individuation while making  choices  pursuant to mind and body ; gratifying important ego needs while being productive with meaning, purpose , care,respect,responsibility and understanding especially with loved ones .  It's clear that  the pursuit of happiness is  short-lived and paradoxically results in self deception, illusion and irrationality. And that happiness is not found with the pursuit  for power,prestige or   possessions. Well-being is related to a  tendency, and a character orientation .

 PS

Thom  Darden and I have been invited by the University of Michigan Alumni to host a webinar regarding Bo's Warriors.  The event is scheduled for August 16, a Sunday, at 1 PM Pacific coast time.  To register for the event 

https://umalumni.my.site.com/s/lt-event?id=a1QUS00000C3rAX2AZ

Brain Size

 

The preponderance of  stereotypes ,lies  and bigotry put forth by sadistic, hateful, and greedy individuals continues today, especially by the “right “on social media.  An article in the January 25, 2026 edition of The New York Times titled Genetic Data of Children Misused for  " Race Science" described the misuse and falsification of data collected from the NIH.

A  right "researcher" tricked and falsified innovative NIH safeguards for his particular " study." NIH  provided  data for his article from the genetic research with children that were tracking brain development and that  research would result in discoveries about DNA’s impact on behavior and disease.  The NIH also promised to safeguard the sensitive data from the children. He lied and misused the information .

 According to the article.  This professor essentially misused information based on IQ scores for the purpose of  claiming that biological differences occurred , in intelligence ,between races 1. He ranked ethnicities by IQ scores and concluded that black people earn less because they are not very smart.  2.  This professor's actions resulted in him getting fired from his  teaching position  3. His falsified results  were broadcasted by conservative commentators and placed on social media.  3.He violated NIH guidelines.  4.  And his simplistic  research and conclusions were debunked  by credible authorities .

Unfortunately, the article did not provide research methodology  used by this bogus researcher.  A few comments about IQ testing.  1.  In the past , there was misuse of IQ test results  by placing individuals in institutions. based on inaccurate testing results .2  Also,there are numerous IQ tests which means that the intelligence quotient is based on the theory of the test originator.  In other words, each IQ test is based on separate,similar  or different  variables   3.  The test sample is also a factor.  For example, the WISC IQ test was based primarily on  white middle-class children. 4.  Each IQ test has a designated age range.  5. Emotional,and psychological issues,at  the time of testing, also affect IQ scores .

Intelligence is a product of complex interactions of numerous hereditary and environmental forces.  It is difficult to sort out the specific  contributions of each.  Research suggests that social class and early rearing impacts IQ performance. 

Arthur Jensen, in his studies ,concluded that heredity accounts for approximately 80% of variation in IQ scores with an average score of whites scoring 10 to 15 points above blacks.  However,in another study, with 38 pairs of identical twins reared in different environments , they found an average     IQ  difference of 14 points for at least 25% of the twins suggesting the importance of environment because identical twins reared together have statistically significant similar  IQ scores .

Note ,that authors of IQ tests  have selected test  items that have discriminated between children of the same age who were successful academically compared with those who had low grades.  As this was a major criterion for including items in the test, it is not surprising that IQ scores are highly correlated with grades in school and college. Essentially socioeconomic differences  is a major variable that differentiate IQ scores between children .In other words,   poor black and and poor white children score significantly below that of middle-class children.

 I administered the WISC IQ test in order to assess emotional issues for a better understanding  of the patient based on the responses of the child on the 11 subtests .  Each of the 11 subtests on the WISC has a description of what each scale attempts to assess, measure and reveal .  In other words, an IQ test provided a considerable amount of information in assisting to understand that particular child irrespective of an IQ score.

There are differences in brain size and, in fact, the Neanderthals had the largest brain size.  The  adult Homo sapien  brain weight is about 3 pounds, has about 100 billion neurons and about 100 trillion synapses  Neurons have three parts- dendrites, cell body and axons .Dendrites take in  information  and axons send out information. Neurons can have as many as 20,000 dendrites and axons .

