Being Seen vs Being Valued
Manage episode 514700660 series 3619764
The chase to be “seen” is louder than ever, but does it make us any more whole? I sit down with my son, nephew, and daughter to unpack how social media, tribal identity, and real‑world pressure turn life into a performance—then we ask what it takes to be valued instead. From instant gratification to the quiet discipline of character, we get honest about the emotional cost of curating a persona and the freedom that comes from building a life that doesn’t beg for applause.
We dig into the gray areas: when flexing is honest celebration versus hollow status theater, and how context changes everything. In some circles a first‑class selfie is a diary entry; in mixed circles it reads as bragging. We also confront the racial double standard—why wealth signaling by white figures is framed as aspirational while Black creators get policed—and how selective outrage weakens community. Along the way we address history and systems: redlining, gatekeeping, and voting protections that still shape opportunity. The point isn’t to fuel fear, but to teach caution without crushing confidence, pairing real‑world prep with pride, purpose, and skills that compound over time.
If algorithms reward performance, how do we keep our souls? We share practical ways to choose presence over proof, reciprocity over reach, and substance over spectacle. Curate your inputs like your dinner table. Post less and mean it. Celebrate wins without auditioning for strangers. And when life asks for your eyes, put the phone down and live it. Hit play for a conversation that’s candid, layered, and useful—built to help you find the line between proud and performative, and to walk it with your head up.
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Follow us on all Socials: Manhood Matters Podcast
Host: StéphaneAlexandre
IG: @stephanealexandreofficial
Music by Liam Weisner
Sponsored by www.OnsiteLabs.net
(833) 878-3323
Chapters
1. Seen Versus Valued (00:00:00)
2. Framing The Conversation And Guests (00:01:34)
3. What Being Seen Means Today (00:02:02)
4. Fitting In, Tribalism, And Character (00:03:22)
5. Choosing Whose Validation Matters (00:05:23)
6. Flexing, Humility, And Context (00:06:44)
7. Double Standards And Selective Rage (00:09:22)
8. Victim Mindset, History, And Nuance (00:12:08)
9. Voting Rights Clarification And Systems (00:14:32)
10. Teaching Caution Without Losing Confidence (00:17:20)
11. Presence, Performance, And Mental Cost (00:20:16)
12. Concerts, Cameras, And Lost Presence (00:22:36)
13. Humility Versus Presentation At Home (00:24:12)
14. Generational Misreads And Grace (00:25:36)
15. Pre‑Social Media Flexing And Comparison (00:27:12)
16. Everyone’s An Influencer Now (00:29:12)
17. The Loop Of Viral Absurdity (00:31:20)
18. Playful Outro And Support (00:33:00)
48 episodes