Five Things We Will Learn
- Why history shows that collapsed civilizations often share the same root problem.
- The unique vulnerability created when a generation of young men becomes disengaged and directionless.
- How underemployment and disconnection feed unrest, activism, and political volatility.
- Why the solution is not policing but meaningful engagement through work and relationships.
- Why the local church remains one of the strongest stabilizing forces for individuals and society.
The Powder Keg of Civilizations
In a conversation on The Shawn Ryan Show, Christian entrepreneur and Anduril, “a devout Christian and has preached to tech entrepreneurs; and co-founder Trae Stephens offered a stark historical observation: every collapsed civilization in human history has been driven by under-employed, unhappy, single men in their 20s.
According to Stephens, this demographic has repeatedly become the tinderbox that ignites cultural instability. For centuries, America had strong buffers—steady work, strong community, and the expectation of family formation. Yet we have now entered an era where disaffection among young men in their 20s is increasingly common.
Stephens notes that today’s cultural drift—marked by disengagement, dissatisfaction, and relational isolation—places society in a precarious position. The rise in political unrest, activism, or even violence isn’t emerging from nowhere. It is rising from a generation that feels detached from purpose, responsibility, and meaningful connection.
A Growing Disconnection
Stephens emphasized that today’s environment is unusual. Rather than young men stepping into responsibility, purpose, and stable community, many find themselves adrift—unemployed or underemployed, lonely, unanchored, and uncertain of their place in the world.
This disconnection becomes a breeding ground for anger, frustration, and ideological extremism. Yet Stephens warns that the solution is not tighter policing or heavier control. The real answer lies in rebuilding pathways into meaningful work, responsibility, and the human relationships that shape maturity and stability.
The Need for Productive Engagement
Stephens believes a key part of the solution is practical: helping young men find work they want to do—employment that connects to purpose, capability, and contribution. Work has always played a central role in forming identity and stability.
But employment alone is not enough. Human beings require relationships—mentoring, accountability, brotherhood, and a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves.
Without those anchors, isolation deepens, and society grows more fragile.
A Proven Stabilizer for Thousands of Years
When asked how to begin repairing the relational vacuum affecting this generation, Stephens gave a direct answer:
Go to church.
He described the local church as one of the oldest and most reliable stabilizing institutions in human history. It provides community, accountability, shared values, and the structures that help individuals grow into maturity.
For thousands of years, the church has been a bulwark—a place where relationships form, character is shaped, and isolation is broken. Stephens insists that what the church offered in 100 A.D. is the same thing it offers today: a grounding place for people to find belonging, responsibility, and spiritual alignment.
Where Stability Begins Again
The concerns Stephens highlights are not merely cultural—they are deeply human. People thrive where they are known, accountable, engaged, and connected.
His message is simple and striking: civilizations collapse when young men lose purpose and connection—but they can be restored when those same individuals find community, direction, and faith.
And for thousands of years, the place that has offered that restoration most consistently is the church.