  Simply put, the size of an individual's brain is a weak predictor of intelligence as Einstein’s brain weighed about 10%,less than the average male adult.

The density of the concentration of nerve cells influences the speed and efficiency of information processing, it’s the  functional complexity related to the cerebral cortex. The relationship between  gray and white matter determines overall cognitive capacity. The working efficiency of these neural networks rather than the bulk of the organ relates to  complex thought. And it takes about 20 years to reach neurological maturity.

Variation in brain size is related to genetics. 70-90% of variability such as nutrition, especially during early childhood when the human brain's metabolic requirements consume up to 66% of the body's resting metabolic energy should be considered.  And ,environmental factors such as chronic disease or exposure to toxins can also impact brain development. 

Usually men's brains are bigger than women's brains.  Around age 20 ,the brains of men and women begin to shrink over time with aging.  There is some evidence that men's brains shrink at a more advanced age of 65-95 compared to women.  And, differences in brain size between men and women do not differ significantly in intelligence or IQ scores although they use different parts of their brains to achieve the same scores.  For example, women seem to have a better developed left hemisphere "social" brain with better language and personal perception or social behavior  that’s related to better cognition of facial emotional expression.

Trying to prove that brain size is associated with "success" is ridiculous.  Yes, there can be statistical correlations between an infinite number of variables . But a correlation is only an association and associations  do not prove cause and effect. 

Does  the trillionaire  Musk have the largest brain in the world?   Success can be defined as accomplishment of an aim, or purpose; attainment of fame, wealth or social status or the good or bad outcome of an undertaking. Musk is financially successful . Is Elon Musk’s brain size larger than Einstein's?  Is Trump’s brain size  larger than Hitler’s, Epstein's or Stalin's?   

Genetics,  family, socioeconomics,environmental, psychological, political,religious and philosophical are  some of the variables to consider when defining success .  The books "It Has Nothing To Do With Age"  and "Bo's Warriors  Bo Schembechler and the Transformation of Michigan Football" provide numerous examples of these successful characterological  athletic individuals, during their life’s journey meeting their ego needs . Parenting, executive ego functions, decision making, emotional and moral factors are  some of the factors associated with success . Or, according to Maslow, those individuals who are self-actualized have reached the top of his hierarchy of needs .  Also , there’s a poor correlation between  income and measures of happiness.

PS

One study of Einstein's brain found that his prefrontal cortex and parietal lobes were unusually well developed with densely packed  neurons.  These areas are associated with abstract thinking,mathematical skills and spatial reasoning. Einstein believed that he thought visually rather than verbally.  And, Edward H Rulloff, a noted medical doctor and criminal had the second largest brain recorded on record.

Furthermore, another greedy,lying  racist  in the 19th century promoted phrenology.  He maintained that he could identify 37 portions of the brain, each responsible for a certain type of temperament  and that African skulls were thicker than those of Caucasians because black people had less brain activity.

Reference

Cerebral Dominance  .The Left & Right Brain .  Institute for Natural Resources.

Glasser, Alan J and Zimmerman,Ira Lee.  Clinical Interpretation of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. 

TRT

 

What to Know About the New Obsession With Testosterone as a Lifestyle Drug" was found in the May 24, 2026 edition of The New York Times.  The article highlighted how testosterone went from a heavily regulated medical treatment to a lifestyle drug for millions of men seeking to compensate for their feelings of inferiority and insecurity regarding their irrational understanding of  masculinity.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone also found in  females.  This male sex hormone is produced in the testicles and secreted by the testes.  Major aspects of testosterone include: 1.  Promotes libido aggressiveness and sexual desire.  2 .Stimulates the growth of certain organs.  3 .Promotes protein anabolism. 4 .Stimulates sperm production.  5.  Nourishes all tissues of the male urinary and reproductive systems.  6.  Regulates the production of prostaglandin, which seems to keep prostate growth under control.

