The Charlie Kirk Show - Self-Control vs. Self-Esteem and Other Life Lessons from Charlie

00:00:03.000 My name is Charlie Kirk.

00:00:05.000 I run the largest pro-American student organization in the country fighting for the future of our republic.

00:00:11.000 My call is to fight evil and to proclaim truth.

00:00:14.000 If the most important thing for you is just feeling good, you're going to end up miserable.

00:00:19.000 But if the most important thing is doing good, you will end up purposeful.

00:00:24.000 College is a scam, everybody.

00:00:26.000 You've got to stop sending your kids to college.

00:00:27.000 You should get married as young as possible and have as many kids as possible.

00:00:31.000 Go start a Turning Point USA College chapter.

00:00:33.000 Go start a Turning Point USA High School chapter.

00:00:35.000 Go find out how your church can get involved.

00:00:37.000 Sign up and become an activist.

00:00:39.000 I gave my life to the Lord in fifth grade.

00:00:41.000 Most important decision I ever made in my life.

00:00:43.000 And I encourage you to do the same.

00:00:45.000 Here I am.

00:00:46.000 Lord, use me.

00:00:48.000 Buckle up, everybody.

00:00:49.000 Here we go.

00:00:56.000 Noble Gold Investments is the official gold sponsor of The Charlie Kirk Show, a company that specializes in gold IRAs and physical delivery of precious metals.

00:01:06.000 Learn how you could protect your wealth with Noble Gold Investments at Noble Gold Investments.com.

00:01:13.000 That is Noble Gold Investments.com.

00:01:17.000 I would just like to know you know, you being a husband, a father, and a big political figure, it's like, how do you cope with making all those things important in your life?

00:01:27.000 You mentioned a lot, which is I'm a big fan of Aristotle.

00:01:30.000 Aristotle talked about a hierarchy of the good.

00:01:33.000 When you have a lot going on, this is a good rule for young people.

00:01:35.000 You got to make a hierarchy of what matters most.

00:01:36.000 And you've got to prioritize that thing over other things, which means, by definition, other things are going to slip aside.

00:01:42.000 And realize it's not all about you.

00:01:44.000 And this is one of the great things I hate the self love movement, I hate the self esteem movement.

00:01:49.000 It's done so much damage.

00:01:51.000 I think it's one of the great philosophical carcinogens in our society in so many different ways.

00:01:56.000 I saw this sign the other day.

00:01:57.000 They said, It's your imperfections that make you perfect.

00:02:01.000 And I thought to myself, I said, Well, then, therefore, by definition, the more imperfections you have, the better you are.

00:02:08.000 Or, my favorite one is the world is better because you're in it.

00:02:12.000 Now, that might sound like a good message, but in reality, it should be a question.

00:02:16.000 Is the world better because you're in it?

00:02:20.000 Right?

00:02:24.000 And so, it should be a question.

00:02:26.000 Has the world become a better place because of you?

00:02:29.000 Now, so the idea of a hierarchy of what matters most is not taught a lot to our kids.

00:02:34.000 There's a big lie out there that you could have it all.

00:02:38.000 That's not true.

00:02:39.000 You can't.

00:02:39.000 You have to make sacrifices.

00:02:41.000 You could still do a lot.

00:02:43.000 You could still run a business and you could still do things, but you have to make time for what matters most.

00:02:47.000 One of the reasons why we have such a depressed generation, suicidal generation, we have such an anxious generation, a medicated generation, is they're thinking about themselves all the time.

00:02:58.000 I believe a people that is not dedicated to service is a very depressed people.

00:03:03.000 It's not always about you.

00:03:04.000 Sometimes you have to do stuff you don't like because it's going to benefit somebody else.

00:03:08.000 By the way, we just know that scientifically you're a happier person because we know that, regardless of the spiritual implications or the moral implications.

00:03:16.000 And so we have an entire generation that's always asking, How do you feel?

00:03:18.000 How do you feel about that?

00:03:19.000 It's actually quite irrelevant.

00:03:21.000 It matters more about what you're doing.

00:03:23.000 And here's a thought provoking thing for you.

00:03:25.000 Generally, what you do should dictate how you feel, not how you feel with what you do.

00:03:32.000 That's a good general rule to tell a young person.

00:03:34.000 Another good rule for life, which is self control is a lot more important than self esteem.

