Dad Saves America

John Papola
  • 4.7 (137)
  • Politics
  • Updated Weekly

Proud papa, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and arm-chair philosopher John Papola explores the biggest issues facing our country through the lens of fatherhood, releasing exclusive interviews and deep dives every week. We need to make sure the next generation of Americans is raised to thrive in a free society and be champions of civilization. Dad Saves America has hosted all sorts of experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew, Michael Shellenberger, Bret Weinstein, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Adam Carolla. www.dadsavesamerica.com

  1. 2h ago

    The Jason Arday Scandal Is White Guilt on Steroids

    Last week, Cambridge’s youngest ever black full professor was found dead, days after resigning under investigation for plagiarism and his fabricated life story. Jason Arday claimed to have run 600 miles in six days, couldn't speak until age 11, and still earned a PhD by 30. When the scrutiny finally caught up with him, Amnesty International's response was to call for censorship. Meanwhile, MIT's black enrollment dropped from 13% to just 5% after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against affirmative action. Racial preferences in admissions have not achieved the supposed goal of closing educational disparities between black and white Americans, but instead have just papered over them. The West has spent decades manufacturing token success stories to manage its own white guilt. Can we finally admit that meritocracy was the right answer all along? _____________________________________ Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/the-jason-arday-scandal-is-white?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zrCls6Mc7L4 Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    The Jason Arday Scandal Is White Guilt on Steroids

  2. 1d ago

    Can the West Survive Its Crisis of Faith? - Os Guinness

    I sat down with Os Guinness, author of “Our Civilizational Moment,” to discuss how the West has become a “cut flower” civilization. Os argues that the slow secularization of the West has left its freedom, virtue, and sense of meaning disconnected from the foundation that sustained them for centuries. We get into: * Growing up in China during WWII and the rise of Mao * Why the West is a “cut flower civilization” * The golden triangle of freedom, virtue, and faith * Why atheism conflicts with free will * Whether Islam can adapt to Western norms * The Hebrew Republic’s overlooked influence on America’s founding * The rise of antisemitism on the left and right * What it will take for the West to come home to its own roots _____________________________________ Order a copy of “Our Civilizational Moment: The Waning of the West and the War of the Worlds”: https://a.co/d/0bdSVQbY Order a copy of “America Agonistes: America’s 250th and the Restoration of a Nation in Conflict with Itself and Its Past”: https://a.co/d/0eL4mAbN _____________________________________ Outline:[0:00] Growing up in China in the 1940s [2:34] Eastern VS Western Civilization [6:53] The roots of the West have been cut [16:14] Freedom, virtue, and faith [27:51] Civility and truth in public discourse [36:59] Can people be equal without faith? [40:19] Christianity is anti-utopian [48:21] Is an Islamic Reformation possible? [59:07] Are there limits to free speech? [1:10:21] The Jewish influence on the Founding Fathers [1:17:35] How can Christians and Jews work together? [1:25:48] Why are Jews so influential in the West? [1:35:53] The elitist-populist divide [1:42:04] The role of entrepreneurship in freedom [1:46:32] Man’s Search for Meaning _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-j-QB93yegU Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    Can the West Survive Its Crisis of Faith? - Os Guinness

  3. Aug 15

    America Feels Like It’s Falling Apart. We Can Still Save It. - 500K Subscriber Special

    Thank you to all 500K+ subscribers to Dad Saves America! This show began in response to the mental health crisis I saw emerging among my son’s peers. Then COVID lockdowns hit and turned my worst-case predictions into reality. Now, socialism is sweeping the Democratic Party and young women are marching in support of Hamas, all while social media continues to poison the minds of our kids. As I like to say, the 1990s were the peak of Western civilization. The Cold War had been won, the economy was relatively stable, and our politics didn’t feel existential. Most importantly, both parties agreed that America was fundamentally good. That consensus is dead. If the next generation no longer believes in the system that built the world they’ll inherit, what comes next? _____________________________________ Ready to give MASA a try? Get 25% off your first order by going to https://www.masachips.com/dad and using code DAD. _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PMpTTQQb3AI Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    America Feels Like It’s Falling Apart. We Can Still Save It. - 500K Subscriber Special

  4. Aug 14

    We Stopped Disciplining Kids. Now They’re Destroying Civilization. - Katharine Birbalsingh