Levels of testosterone gradually drop in men over time .However,it's estimated that testosterone levels in 20% of men after age 50 will drop to abnormally low levels and these hormonal changes result in impotency and/or libido problems.  It's also known that testosterone production is affected by a number of external factors such as illness, medications, psychological states, obesity, smoking and excessive alcohol intake. Also, factors such as reduced activity, nutritional deficiency, diabetes, growth hormone deficiency can also contribute to lower levels of testosterone .

Men diagnosed with hypogonadism, a loss of sex drive/inability to maintain an erection; fatigue; irritability; depressed mood; aches and pains in the joints; dry skin; osteoporosis; loss of weight; absent or regression of secondary sexual characteristics  have received  appropriate medical TRT treatment.  Further  TRT  studies of men  with  a hypogonadism diagnosis aged 55 and older have reported better sexual performance , initiation of sexual intercourse and increased ability to maintain an erection.

In the article, Kennedy Jr.called the declining world wide levels of testosterone over decades an existential  threat to humanity.  With that being said , Trump , Oz,Hegseth,Cristine and others are  behind TRT(testosterone replacement therapy).  Also on board are other Trump media faithfulls .

In fact, it's even promoted as an antiaging treatment by some. Additionally, there are many young men ,without a hypogonadism condition , purchasing the steroid hormone from doctors online, clinics and even unregulated underground labs. These individuals  continue to use this  drug, irrespective of the  health risks.  Some complain that they can't get the drug from their doctors so they find other sources.  And these younger individuals are pursuing this  drug to compensate for their incompleteness  by employing  defense mechanisms to justify their actions.

Drugs and sports go hand in hand and are hardly an issue for professional athletes and bodybuilders.  Barry Bonds, José Canseco, Lance Armstrong, Roger Clemens,Mark McGwire, Sammy Sousa  etc. are just a few  and are no strangers to drug use.  Bill Pearl, Mr. America, Mr. California ,a bodybuilder, decided to enter the 1961 Mr. Universe contest.  “ By then steroids were out of the experimental stage and well known to most competitive bodybuilders.  They were no longer an underground item.  I remembered the fast progress I'd made using them and decided to do so again.  Looking back, I think they were a crutch.  I didn't really need it, but at the time it seemed easier to take them-so I did.  I won the contest, but something inside me wasn't happy with steroid use.  So I quit them again, this time for good."

The following are health risks with some potential side effects from TRT : 1.  Fluid retention, leading to swelling in legs or ankles.  2.   Possible mood swings or increased aggression.  3.  Risk of enlarged breasts in some men. 4. Possible development of sleep apnea leading to disrupted sleep patterns like excessive daytime sleepiness.  5.  Increased risk of cardiovascular issues such as a heart attack or stroke.  6.  Changes in libido, which may increase or decrease. 7.  Changes in cholesterol levels potentially affect heart health.  Unfortunately, much of the research  data that exists on TRT is for older men diagnosed with testosterone deficiency.  The TRT side effects for young men without testosterone deficiency is not clear  Yet online.everyone is saying that testosterone is the solution to all of your problems.

If you believe that this is a miracle drug, and will fix your "masculinity “ consider the following from the Mayo Clinic .  With older healthy men, there is little evidence to support the use of testosterone in otherwise healthy men. From the American College of Physicians ,testosterone therapy might improve sexual function somewhat in some men, with little evidence that it will improve other functions such as vitality and energy. 

Is testosterone replacement therapy  the ultimate antiaging formula?  Only , if you believe online testimonials , GOP  characters and their podcasts. Reality, the health benefits   of testosterone replacement therapy for age-related decline is not clear.

In conclusion, it's known that an individual's lifestyle, including the physical, emotional, and sexual factors affect testosterone levels.  Diet , physical and mental exercise , and lovely Linda have worked well for me . I have never used “drugs “,with the exception of Marijuana ,nor have ever taken Testosterone supplements in my lifetime.  And today, at Ironworks Fitness, I began by performing numerous chins; followed by bench pressing the 200 pound maximum on that  machine; doing another (my variation)  biceps/ triceps exercise with 200 pound maximum, on a different machine; doing a shoulder shrug on another machine with a 300 pound maximum in each hand and working out with other machines, barbells and dumbbells. After that workout, I went to the treadmill and varied the speed over 10 minutes and then finished my workout with more chins. That’s my magic pill .