00:03:39.000 But we do the opposite.

00:03:41.000 Thank you.

00:03:41.000 What advice would you give to a young kid that wants to do something similar to what you've done with their career as far as starting Turning Point USA and just impacting people?

00:03:51.000 So, I started Turning Point USA when I was 18.

00:03:54.000 I never went to college, and it ended up being a great decision for me.

00:03:57.000 I took a gap year.

00:03:58.000 Not everyone in this country needs to go to college.

00:04:00.000 We have way too many people going to college in our country.

00:04:03.000 Strive to be a better person every single day because your character is a reflection of your soul.

00:04:09.000 Learn something new every single day.

00:04:11.000 It doesn't matter where you go to college, it's just a piece of paper, honestly.

00:04:14.000 What matters is who you are as a person.

00:04:17.000 If you want to succeed, you also must be willing to keep pushing on and enduring when things get really, really tough.

00:04:25.000 Take the relationships with people that are older than you.

00:04:29.000 Very seriously, and memorialize those conversations forever.

00:04:34.000 So, those smartphones I think are destroying our country, but one thing they're good for is they're really good at recording.

00:04:40.000 They're good at recording voice memos or conversations.

00:04:42.000 Next time you sit down with a grandparent or a business person, record those conversations.

00:04:46.000 You're going to want them.

00:04:47.000 When you encounter difficulty, train yourself to blame yourself.

00:04:50.000 Train yourself to say, It's my fault.

00:04:52.000 What did I do wrong?

00:04:53.000 That's hard.

00:04:55.000 Trust me.

00:04:56.000 It's really easy to blame others.

00:04:57.000 It might be somebody else's fault, but find something you could have done differently.

00:05:00.000 And if you get in the practice of doing that, You'll be a stronger person.

00:05:04.000 The final thing is this immerse yourself in eternal knowledge.

00:05:08.000 There's two types of knowledge practical knowledge and eternal knowledge.

00:05:12.000 Practical knowledge is who's the governor, eternal knowledge, things that never change.

00:05:16.000 We also call it wisdom.

00:05:17.000 The more wise you are, the more cheerful and happy you will be.

00:05:22.000 You live in a wonderful country.

00:05:24.000 We got problems, we got ridiculous leaders, we got all that stuff.

00:05:27.000 Man, what a gift we've been given.

00:05:30.000 Don't get into the whole complaining that everything around me is terrible and awful.

00:05:33.000 We talked about many of that.

00:05:35.000 But believe that your actions matter, apply yourself accordingly, work harder every single day.

00:05:40.000 And after a decade of that, I think you'll be in a pretty good place.

00:05:43.000 I wanted to clarify what I screamed earlier.

00:05:45.000 I screamed the word yes.

00:05:47.000 I was just really excited.

00:05:49.000 But my parents immigrated here with basically no money from Vietnam.

00:05:52.000 Okay, because you said your parents were super rich from Vietnam.

00:05:55.000 You screwed up my moment, man.

00:05:56.000 I know, I'm so sorry.

00:05:58.000 I was just really excited.

00:05:59.000 So, just to be clear, they came with almost no money from Vietnam.

00:06:01.000 Yeah, and now we own our own.

00:06:01.000 Honestly, God bless your parents.

00:06:03.000 They're great patriots.

00:06:04.000 I'm glad you're here.

00:06:05.000 We own our own private business, and I'm a living example of.

00:06:08.000 Why white privilege does not exist.

00:06:10.000 So let me get to my point.

00:06:12.000 I'm a 17 year old high school student.

00:06:15.000 I drove an hour over here just to see you.

00:06:18.000 I'm a member of the Turning Point USA chapter at my high school, and we actually hope to get Isabel Brown there soon.

00:06:25.000 So my question is whenever I try to open up controversial topics at my school, no one ever really wants to talk about it because they just don't want to.

00:06:35.000 And my question was is it because politics just aren't for everyone or not?

00:06:40.000 And is there Should there be an age to when people should be able to talk about and have these conversations about politics?

00:06:46.000 All ages should talk about it.

00:06:47.000 Only we shouldn't lower the voting age, though.

00:06:49.000 That's a very bad idea.

00:06:52.000 But we should not lower the voting age.

00:06:53.000 But I just want to applaud you, man, for your leadership at Turning Point.

