Actor and martial artist Michael Jai White recently expressed his concerns about the state of American boys, feeling that they are, perhaps, too soft these days. In a conversation with Joe Rogan on his podcast, White lamented, “This is another sad thing about America: We don’t make men anymore.” He noted the strong “rites of passage” present in countries like Australia and New Zealand, contrasting them with the U.S.
Rogan seemed to echo White’s sentiments, stating that when such traits are no longer prevalent, they become apparent. Additionally, White criticized the portrayal of American alpha males in Hollywood, arguing that they are often played by non-Americans, making it unusual to see an all-American cast.
Logan pointed out that the perception of American masculinity has been “demonized” over the years, which is a sentiment White agreed with, mentioning he first noticed this change during his time as a school teacher. He recalled seeing children receiving participation trophies, remarking, “These kids… they need to have their self-esteem protected. But come on, taking away competition? I saw the beginnings of it.”
This lack of experience with loss, he suggested, contributes to more concerning outcomes, saying, “They end up shooting into the classroom.” Logan added, “Losing is the best medicine.” White shared a personal story from high school, where a “fluke” race led him to unexpectedly defeat one of the fastest runners on the team.
Reflecting on his track experience, White shared how the lessons he learned there helped him in martial arts. He explained, “There’s no advantage to saving a few seconds in movement like track and field,” emphasizing efficiency in motion as a key takeaway that applied to combat training. However, he also mentioned that his natural athletic talent sometimes made it tempting to avoid the effort that others had to put in.
White illustrated this with a hypothetical scenario involving two fighters: One who may tire after 100 kicks versus himself, who could go for 1,000. In that case, he pointed out that while he might push through more kicks, the other fighter’s determination beyond comfort zones ultimately made him the better combatant.
Ultimately, White concluded that he no longer uses comparisons to gauge his training, focusing instead on his own abilities. He reflected thoughtfully on the balance of capability and effort in martial arts, asserting that relying solely on natural talent can be a limiting factor.