PS

Are our fickle leaders health symptoms of fluid retention-swelling in  ankles, increased aggression; sleep apnea leading to disturbed sleep patterns like excessive daytime sleepiness and numerous tweets in the early hours of the morning, enlarged breasts and increased risk of cardiovascular issues associated with TRT?

Reference

Klatz,Dr. Ronald and Goldman, Dr. Robert.  Stopping The Clock

Pearl, Bill and Moran, PhD and Gary T.  Getting Stronger.

Parenthood

 

An article titled  "Why Are More and More People Passing Up Parenthood?"  was found in the May 10, 2026 edition of The New York Times.  This article pertains to the decrease in children presented primarily with economic and sociological factors.  My response is as follows.

In this article it was pointed out that 1.  Birth increases when economics are on the upswing and with high levels of equality in the home and in society.  2.  Worry about sending a future child to school with unvaccinated classmates 3.  Affordability 4.  Future uncertainty -life expectancy, AI ,immigration, global trade and climate change 5.  American women with less education have more children.  6.  Current and future employment. concerns  7.  Marked decline in marriage 8.  Increased social isolation 9.  Median age of first-time homebuyers-40 10.  In  South Korea-a construction company offered its employees roughly twice South Korea's annual per capita income,to  women who had a baby.  Last year the company reported 36 births and an increase of about 60% compared to the average before the program began

According to the article, there is a focus on economic uncertainty in the present and future affecting today's couples.  Uncertainty suggests anxiety and insecurity and is likely masking underlying issues regarding  parenting  .  1.  Have they considered or have they had individual , marital therapy or a medical consultation ?  The issues were?

2.  What  ego needs are being met and which are not?

3.  Are there  health issues?

4.  What would be the advantages and/or disadvantages of having a child? How important is having an offspring?

5.  How did they spend their time away from work?

6.  What did they like about being a child?

7.  What type of additional support do they expect after the birth of the child?

8.Use of TRT. Testosterone  Replacement Therapy is associated with low sperm count.

These questions are starting points in evaluating the issue of parenting for these couples .

Low birth factors  in our culture, aside from 24% of males experiencing ED,  pertaining to declining birth rate  include a masculine dominance created by men associated with morality,  religion, capitalism and science suggesting female inferiority.  It took how long for women to be able to vote in this country ?  The male masculinity stereotype is that man is the king of the castle, earns more, is more aggressive, withholds  emotions and females are passive, inhibit aggression, inhibit display of sexual urges, less competent, less independent, less objective and less logical.

Another factor of low birth rate from a psychodynamic point of view, suggests female penis envy in which  the clitoris is conceived of as a phallus. Within  Oedipal complex dynamics , a female with penis envy gives rise to the desire for a child  which then forms the basis for a love bond with father and subsequently a femininity orientation .With this attachment to the father results in the existence of a desire for penis and a desire for a child. However, with  the occurrence of a negative attachment to the father, a femininity orientation is  rejected. This psychological dynamic becomes associated with an unconscious wish , a desire to be a "man"  in orientation with its advantages .

 From this penis envy role of inferiority, the female has to master this desire to be a man throughout life and deal with men.Simply put, is motherhood going to be a handicap and significantly interfere with professional goals and achievement ?

Further, some "masculine" oriented women have an attitude of hostility towards men.  Sometimes it takes the form of depreciation and/or castrating them in the process.  Essentially, these women have dismissed father as a sexual object and simultaneously recoil from the feminine role altogether.

Other factors interfering with having children are the fear of pain,and/or  injury with  penis penetration ; frigidity, along with the dread of childbirth.  And , the anxiety related to this fictitious male role allows the woman to escape from the feminine role, even though burdened by guilt and anxiety.