00:06:56.000 And I'd say, look, just look around, though.

00:06:58.000 Look how promising this is.

00:06:59.000 People are standing here for hours just to hear about political, philosophical debates.

00:07:03.000 That's a good thing, regardless of where you approach these issues.

00:07:06.000 In high school, honestly, enjoy the fact that not everyone wants to talk about politics all the time because that's.

00:07:12.000 It's actually kind of refreshing to hear that there's still a remnant of that.

00:07:16.000 But yes and no, I would say.

00:07:20.000 October 15th.

00:07:22.000 Write it down, set an alarm, because the second that date passes, there's no extension, no grace period, no second chance.

00:07:29.000 Liens, wage garnishments, bank account seizures that's the IRS taking what you've earned.

00:07:35.000 If you've filed an extension and haven't submitted your return yet, stop what you're doing and call America Tax Group, the nation's leading tax firm, right now.

00:07:44.000 And do so at 888 381 3816.

00:07:48.000 Mention the code KERC26 when you call for $250 off.

00:07:52.000 Miss this deadline and failure to file penalties are assessed immediately with interest compounding daily, growing your debt every single hour.

00:08:00.000 Every hour past October 15th hands the IRS more power over your life.

00:08:05.000 So if you owe back taxes or haven't filed, understand this.

00:08:09.000 It's not a matter of if the IRS will act, it's when.

00:08:12.000 And that clock is ticking.

00:08:13.000 Dealing with the IRS without professional help is extremely risky.

00:08:17.000 So don't do it, not with days left on the clock.

00:08:20.000 So protect your financial security with guidance from America Tax Group.

00:08:24.000 Call the firm iTrust right now before October 15th, 888 381 3816.

00:08:30.000 Mention the code Kirk26 when you call for $250 off.

00:08:38.000 And I just wanted to ask this is a bit of an extreme example, but what age should the conversation be opened up through politics?

00:08:45.000 Should eighth graders be talking or debating about abortion?

00:08:48.000 Yeah, I think that probably like 12 years old, like let me think, 12 would be fifth or sixth grade.

00:08:54.000 I think fifth or sixth grade is where politics should start to be discussed.

00:08:57.000 Yeah.

00:08:59.000 Okay.

00:08:59.000 And then my final question is for people who are still learning and growing their minds, like me, I'm 17, what would your advice be for people who just want to debate more and read more?

00:09:09.000 Yeah.

00:09:09.000 So debate less and read more.

00:09:10.000 So you've got to read at least 100 books a year.

00:09:13.000 Okay.

00:09:14.000 100 books a year.

00:09:14.000 If you aren't reading 100 books a year, you're not serious about your intellectual journey.

00:09:17.000 You might say that's too many.

00:09:18.000 You can listen to them too, right?

00:09:21.000 Spend less money on booze, alcohol, drugs, and nightclubs, and more money on audiobooks.

00:09:26.000 Your life will be better.

00:09:27.000 Trust me.

00:09:28.000 I try to be a living example of that.

00:09:30.000 I try to read 100, 120 books a year.

00:09:31.000 I'm always listening to stuff, always reading stuff.

00:09:33.000 I don't remember it all, but I remember a fair amount of it.

00:09:36.000 And it just creates you into a happier, deeper, wiser person.

00:09:40.000 And the more you dedicate yourself to reading, debating will become easier.

00:09:44.000 I work as an after school teacher for the fifth graders.

00:09:47.000 One of my questions is Is there any advice that I could give to the youth to help?

00:09:53.000 Oh, sorry.

00:09:54.000 Do you have any advice to give to the youth?

00:09:57.000 Because of our corrupted society that we have now, of this social norm of the West, especially, how can I help them and give them the wise, especially as a religious man?

00:10:07.000 I love that.

00:10:08.000 Is that Basic Economics?

00:10:09.000 Yes.

00:10:10.000 Can I see that?

00:10:11.000 That is a great book.

00:10:11.000 You are a great teacher.

00:10:13.000 Everyone should read this by Thomas Sowell, by the way.

00:10:15.000 Good for you, man.

00:10:15.000 That's awesome.

00:10:16.000 You want me to sign it?

00:10:17.000 Yeah.

00:10:18.000 All right.

00:10:23.000 That's right.

00:10:24.000 Great question.

00:10:24.000 So let's, you hit the most important element of education.

