Moment 122: The Unseen And Horrifying Knock On Effect Of Dating Apps On Our Society - Scott Galloway

Historically, people met through work, friends, and school in roughly equal thirds. Now, well over 50% of relationships begin online, making dating apps the dominant method for meeting partners.

Technology tends to consolidate sectors into 'winner-take-most' markets, where a few dominant players or individuals capture the majority of attention or resources, creating an unhealthy dynamic.

Women primarily consider a man's ability to signal resources, intelligence, and kindness. Online dating makes it difficult to signal intelligence and kindness, leading to an overemphasis on resources and a concentration of female interest on a very small group of men.

Online dating is highly beneficial for the top 10% of men (who receive 90% of interest), acceptable for the top 50%, but disastrous for the bottom 50%, who are largely excluded from the dating market.

This cohort of economically and emotionally non-viable men is considered the 'most dangerous person in the world,' linked to incidents like mass shootings and radicalization, posing an existential risk to society.

With women graduating at double the rate of men and tending to mate socioeconomically horizontally or up, there's less household formation and lower birth rates, which can stunt an economy, as college-educated women are often not interested in men without degrees.

Solutions include providing more job opportunities, vocational training, and certifications to improve economic viability and confidence, fostering community, promoting physical fitness, and establishing 'guardrails' like stable relationships and employment to provide structure and motivation.

These men often seek dopamine hits from speculative trading, rely on porn instead of real-world dating, gain affirmation from angry social media posts, blame women and others, become prone to misogynistic content and conspiracy theories, and generally become 'shitty citizens.'

This cohort often has disproportionate political influence because elected leaders appeal to their tribal instincts, leading to the election of politicians who stoke nationalist fears, blame immigrants, and promote conspiracy theories, further exacerbating societal divisions.