On the other hand traditionally feminine oriented limited education females have adapted themselves to the wishes of men as exemplified by the religious right which promotes a stay at home mom with many children .along with help from the Supreme Court ‘s Roe vs Wade decision .

 Erikson's seventh psychosocial stage is characterized as Generativity vs Stagnation presents another factor to consider .  Erikson presents the following: 1.  Mutuality of orgasm.  2.  With a loved partner 3.  Of the other sex.  4.  With whom one is able and willing to share mutual trust.  5.  And with whom one is able and willing to regulate the cycles of a.  Work b.  Procreation c. Recreation 6 So as to secure to the offspring, too, all the stages of a satisfactory development.

Psychologically , the crisis is about  establishing and guiding the next generation to their own or to another's offspring coupled  with the  attitude of the belief in the species along with making the child a welcoming trust of the community- progeny?

 Progeny , is not  effectively valued in our society There's an absence of effective gun legislation; gutting of the Department of Education; inadequate funding for the schools; inadequate teacher salaries; insufficient staff , nurses, school psychologists, master teachers; lack of school safety; book banning, and the rewriting of US history

 Parents, for their own narcissistic needs, are too involved in their children's sports, arts and school social activities with their overprotection, smothering and controlling patterns not allowing for autonomy, separation and independence.  They've spoiled their children with harmful technology and monetary bribes.

 On the other hand, there's child abuse,  neglect, and dead beat dads with  their child support. Further, there are numerous reasons for parents not to have children.  For example, an article titled "The Anxiety of Influencers" found in the May 24 2026 edition of The New York Times described how parents are monetizing their children by posting content of their kids wearing various brands, skimpy clothing,  exposing intimate details about their children on Instagram, YouTube, Tik Tok and even selling photos of the young children to men.  Apparently this is a multibillion-dollar influencer industry and about parental exploitation.

Should All females become mothers?  Not if that mother is unable to provide unconditional affirmation for her child's life and its needs.  This means and relates to her ability to care and be responsible for her child's life and growth.  For instance, can the mother instill a positive attitude  for the  love of life and it's good to be alive in the child ?  Turning to the Bible, the Promised Land  symbolizes the mother, with Milk and Honey . Milk symbolizes the first aspect of love and Honey symbolizes the sweetness of life.

In order for the mother to give "honey," that female must be good and happy. She has to be able  to transmit an attitude of being unselfish and altruistic. It's  emotionally easier for the mother to love her small infant, but the crisis is being able to love her growing child. The child must be able to grow and emotionally separate  in order to become a complete human being.  Can the mother still love her child as a separate human being?

The government  plays their part also with inadequacy in school lunch programs; health insurance; daycare and other  after school programs; maternity time off : attacking vaccinations and not assisting with  limiting cost of college and the inordinate amount of school debt. And,there are few employment opportunities for recent  college graduates .

 

In conclusion, there are a number of psychological, sociological, economic, political components affecting whether or not couples should have offspring in our capitalistic society.  Once our K-12 model of education was superior.  Not so today.  Yes, the anxiety of uncertainty without control is not new.  But  our capitalistic society, with discrimination has unfairly affected the majority as far as income inequality ,health insurance , education and  other safety net programs are concerned. Our health industry is too expensive, and our current political power structure is dreadful and shameful.  It's not surprising that there's  isolation ,less sex ,relationship issues and a decreasing health and birth rate in our country with its  negative attitude,values and policies regarding children. And, importantly, not all couples are psychologically or morally equipped to become parents. Bring back Roe vs. Wade and remove Alioto from the Supreme Court for starters .

Reference

Erikson, Erik H.  Childhood and Society.

Life and Death

 

For centuries charlatans have proselytized "longevity" while being in an unfriendly world.Despite the irrationality, the Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was remembered for his futile "Fountain of Youth" pursuit . More recently, functional medicine , theories of aging  and even hucksters are pursuing better aging by promoting their various wares and their secrets. And today,  it’s not surprising that AI billionaires are in the transformation. 

