What Matters

Dennis Prager here. Thanks for listening to the Daily Dennis Prager Podcast. To hear the entire 3 hours of my radio show commercial-free every single day, become a member of Prager Utopia. You'll also get access to 15 years' worth of archives as well as the daily show prep. Subscribe at pragertopia.com. Hi everybody, Dennis Prager. We're here in South Florida. Yes, indeed. Another week, another trip. This is a special one. It is my grandson's bar mitzvah. It is hard for me to believe, to be honest. I, I first, I couldn't believe I'm a grandfather. I'm a kid. What are you talking about? It's not possible. And now that kid is 13. Yep. Every one of you listening knows that life is fast. That's why you have to think in advance what in the final analysis is meaningful. There's a story out that exactly reflects that, that particular, uh, issue. And let me, uh, let me get it for you. Only 1 in 4 say parenthood, marriage are crucial for fulfilling life. This is from Breitbart. Only roughly a quarter of U.S. adults say having children or being married are extremely or very important for living a fulfilling life, a Pew Research study found. See, for those of you who believe that, oh, society can do just fine without God and the Bible, secular life can be really wise. There is no wisdom in secular life. There is, there was liberty, but that's about it. Not wisdom. How many religious people, seriously, how many Jews or Catholics Protestants, Mormons would say that life is fulfilling. Oh, by Jew, I'm talking about religious Jews. You don't have to say religious Christians or religious Mormons because once you leave the religion, you're not considered a Catholic or a Protestant or an evangelical or a Mormon. But if you leave Judaism, you're still considered a Jew. That's why George Soros, who has zero I mean zero affiliation with anything Jewish, couldn't give a damn about Judaism, God, or the Jewish people, or Israel, is called a Jew. So I'm talking about religious people. Religious people know how important marriage and family, and the opposite is not true. 1 in 4 US adults. When asked what it takes to lead a fulfilling life, the public prioritizes job satisfaction and friendship. I'm with friendship. Job satisfaction is important. The vast majority of human beings, however, did not have job satisfaction. And if they had family and community and friendship, They just did fine. Jobs were considered a vehicle to sustenance, a vehicle to making a living. They were not considered, oh, you find it life satisfying. Very few jobs afford that possibility. And by the way, jobs end. Now you'll say, well, family and marriage end. Well, family doesn't end. Theoretically. Can end if people put an end to it. And marriage ends with divorce or death. But still, it, it is the most viable option for meaning. No job goes forever. Anyway, what kind— what does job satisfy? You're the CEO of Walmart. Is it that satisfying? Hmm. Some 71% of all adults say having a job or career they enjoy is extremely or very important in order for people to live a fulfilling life. Yeah, but how many of them are there? And That's great when you're 28. That's exciting. A new job, new community, all that. Yeah, what about 20 years later? Forget 50 years later. What about 20 years later? See, this is where wisdom comes in. Who is the wise man, says the Talmud, or asks the Talmud? And they answer it, the one who sees the future. The one who sees what will be born. In other words, the one who asks the question, what are the consequences of my decisions? 61% says having close friends is equally important. Well, you don't have to convince me of the importance of friends. I'll buy that one. I've been talking about that all of my life in my happiness book, etc. 26% say having children and 23% say being married is extremely or very important for fulfillment. A third say each is somewhat important. 42% and 44% say having children or being married are not too or not at all important. Well, we'll see what they say when they're 60. And when you're 60, Unless you are struck down by some catastrophic illness, you may have another 30 years to live. May not even have to wait to 60 to ask these questions. Maybe just 50 or 40. Having a lot of money is viewed as extremely or very important for fulfilling life by 24% of adults. Another 49% say this is somewhat happened. A lot of money. Hmm, wow. Not sufficient money. A lot of money. Interesting. Broken down by political affiliation, Republicans are more likely than Democrats to say marriage and parenthood are crucial. However, voters from both sides are more likely to prioritize careers and friends. Wow, that's fascinating. Only 15% of Democrats say being married is very important for fulfillment. Oh, now I understand. I recently learned that a rabbi, a reform rabbi in a very, very large congregation in Los Angeles no longer invokes the traditional centuries-old wish upon the birth of a child that the child grow up for, in Hebrew, Torah, chuppah, ma'asim tovim, for Torah, marriage, and good deeds. That is my, by the way, that is my take on what the Jewish Trinity is. Torah, marriage, and good deeds. It's an ancient formula, and it's a great one. It's appropriate for everybody, incidentally. So since overwhelmingly non-Orthodox Jews are Democrats, it makes sense. Only 15% of Democrats say being married is very important for fulfillment. Okay. Really, all these people are going to be just thrilled to go through life without a partner. I told you college makes you stupid. Secularism makes you stupid. Not everybody. In general. And the most secular institution is college, and it's the stupidest institution. Because there's no— where's the wisdom available outside of the Bible? Once you have the Bible, there's much more wisdom. Dostoevsky, Shakespeare, I mean, there's plenty of wisdom, but not without that book. Only 15% of Democrats say being married is very important for fulfillment. 