00:10:29.000 So it should be about developing wisdom.

00:10:32.000 Not just knowledge.

00:10:33.000 So, wisdom is the understanding of things that do not change.

00:10:39.000 It's the most important thing you could teach a young person.

00:10:43.000 We are filled with knowledge based institutions and we are lacking wisdom based institutions.

00:10:48.000 Wisdom is understanding the deeper permanent topics that will be true 200 years from now and they were true 200 years prior.

00:10:56.000 For example, are human beings naturally good or not so good?

00:11:00.000 What is good?

00:11:00.000 What is evil?

00:11:02.000 What is mercy?

00:11:02.000 What is compassion?

00:11:03.000 What is justice?

00:11:04.000 What is truth?

00:11:05.000 This is much more important for people to grapple with than, well, I could tell you who the five members of the California legislature are.

00:11:14.000 That's fine, that's knowledge, but we are lacking in wisdom in the West.

00:11:19.000 It is a crisis of wisdom.

00:11:21.000 And here's the cool thing about wisdom anybody can access it at any time, it does not require a college degree, it doesn't require a special credential.

00:11:30.000 Anybody can be wise.

00:11:32.000 It just so happens the most common way people get wisdom is through what?

00:11:37.000 Suffering.

00:11:38.000 That's why old people are so wise because they've suffered a lot.

00:11:42.000 And through suffering, you end up getting a lot of wisdom.

00:11:45.000 Good times do not make you wise, sucky times do.

00:11:49.000 But I just want to talk a little bit about life, which is, I think that one of the things that students don't hear enough on college campuses is how do you live a happy and fulfilling life?

00:11:58.000 You should be thankful for life.

00:11:59.000 It's a gift, it's a beautiful thing.

00:12:04.000 A true appreciation of the deeper and eternal things starts with wonder.

00:12:08.000 When I was landing here today, I saw incredible natural beauty.

00:12:13.000 I saw mountains that looked like they were literally on fire.

00:12:16.000 You guys hear that all the time.

00:12:17.000 It makes you wonder what else out there is beautiful and worth preserving.

00:12:21.000 What else out there is eternal and elevated?

00:12:24.000 What else out there is something that we should try to go above and beyond and make sure it doesn't get corrupted?

00:12:30.000 And make sure that it doesn't get destroyed.

00:12:32.000 And that starts with gratitude.

00:12:35.000 It starts with being thankful.

00:12:36.000 And the first thing is being thankful for life, thankful for consciousness, thankful for existence, thankful for things that are deeply objectively good.

00:12:44.000 And we want, we as conservatives, then, I kind of just say this in general that we want to design a society.

00:12:52.000 That gives preference on your choices and your actions and your behavior, not on your complaints or your grievances or the mobilization thereof.

00:13:03.000 Now, don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly, you know, kind of on board with breaking up certain companies and using political power to try and make that easier.

00:13:12.000 But generally, I think that it's very important for people to try and prioritize that the greatest battle you'll experience in life is the struggle within that we must tell young people.

00:13:25.000 That we must understand that it's self control, that the improvement of your own character is the thing that you must prioritize above anything else.

00:13:34.000 And it's a disservice to tell young people, you know what, the greatest struggle in life is you against racism.

00:13:39.000 The greatest struggle in life is you against.

00:13:40.000 No, the greatest struggle in life is you going to be able to control your own impulses, to work up early to go to work, to say that I want to become a better and more developed human being.

00:13:50.000 And put very simply, we as human beings.

00:13:53.000 Thank you.

00:13:56.000 Before he ever stepped onto a debate stage or behind a microphone, Charlie understood something really important that if you want to lead, you first have to learn.

00:14:06.000 Charlie believed that ideas shape character, conviction, and courage.

00:14:10.000 That's why he spent years studying the classics, the American founding, and the Bible through Hillsdale College's free online courses.

00:14:16.000 He would rave about these courses all the time.

00:14:18.000 These free online courses are taught by Hillsdale College professors and draw from the same great books and enduring ideas studied on Hillsdale's campus.

00:14:27.000 Hillsdale's newest free online course is the Iliad, where Professor Stephen Smith guides students through Homer's great epic of honor, courage, friendship, leadership, and the pursuit of true greatness.

00:14:38.000 For nearly 3,000 years, the Iliad has shaped the Western imagination.