A pertinent article titled "The Quest To Reverse Aging" was found in the May 10,2026 edition of the New York Times.  In this article, the focus, in part, was on a number of longevity experiments that included a rejuvenation of  cells in mice which  prolonged life in the laboratory and a search for cures like cancer. 

Existentially, we are a mere isolated speck in the universe . Psychologically ,that paradox is anxiety  related as  individuals are on a quest in  desiring  not only to make one's life matter  but also to find a meaning for one’s life.  That outcome  often results in becoming good at something and /or a  merging of self with another-something greater and a denial of mortality . 

Additionally, a  merging of self with another is related to man's separateness which arouses terror-anxiety.  In fact, the deepest need for man is to overcome his separateness ,his aloneness and isolation .Man has been very “ creative” in attempting to overcome  separateness, transcending his own individual life, finding meaning and denying death .  

Many years ago,  man’s anxiety from isolation was “lessened” with  religion . He   merged , spiritually, with a belief in God, to overcome  the anxiety related to his  separateness .And it did not matter if he was a slave, poor, evil, a tyrant, a criminal, ruthless, or even sadomasochistic . Because , with purgatory ,salvation, repentance and faith in Jesus Christ he could become  loved eternally in heaven.

Briefly, a few other ways of overcoming and/or escaping from the anxiety associated with separateness relates to induced trance, sexual orgasms, drugs, alcohol , sports, political , government  and group associations. Many of these avenues are  not only short lived  and they do not “fix”the existential crisis of finding meaning,alleviating anxiety, or solving the reality of aging or death.

With capitalism and its technology , modern man has  pursued power, possession,  status, and now AI as its new God  to solve his existential existence .

About 6,ooo years ago ,man turned to one God to deal with the terror of living and was able to transcend it by becoming ,identifying and becoming dependent on that supreme being.But, over time, man has fulfilled that dependency, separation anxiety need by being with another, thus replacing God.  A romantic love object became the desire, the ideal to fulfill one's life and  to meet all one's needs within  his existential state.

The love object has been deified in poetry, music, novels , art and movies and can be characterized by a hunger for the experience or a serious emotional yearning for such.  For instance love song lyrics strive as being of divine perfection, being wonderful, sexual objects, devotion, ecstasy, all encompassing resulting in transcendence, a merging with another .  A Hindu song provides an example "my lover is like God, if he accepts me ,my existence is.utilized.  "Love" , a dependency ,is  based on separation anxiety, and the  illusion that it results as a solution for man's  existence .

Although romantic love in marriage and unions have terrible statistics, the behaviors  still exist.  Man can and does not find a solution for his existence in love , marriage  and unions because of some of the following interpersonal characteristics found in these  relationships.  Briefly: 1.  A husband or wife is often the  replacement or rebellion against  one's parents  2.  There's a discrepancy between unconscious and conscious sexual desires and gratification-fulfillment of desires 3. There’s variations in coitus along with frigidity or impotence.  4.  Expectations and degree of love felt are likely overestimates and illusions 5.  Too many personal and professional sacrifices result in affecting one's independence  or becoming a slave. This compromise results in disillusionment ,buried hostility ,distrust ,disappointments  that interfere with monogamy 6.  Others become objects of love as one seeks new love objects when sex becomes tiresome and boring  7. The offspring gets more warmth, care ,empathy and tenderness 8.  Dread of not being able to satisfy is biologically the male as he must prove himself again and again-masculinity 9.  Imperfections don't change over time and become more visible .And, one cannot possibly fulfill all the other's needs.  10.  The ability to support ,lifelong companionship , fidelity and sexual cooperation becomes a tremendous burden placed on those two individuals.

Essentially, no human being can be godlike and everything to another.  Looking for that "perfect human object", looking for someone who will allow us to express our will completely without any frustration is unrealistic.  The object reflects the ideal image of ourselves and no human being can accomplish this.  Everyone has wills ,counter wills, moves against and with actions that offend .Everyone has imperfections and these shortcomings become major threats.

