The Mindset Junkie: Are we becoming psychologically castrated?

However, one of the topics that really stood out for me came close to the end of the podcast when Roy was questioned about what it takes, and what it meant to be, a true champion.

He replied that to be the kind of champion that he was, an ego (in the true sense of the word) was crucial to make it happen, to cement your name like he did as one of the greatest.

Roy also touched on a few other interesting aspects of his life, especially around the ongoing battle he has had with his father, their fall out, how they still don’t speak and why.

His father, Roy Senior, was a former fighter and Junior talked about how, in his opinion, his father would belittle other fighters which kept them weak in mind.

Junior said he believed this was to keep the boxers below par so that they would feel weaker or less than his father, and remarkably, to ensure that they would never achieve more than his father had in the ring.

Roy Junior claimed he noticed this pretty quick as a young boxer. Ultimately he decided to part ways from his father who was also his trainer and coach at that time, so that he could fulfil his potential, a decision that would appear to have been vindicated given Junior went on to become a boxing legend and one of the all time greats.

Roy Junior said he recognised that to be a world champion and become the best he could be, he needed to have his mind fully intact, to be able to think for himself and not to have his ‘true’ power belittled or taken away from him.

He claimed his father’s style ‘mentally castrated’ those fighters, a startling claim which no doubt his father would greatly dispute.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the dispute, the discussion was fascinating and posed a serious question for me: Are we as males being mentally castrated ourselves? Are we losing our power? Are we losing our ability to speak freely, to voice our opinions and to stand up for what we believe in?

Roy made a point on the podcast that really resonated with me about how things are right now for men and indeed the population in general.

It was his idea that men are afraid more than ever to stand their corner. It really got me thinking about if he is correct.

Are more and more people, never mind only men, afraid to get things off their chests? Are they afraid to really voice their opinions because of the fear of judgement from others?

Is it the fear of what others might say or do that is holding so many back? Or maybe its a worry about how they might be perceived if they speak their minds?

As males, have we been psychologically castrated by modern society? Have we lost our right to fight our own corner, to stand up for what we believe in? Have we, or are we slowly losing our true strengths?

True strengths like being able to stand up and be counted on to protect our families, our loved ones, our businesses and our beliefs.

More and more I feel we have lost touch with our true nature, that we have been conditioned so much that we comply far too much without question or, dare I say it, without a fight.

Have we been castrated through societal pressures so much that we feel hopeless or useless or afraid to speak our minds because we might upset someone?

Are we really standing up and fighting our corner like the great Roy Jones did many times inside the boxing ring, feeding his male dominance and his ego no doubt to overcome his opponents?

Or are we slowly but surely losing our ability to think for ourselves, afraid to make decisions as men and as a society based on our own judgement without the fear of judgement from others.

Seamus Fox

The Mindset Junkie Academy