    I sat down with Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Community School and the UK’s most outspoken voice on education, to mark the launch of our new YouTube collaboration, Strictly Education. Katharine runs one of the strictest schools in the UK, for mostly disadvantaged students from immigrant families, and gets some of the best results in the country. Her solution to the failure of modern schooling isn’t about funding, racial politics, or experimenting with radical teaching methods. It’s discipline, structure, and a return to the values our grandparents understood instinctively. We get into: * Why shame, done right, is essential to raising well behaved kids * How gentle parenting and white guilt are burning down Western civilization * Why the left refuses to try proven solutions in education * The consequences of failing to teach our true history * Why AI can never replace the relationship a great teacher builds with a child * Her case for government intervention regarding social media and smartphones * The vision behind Strictly Education and why she wanted to team up with Dad Saves America _____________________________________ Ready to give MASA a try? Get 25% off your first order by going to http://www.masachips.com/dad and using code DAD. _____________________________________ My first interview with Katharine: https://youtu.be/uLmb3as-MQc?si=Qfd_7vXHLOcW7ym2 Watch “Strictly Education”: https://youtu.be/UpTqPSSOMn0?si=pUkovSuiHgCs2p0n Follow Katharine Birbalsingh on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/Miss_Snuffy _____________________________________ Outline: [0:00] Why launch Strictly Education? [15:39] What’s happening to young women? [20:40] Can free-range parenting work in 2026? [30:56] What does “culture” actually mean? [35:49] Bad behavior thrives on attention [42:46] Why shame is useful in the classroom [52:43] White guilt is destroying civilization [1:00:07] Why the left attacks real solutions [1:08:55] Kids are being lied to about our history [1:18:26] You can’t teach critical thinking [1:27:01] Is technology a net-negative in education? [1:32:06] How do we keep kids off social media? [1:50:55] Gentle parenting, adulthood, and the death of God [1:58:05] How should we teach the Western canon? [2:05:51] We’ve literally dumbed-down education _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WrCd_oec5VE Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    We Stopped Disciplining Kids. Now They’re Destroying Civilization. - Katharine Birbalsingh

  5. Aug 7

    The Democratic Socialists Have a Working Class Problem

    Socialist Abdul El-Sayed just won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, but the exit polls tell the real story. He dominated in college towns and lost badly in the working class neighborhoods he claims to represent. The same pattern played out in Zohran Mamdani's election. The socialists calling themselves the voice of the working class have never done a day of physical labor in their lives. The working class knows it, and they're not buying it. So who's this “working class” movement actually for? _____________________________________ Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/the-democratic-socialists-have-a?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Yz9NWtQ0OWQ Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    The Democratic Socialists Have a Working Class Problem

  6. Aug 6

    The Manosphere Is Only a Half-Answer for Young Men - Nick Freitas

    I sat down with Nick Freitas, veteran, fellow podcaster, and author of “The Manbook,” to talk about what it actually means to be a man in the aftermath of the woke revolution. In recent years, manosphere figures like Andrew Tate have arisen as an answer for young men who feel cast out at school, at work, and in mainstream culture. Their message takes legitimate grievances and points them in unhealthy directions. Nick advocates for a different answer: biblical masculinity. We get into: * What masculinity is really all about * The moment Nick’s co-host changed the way he gives advice * Why conservatives aren’t getting through to radicalized young men * What he’s observed raising both a son and daughters * How he and his wife built a successful marriage and family * Why Christianity gets results, even if you can’t see it yet _____________________________________ American Hartford Gold can help you protect your wealth with precious metals! Contact them today to get up to $20,000 in free silver on your first order! Call 888-650-9836, or text DAD to 65532, or click here find out more: https://offers.americanhartfordgold.com/content-affiliate/?Leadsource=Affiliate&utm_sfcampaign=701Nv00000hAYCcIAO _____________________________________ Order a copy of “The Manbook”: https://a.co/d/0iZo3I5Y Follow Nick Freitas on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/NickJFreitas?s=20 Watch “Making the Argument” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Nickjfreitas _____________________________________ Outline: [0:00] What does it mean to be a man? [2:59] How can we speak effectively to young men? [16:56] The woke revolution in corporate America [30:19 30:22] Compassion has become victimhood worship [38:30] Is ideology downstream of technology? [47:22] Men blame objects and women blame themselves [55:45] How do we protect girls from bad influences? [1:05:58] Gen Z’s expectations are off [1:15:09] Are we overthinking our problems? [1:22:38] Marriage is hard because life is hard [1:36:10] Cause and effect is a good guide to truth [1:41:45] What does a healthy identity look like? [1:56:28] Why losing his Congressional election was a blessing _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-GC5BjyhctA Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    The Manosphere Is Only a Half-Answer for Young Men - Nick Freitas