Importantly, fear, hate and  greed are primitive emotions associated with humans. However, being human is man's ability to develop his powers of reason and love. Is AI going to further the ability of man in  becoming more human and solve his problem of existence ?  Should we become disobedient to the propaganda of the  ruling class of AI billionaires like Musk, Huang, Wang ,Altman and others?  Disobedience is saying "no" to these powerful men while utilizing our intellectual capacity. as their passion is clear.

Years ago Adler hypothesized that it was empathy, concern for society and human welfare that directed behavior . However,these narcissists are characterized by  fear,hate and their insatiable greed. Their actions and their monetary accumulation depicts their primitive emotions and devotion to idol worship.  Their insatiable greed cannot ever be fulfilled.

 AI is going to replace many humans in the workplace.  However, AI cannot replace human innovation,  creativity , curiosity and imagination, nor can it provide meaningful mutual interactions with  actual emotional empathy, caring, respect or mutual organisms.

Larry Ellison "I don't want to die; I don't have to die."  Are you going to be ruled ,subjugated and dominated by these,   42%will eventually develop dementia  over age 55 and technology has no answer. How many of these billionaires are going to become dementia free? Add Ai to the threat of global warming, and nuclear war. How much time  is left on the  Doomsday Clock?

Man has developed many actions in dealing with the anxiety from his aloneness.  Some strategies work better than others but some have very bad consequences.  Further, the reality of our mortality  is clear as we all are going to pass.  It makes sense to use our intellectual capacity of reason, an understanding of our primitive emotions, and employing humanistic ethics while navigating our short time in this galaxy.

PS

The best  choices for optimum  health have to do with vigorous exercise , a nutritional diet, affiliation, intellectual  and work productivity while living in reality.

Reference

Becker, Ernest. The Denial of Death .

Horney,Karen. Feminine Psychology.

Gen Z

 

Needless to say, there are many problems going on in our Republic.  An article titled "Courtship in an Age of Narcissism" in the March 8 2026 edition of The New York Times depicted another significant concern.  This article stated that Gen Z-ers aren't dating because they're too self obsessed.  My response follows.

According to the article, many male heterosexuals are unable to connect with a romantic or sexual partner. Instead, they offer contradictions and rationalizations like blame  and objectify and denigrate females. They also rationalize that their looks have prevented them from entering into romantic and sexual relationships. Some are narcissistically obsessed with improving their physical appearance; talk about aesthetics as destiny and attractiveness  as a measure of human worth.

With their contradictions, limited reasoning ability,  the use of defense mechanisms,and other self-deceptions ,these teenagers  instead are choosing  AI ,Chatbot and other devices as pseudo-friends with the illusion and mythology.  Their choices are only “security blankets” which do not dismiss their anxiety, depression, boredom, loneliness, insecurities and other figments of their imagination that take place between their ears.

One moneymaking wealthy streamer known as Clavicular claimed that he injected steroids at age 14, to improve his physique ,dabbled in crystal meth and  hit himself in the face with a hammer to heighten cheekbones to create a sharper jawline. He added that dating was a burden in today's hyper- glamorous environment. And, that thinking he could have sex with a woman was perhaps better than the deed itself-it's a big timesaver.

 Gen Z-ers  were born between the years of 1992 and 2012  and have experienced an economic meltdown;Covid-19 pandemic-social isolation; and the technological smart phone revolution.  Online dating and advice  influencers like Tik Tok, Instagram, YouTube and streaming sites  have  dispensed warnings about having too many sexual partners, dangers of being excessively attentive , being submissive with uninterested love objects, and so forth . In other words, there's lots of online nonsense, hate,scapegoating and claiming  that  women are the evil ones.

Multiple studies find that  these young people are not dating, having sex or forming meaningful partnerships. It was reported that 30% of its respondents were actively dating and about half of them indicated that they were interested in finding a relationship . They cited a lack of confidence. Less than 40% believed themselves to be attractive and were not comfortable discussing their feelings with another. And only  1/4 % felt confident in approaching a potential partner or  staying positive after a dating  rejection .