00:14:42.000 It tells the story of Achilles as he confronts injustice, rage, grief, responsibility, and the terrible costs of war.

00:14:48.000 But Homer's epic is more than a story of ancient battles, it raises enduring questions about courage, duty, leadership, sacrifice, and self command.

00:14:57.000 Achilles is the Greatest warrior among the Greeks, but Homer asks whether strength alone is enough to make a man truly great.

00:15:03.000 In this new free online course, you'll follow Achilles through the defining trials of his life and discover why one of the greatest works of Western literature still speaks to the permanent questions of human life.

00:15:14.000 Charlie understood that learning isn't just about gaining knowledge, it's about forming the mind and character needed to face the challenges of life with wisdom and courage.

00:15:23.000 You can enroll today completely free and take this class or their 40 plus other free online courses.

00:15:28.000 Just visit charlieforhillsdale.com to start learning today.

00:15:31.000 That's Charlie for Hillsdale.com.

00:15:34.000 Learn deeply, think clearly, lead boldly, and carry it forward just like Charlie.

00:15:42.000 We as conservatives believe that happiness is a choice.

00:15:48.000 We're happy, regardless of how bad things are falling apart in our country.

00:15:51.000 We're happy to be alive.

00:15:52.000 We're thankful for our existence.

00:15:54.000 Happiness is a choice.

00:15:55.000 If you go around trying to find happiness, all of a sudden you'll seek pleasure over virtue.

00:16:00.000 If you try to go find happiness as a state, it's nonsense.

00:16:02.000 Happiness is a choice, it's a state of mind.

00:16:05.000 It's something that you must commit yourself to.

00:16:07.000 You must work at it too.

00:16:08.000 You must say, man, what am I thankful for today?

00:16:11.000 And I'm not trying to diminish suffering.

00:16:13.000 Let me be very clear.

00:16:14.000 Everybody here has something you're going through, and it's a serious thing.

00:16:18.000 But that's not to say, what does it mean to live a fulfilling life?

00:16:21.000 To walk around always looking at something worthy of protesting, tearing down, deconstructing, disassembling, or saying, Man, if I made these 10 choices, if I stopped drinking, if I stopped doing drugs, if I stopped complaining, maybe my life will improve a little bit.

00:16:36.000 Maybe if I all of a sudden start taking responsibility for my actions, I'll start to see the fruits of those choices.

00:16:43.000 That's a fundamental difference.

00:16:45.000 Because at the core, and I'm not saying there are not public policy changes that need to be made.

00:16:51.000 Trust me, there's plenty.

00:16:53.000 But the real struggle that we must all understand is that it's you against you.

00:17:00.000 That if you devote yourself to saying, you know what, I'll be happy as soon as we get universal health care, I'll be happy as soon as we get this person, that's never going to happen.

00:17:08.000 The reason we have so many people searching for purpose in our country is because we have said to so many students, don't go find responsibility, go find immediate pleasure and gratification.

00:17:19.000 That we must instead prioritize things that make you have to all of a sudden challenge yourself.

00:17:25.000 Character is developed in the challenge.

00:17:28.000 Strength rejoices in the challenge.

00:17:31.000 And we sometimes need to say, you know what?

00:17:33.000 It's a good thing that you got to live a little bit tougher of a circumstance right now as a 17, 18, or 19 year old.

00:17:38.000 It'll make you a tougher person in the long run.

00:17:40.000 All right, what's going on, man?

00:17:41.000 First of all, just two points.

00:17:44.000 Coming from someone in a situation like you that you never went to college, but you became very successful.

00:17:47.000 Please, please, please, yeah.

00:17:49.000 Coming from someone in a situation like you that you've never gone to college, but you're successful doing Tuning Point USA.

00:17:55.000 What do you recommend to someone who's in a situation where?

00:17:58.000 I don't know what I want to do with my life, but unfortunately, I'm at school, spending a bunch of money because I'm stupid.

00:18:04.000 No, that's okay.

00:18:06.000 I want to be clear.

00:18:06.000 The question is me.

00:18:07.000 Can I interrupt?

00:18:08.000 You guys can make college into a success.

00:18:10.000 When we say college is a scam, that's us saying that they're charging you too much money and the value proposition is inverted.

00:18:16.000 But don't use that as a victim and say, oh, I can't get any value out of it.

