from https://jasonpargin.substack.com/p/to-save-the-world-save-yourself :
This article argues that the political left has ceded the self-improvement space to right-wing influencers, creating a strategic disadvantage in attracting young men and building an effective movement. The author contends that when someone offers practical advice about fitness, finances, or personal responsibility, they're often met with deflection tactics from the left that frame individual improvement as a distraction from systemic change. This has allowed right-wing figures to monopolize concepts like discipline, personal responsibility, and achievement, even when these values aren't inherently political.
The author's central thesis is that "saving the world and saving yourself are the same damned thing" - that effective social change requires functional, disciplined individuals who can accumulate resources, influence, and power to advance progressive causes. Rather than viewing personal improvement as contradictory to systemic reform, the author argues that a successful movement needs people who are mentally, physically, and financially strong enough to compete with and defeat their opponents. The piece calls for a "liberal Joe Rogan" who could promote progressive values while embracing traditionally masculine aspirations like success, strength, and achievement, using examples like Teddy Roosevelt and LBJ to show that progressive politics and unapologetic masculinity can coexist.