The mutuality of  meaningful interpersonal relationships is based on many factors and it is no wonder that there's a declining birthrate in our country.  The Gen Z population is aware of many social, economic, and political problems such as the wealth gap, excessive and outrageous college costs, inflationary trends, online hate,AI, and the cost to rear children.  Also according to AI, approximately 40 to 50% of first  marriages end in divorce; second marriages 60 to 70% ;the average duration before divorce is about eight years; and the divorce rate is highest among individuals aged 20 to 24.  

A few Gen Z statistics follow: 1.  42% of eligible voters voted in the 2024 presidential election 2.  In the 10 to 24 age group, suicide was the second leading cause of death.  3.  54% are living at home with their parents.  4.  56% in the 18 to 25 age group are obese or overweight and 42% in the age group 18 to 24  5.  21% of 18 to 29-year-olds own a firearm.  6.  Average IQ is 101 7.  There is a 10 point decline in reading scores and a 15 point decline in math scores in 2022 8.  Luigi Mangione, Tyler Robinson and Cole Thomas Allen attained notoriety 9.  Teens as a result of  social media sites are  taking over , congregating  and forming  acting out mobs.  10.60% favor Hamas vs. Israel .11, Favor violence for political change.

According to Erik H.  Erikson's psychosocial model, humans proceed through eight psychosocial stages .The following stages apply : Stage 1 Sense of Trust versus Sense of  Mistrust; Stage 5  Identity versus Role Confusion and Stage 6 Intimacy versus Isolation 

The psychological  task in the first stage is to develop social trust which is related to  feeding , sleep, relaxation of  bowels and dealing with the discomfort that follows resulting from parenting. Does the  mother become associated with an inner certainty , predictability, consistency, continuity and sameness during this most critical  period  ?  If so, the infant has much going for him  emotionally and cognitively in tackling the next seven stages  With positive involvement, caring, love and experience and in developing a sense of trust with mother can and does generalize to others.  In other words, an  infant  boy's  emotional relationship with his mother has tremendous implications for future associations and relationships with females.

With the high divorce rate, many of these Gen Z ers are likely to have a single-parent as caregiver. Significant  research with the young has found that sleep difficulties are related to sexual and aggressive difficulties, emotional frustration from earlier unresolved issues along  with bedwetting and anxiety about masturbation. 

 Freud considered enuresis to be a form of "pollution" or masturbatory equivalent.  And ,it has been found that children use this symptom as an aggressive or passive aggressive way in dealing with their parents.Also, night time fears are associated with the identification with the opposite sex parent with fantasies of genital damage . As a consequence, punishment is belted out to the parents  as a result from this power struggle of wills between mother and child.

Defense mechanisms associated with these early childhood issues and conflicts  come into play. For example,Displacement is the mental activity in which the child symbolically exchanges one part for another, or one person for another There is a repressed desire for  bodily sensations, especially one's  masturbation impulses  .Also, in early development ,the feelings of hatred toward  parents are directed especially toward the mother . 

 Another defense mechanism Turning Against Self is when sex is prohibited toward females . This behavior is when the aggressive drive is turned inward , as in masturbation,which means sex is not turned outward.  Undoing is a defense mechanism in which the magic of  abstinence and  virginity annuls the forbidden act.

The defense mechanism of Identification is when the child unconsciously becomes the same as his parents or others as internalization takes place with  similar behavioral aspects .  In a single and two -parent household. The child or adolescent can  attack and even move away from  caring and intimacy with  others just like mother’s behavior .  

Therefore , lack of caring,intimacy or sexual engagement with females are just some of the psychological issues related to single-parent families in which the negative attitudes , values and behavior are openly expressed and transmitted to the children. The mother might constantly badmouth , scapegoat, blame and interfere with visitation and remove pictures of the other verbally, symbolically and behaviorally.  These negative and aggressive attacks toward the other parent  do irreparable harm and affect interpersonal relationships both in the short and long term .

To be continued