00:18:20.000 Find the value, hold on to the value, but please continue.

00:18:25.000 How do you become successful without college?

00:18:27.000 Okay, yeah.

00:18:28.000 So, first of all, I don't want to put you on the spot, but I'm sure you're good at something.

00:18:32.000 What is your skill?

00:18:33.000 If you had to say the thing I'm the best at.

00:18:37.000 I do love talking.

00:18:39.000 I love dialogue.

00:18:40.000 I do love, I wouldn't say arguing, but I do like exchanging differences.

00:18:44.000 So now you're already in the 1% of the country.

00:18:46.000 99% of people hate talking.

00:18:48.000 In fact, the greatest fear in America is public speaking more than death.

00:18:52.000 So now all of a sudden you're in a whole different category, right?

00:18:55.000 Believe it or not, every single job, every single company on the planet needs somebody that's good at communicating.

00:19:01.000 Everyone.

00:19:02.000 Right?

00:19:03.000 Whatever it is that you do, try to gravitate towards the thing that you like and that you're good at, which is to explain.

00:19:09.000 Right.

00:19:10.000 Whatever that is in a company, because there's a lot of people that might be really good.

00:19:12.000 Like, I don't want to give the presentation, you know, and that.

00:19:15.000 So you just kind of answer your own question.

00:19:17.000 Here's the biggest thing be a lifelong learner.

00:19:19.000 Don't stop learning just because you might not be in college.

00:19:22.000 Are you a freshman, sophomore?

00:19:24.000 I'm actually a senior.

00:19:25.000 Okay.

00:19:25.000 Get your degree.

00:19:26.000 That's my, finish it.

00:19:27.000 It's like, you know, you've already invested this much.

00:19:28.000 Get your degree and whatever it is.

00:19:30.000 It'd be stupid not to.

00:19:31.000 If you were a freshman, we might have a different discussion.

00:19:32.000 Okay.

00:19:32.000 Right.

00:19:33.000 Right.

00:19:33.000 Finish that out.

00:19:34.000 And then, whether it's useful to you, great.

00:19:36.000 If it's not, then so be it.

00:19:38.000 And then try to find things that is the intersection of your skill and your passion.

00:19:42.000 That's where you're going to succeed the best in life.

00:19:46.000 I talk about jobs and industries on this show all the time, but I didn't expect to find an entire skills trade community on TikTok.

00:19:54.000 Plumbers, electricians, builders, and contractors sharing the work they do every day.

00:19:59.000 And it went way beyond tips and tricks.

00:20:01.000 People were sharing their craft, connecting with local contractors, and talking about how they were building their businesses and growing their teams.

00:20:08.000 It opened my eyes to how people in the trades are using TikTok to share their skills, make connections, and find new opportunities.

00:20:14.000 I remember thinking, This is exactly what we need more of people sharing what they know and creating opportunities for others.

00:20:20.000 And I never expected to find a community like this.

00:20:23.000 That's the thing about TikTok.

00:20:25.000 You start with something you know, and suddenly you're finding a whole new side of it that surprises you and leaves you wanting to know more.

00:20:30.000 Your next discovery is waiting for you on TikTok.

00:20:33.000 Learn more at TikTok.comslash discover more.

00:20:39.000 Dating is a struggle.

00:20:41.000 What's your advice to young conservatives?

00:20:43.000 And also, how do you feel about dating apps?

00:20:45.000 Yeah, so.

00:20:48.000 I'm not a huge fan of dating apps, but so I will have an opinion here that will really get people.

00:20:53.000 You should not date people that have different politics than you.

00:20:56.000 You should not.

00:20:58.000 And I'm not so, and the reason, I believe you should date with the intent to marry.

00:21:03.000 I don't think date is a hobby.

00:21:05.000 I think dating is an interview process.

00:21:08.000 And I know that is a minority opinion on most college campuses where date is a mechanism for, I don't know, companionship amongst other things.

00:21:15.000 It's gonna be tough.

00:21:15.000 You're gonna have to hopefully only date people in alignment with your values.

00:21:19.000 Right?

00:21:19.000 That doesn't mean you can't have friends with people that disagree with you, but dating's a very serious thing.

00:21:24.000 So, how do you go about doing that?

00:21:25.000 Try to associate or marry or date somebody that does share your deeply held values.

00:21:30.000 I think that's very, very important.

