The Shadows Over Men’s Hearts and How to Fight Them

There are a lot of unspoken challenges and hidden battles that men face in modern society. They often manifest themselves in a uniquely male malaise where a man feels apathetic, frustrated, cynical, and lost.

Jon Tyson has thought a lot about the problems men face and has been on the ground trying to help them as a pastor in New York City. In today's episode, I talk to Jon about the sources of this male angst that he explores as the co-author of a new book, Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men From Becoming Fully Alive.

Jon and I discuss how men often try to solve their malaise and why those approaches don't work. We then explore some of the shadows men fight in their lives, including the shadows of despair, loneliness, unhealthy ambition, futility, and lust. Jon offers some advice to overcome these shadows, including sitting around a fire pit with your bros, taking time to develop your telos or aim as a man, and injecting a bit more playfulness in your life to counteract grumpy dad syndrome.

Resources Related to the Podcast

• Jon's previous appearances on the AoM podcast:
  • #810: How to Turn a Boy Into a Man
  • #926: The 5 Shifts of Manhood
• AoM longform article/short "ebook": A Roadmap to Manhood in the 21st Century
• AoM Article: Create a Blueprint for Your Future
• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
• AoM Podcast #702: One Man’s Impossible Quest — To Make Friends in Adulthood
• AoM Podcast #867: Dante’s Guide to Navigating a Spiritual Journey
• The Case Against the Sexual Revolution by Louise Perry
• Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II

Connect With Jon Tyson

• Jon's website
• Fighting Shadows website
• Forming Men website
• Primal Path website