  7. Jul 31

    “I Plead the Fifth”: How Fauci’s Lies Destroyed the Expert Class

    Rand Paul just released Dr. Anthony Fauci's personal diary, more than 1,100 pages stored on government servers, and then made him answer for it before the Senate. Fauci’s response to almost every question was the same. He pleaded the Fifth, over and over again. But the real story isn’t the diary. It’s what Fauci represents. From funding offshore gain-of-function research, to soliciting cash prizes using federal resources, to the preemptive pardon shielding him from all of it, this is a portrait of an expert class that plays by it’s own rules and doesn’t think you should get a say. Is this the moment the myth of expert rule finally dies? _____________________________________ American Hartford Gold can help you protect your wealth with precious metals! Contact them today to get up to $20,000 in free silver on your first order! Call 888-650-9836, or text DAD to 65532, or click here find out more: https://offers.americanhartfordgold.com/content-affiliate/?Leadsource=Affiliate&utm_sfcampaign=701Nv00000hAYCcIAO _____________________________________ Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/i-plead-the-fifth-how-faucis-lies?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dT41i4t9aGo Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    “I Plead the Fifth”: How Fauci’s Lies Destroyed the Expert Class

  8. Jul 30

    Why Harvard Loses in the New College Rankings - Prof. Kevin Wallsten

    I sat down with political scientist Kevin Wallsten to discuss his project building a new college ranking system from scratch. The standard metrics of acceptance rate, endowment size, and name recognition fail to address rising concerns about ideological bias and campus culture. With activism replacing the pursuit of truth throughout higher education, here’s what parents should know before sending their kids off to college. We get into: * Why University of Florida ranks #1 and Harvard lands at #37 * What the 68 variables in this new ranking system actually measure * Why US News & World Report rankings almost never change, even as elite campuses melt down * How faculty became activists, and why even tenured professors self-censor * What DEI bureaucracies did to schools like the University of Michigan * The three competing purposes of the university: personal development, job training, and politics * Why universities are alienating the students they need most _____________________________________ American Hartford Gold can help you protect your wealth with precious metals! Contact them today to get up to $20,000 in free silver on your first order! Call 888-650-9836, or text DAD to 65532, or click here find out more: https://offers.americanhartfordgold.com/content-affiliate/?Leadsource=Affiliate&utm_sfcampaign=701Nv00000hAYCcIAO _____________________________________ City Journal College Rankings: https://collegerankings.city-journal.org/rankings https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/college-rankings/PDFs/CollegeRankings.pdf _____________________________________ Outline: [0:00] Universities have lost public trust [6:59 7:12] What happened on campus in 2015? [16:38] How universities became ideological [24:33] What is the purpose of education? [37:00] Should we think of college as career training? [45:38] Campus politics is a status game [53:51] The self-censorship tipping point [1:07:40] Why don’t academics like debate? [1:19:09] How academics view American society [1:26:43] Has a diploma become a meaningless credential? [1:35:29] How colleges stack up in 2026 [1:57:35] University governance is broken [2:06:48] The tension between public funding and academic freedom [2:19:23] Higher ed is about to drop off a demographic cliff _____________________________________ Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/ Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IaLNRUlScJk Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

    Why Harvard Loses in the New College Rankings - Prof. Kevin Wallsten
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4.7
out of 5
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About

Proud papa, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and arm-chair philosopher John Papola explores the biggest issues facing our country through the lens of fatherhood, releasing exclusive interviews and deep dives every week. We need to make sure the next generation of Americans is raised to thrive in a free society and be champions of civilization. Dad Saves America has hosted all sorts of experts in the studio, including Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew, Michael Shellenberger, Bret Weinstein, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Adam Carolla. www.dadsavesamerica.com

Information

  • Creator
    John Papola
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    228
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © John Papola
  • Show Website
    Dad Saves America