00:21:32.000 And secondly, I will say this, which is men in general who have difficulty finding women generally have a couple problems.

00:21:41.000 And this is not directed towards you, I just met you.

00:21:43.000 Okay, so please, we're good if I say this?

00:21:45.000 Okay.

00:21:45.000 Most men are beta males, okay, with very little to any.

00:21:51.000 Very little to any detectable testosterone, like the radar is trying their best.

00:21:57.000 Men, I believe, especially in this time of moral and societal chaos, need to get back into what it means to be a physically and mentally strong man, which I believe includes stopping watching pornography,

00:22:13.000 which I believe means working out on a regular basis, and I believe also understanding that the most desirable quality that young ladies look for in men, according to My big survey of all of our listeners is self control.

00:22:28.000 Is that young ladies say that they cannot find a young man who can control himself?

00:22:34.000 That's a big deal.

00:22:35.000 So, put that all together.

00:22:36.000 What are you supposed to do?

00:22:37.000 Try to be the best version of yourself and then be very clear with women and respectfully about what you want and your intent.

00:22:47.000 A lot of men are intimidated by women, and I get it.

00:22:50.000 It's because our entire culture has basically turned men to be intimidated by women.

00:22:54.000 They might accuse you of something or whatever.

00:22:57.000 I would encourage you to be very direct.

00:22:59.000 Don't try this all like, yeah, we're going to try the friend thing for a while.

00:23:02.000 Like, just be a man and tell, like, I like you.

00:23:04.000 I want to take you on a date.

00:23:06.000 Like, does that happen anymore?

00:23:07.000 Maybe it does.

00:23:07.000 Probably not a lot.

00:23:09.000 My name is Grace.

00:23:10.000 I'm 13, and I've been homeschooled since kindergarten.

00:23:14.000 I really appreciate your podcast.

00:23:16.000 Politics can be difficult for me to fully understand, but the way in which you present ideas makes it easier to grasp.

00:23:24.000 My younger sister and I recently started watching the online Hillsdale College course regarding the Constitution.

00:23:36.000 Which we've been enjoying.

00:23:37.000 So this is my question to you.

00:23:39.000 What advice do you have for me as I move into adulthood in order to become a more informed and involved citizen?

00:23:47.000 Well, first of all, thank you for being here.

00:23:49.000 And I have hope thanks to people like you.

00:23:54.000 How old are you again?

00:23:55.000 13. 13.

00:23:57.000 So here's a couple things I want to encourage you to do.

00:24:01.000 Learn something new every single day and focus on what it means to be a good person and a person of strong character.

00:24:09.000 And especially when you get into the world of trying to be around social approval and kind of everything around you.

00:24:15.000 Courage is what's missing in our country.

00:24:17.000 We have a courage crisis right now.

00:24:19.000 Moral courage is the most necessary yet absent characteristic in men, George S. Patton.

00:24:23.000 Aristotle, who you will learn about if you continue on the wonderful Hillsdale courses, and I'm glad you're already taking us.

00:24:28.000 You're already well on your way.

00:24:29.000 Aristotle said that courage is the ultimate virtue.

00:24:31.000 Without it, there are no other virtues.

00:24:33.000 Think about that.

00:24:34.000 If people aren't courageous, you don't have honesty.

00:24:36.000 You don't have justice.

00:24:37.000 You don't have anything else that you don't have beauty.

00:24:39.000 You don't have wonder.

00:24:40.000 If people don't have courage to act and so at age 13, I want you to commit yourself to a life of courage.

00:24:46.000 Courage is doing the right thing when you don't know how it's going to work out.

00:24:50.000 Courage is committing yourself to the correct course of action regardless of the cost associated with it.

00:24:55.000 And I'm given hope by the amount of young homeschooling children that are rising up in our country.

00:24:59.000 Now, let me tell you this.

00:25:01.000 People say, Charlie, what does success look like?

00:25:03.000 New York Times headline in 2050 America's sudden, shocking, and inexplicable right turn can be traced back.

00:25:14.000 To homeschooling explosion during COVID 19.

00:25:18.000 That's what success looks like, everybody.

00:25:24.000 For more on many of these stories and news you can trust, go to charliekirk.com.

The Charlie Kirk Show - October 11, 2026

Self-Control vs. Self-Esteem and Other Life Lessons from Charlie

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