19% said the same about having children. By comparison, 33% of Republicans say the same about having children and getting married. Well, it's more than double among Republicans. So I just thought I'd share that. We have a real sick man, and I don't mean sick because he's depressed. He's sick, morally sick. He's an a-hole. Never called a senator that in my life. Fetterman presides over Senate wearing short-sleeve shirt. No tie and shorts. And Schumer said that that was okay. The Democrats will destroy any traditional value we have, any. The chutzpah of this man, the narcissism is beyond belief. Beyond belief. Peggy Noonan wrote a whole piece on this. We don't share all values, we share some. But she understood that this is a sign of a civilization in decline. I blame every person in Pennsylvania who voted for him. He is not at all only responsible. They knew what a schmuck they were voting for and still voted for him. Back in a moment. Mike Lindell has a passion to help you get the best sleep of your life. He didn't stop at the pillow. Mike also created the Giza Dream bedsheets. These sheets look and feel great, which means an even better night's sleep, which is crucial for overall health. Mike found the world's best cotton called Giza. It's ultra soft and breathable but extremely durable. Mike's latest deal is the sale of the year. For a limited time, you'll receive 50% off the Giza Dream sheets. Marking prices down as low as $29.98 depending on the size. Go to mypillow.com, click on the radio podcast square, and use the promo code Prager. There you'll find not only this amazing offer but also deep discounts on all MyPillow products, including the MyPillow 2.0 mattress topper, MyPillow kitchen towel sets, and so much more. Call 800-761-6302 or go to mypillow.com and use the promo code Prager. I bring to you these amazing things. There was a world of stupidity in which we live. A quarter of Americans think, and even fewer than that among Democrats, that marriage and kids are important. You see, I'll tell you why they think that, because they don't think, how will I grow? They think, what will bring me satisfaction? And when they think of children and marriage, they think of obligations, which is true. There are obligations in marriage and children. They don't like the idea. Obligations is a dirty word on the left. Society may have obligations, but not you. So therefore, why would you want to be a parent? It's not as much fun as going to dinner every night. And that is true. It's not as much fun. That's right. So you have to ask yourself, what is more likely to bring ultimate happiness? By the way, there's a risk. Children can bring misery. That is correct. But there is nothing like marriage and children to have you grow. Beginning with marriage. It's amazing. I have a sort of, not a sort of, yes, a sort of, I have sort of antennae. When I meet someone in their 20s, I could tell most of the time whether they're married. There is a maturity that radiates. Not that every single person is immature or every married person is mature. There's no such thing as every. So understand that generalizations never mean every, but in general, which is a very important concept, in general, that is indeed the case. It makes you grow. Every one of you knows that marriage matured you. Every one of you knows that. The, uh, so that was the 1 in 4 story. Here, here's— what was I talking about? Oh, Fetterman. It's mind-boggling. What a narcissist. What a fool. The destruction. You see, there you have to understand what animates the left. There is nothing to be learned from the past. That is the motto of the left. Nothing. Those who lived before us were— this is the general left-wing view, like Fetterman— those who lived before us were either morons or bad people. The only good people who lived before us were extremely rare, and they weren't as good as us anyway. That's— it began— I knew this as a kid because I was religious. And because I was taught wisdom, I knew this when I heard as a kid, never trust anyone over 30. And I thought, that's exactly whom I trust. People over 30, like Moses. He was not only over 30, he was over 3,000. Wow. Isaiah, Amos, Christians, Jews, we, you know, we trust people who lived way, way, way long ago. We cite them. We actually think that there's more to learn from Isaiah than from the New York Times editorial page. I mean, it's hard. That's really unbelievable. You got to be kidding. There's more to be learned from Isaiah than at Yale? Well, the truth is there's more to be learned at any 12-step program than at Yale. So there is no comparison. Well, if you think that Bud Light deserved a boycott, I would argue that Braun shavers deserves a much bigger boycott. I would like to put Braun shavers out of business. I own a Braun shaver. I'm figuring out how can I publicly dispose of it to make it clear that I will not be using a Braun shaver again. And I— will I throw it in the garbage? Do I burn it? I, I tend not to go in, in for such exciting videos, if you will, but I, I want to at the same time prove that I am getting rid of my Braun shaver. I mean, what they're doing is actually considerably more vile than what, what the beer company did. The, the, this shaver company, let's see, let me get into the Telegraph. Oh, come on, man, what do you mean log in? I just logged in earlier. It's such a nuisance. A true nuisance. It— why didn't it keep it? All right, let's hope this works, my friends. Oh, hello Dennis. Select OK to continue. Oh my God, it's endless. Braun advertises men's trimmers using trans model. A woman who cut off her breasts is shown without a shirt on using a Braun shaver. You understand Braun is making a statement. It's not— it knows how many people are— is it appealing to? How many, how many potential users, consumers of Braun shavers have had their breasts removed? Thinking that they are a male. It's an almost insignificant number. So this is a statement. There's no such thing as male or female. We at Braun Shavers, we want to celebrate women who have their healthy breasts cut off because they think they could become a man, something that cannot happen. You cannot become the opposite sex. You can look like it, but you cannot become one. It's a shocking thing Braun Shavers is doing. Get rid of yours and let Braun know somehow we need to get the word out. This is truly something. This is a good example. You say, what can I do? Here's something you can do: get rid of your Braun shaver. Make sure that everybody knows it on your Facebook page. This is an act of evil on that company's part. Dennis Prager here. If Bud Light was boycotted. This is even more serious. Braun Shavers, I wish it ill. Some sicko at Braun decided that this would be appealing. I don't know who it appeals to. Hey, you too, you too, girl, lady. You too can have your breasts removed and think you're a man. And then you can shave with a Braun shaver when you have your breasts cut off, your healthy breasts. This is the Braun message, my friends. This is from the Telegraph in England. Braun has been called irresponsible for advertising men's trimmers using a trans model with surgical scars. A model photographed using the Series X hybrid trimmers for men seen with surgical scars from what appears to be a double mastectomy operation. Campaigners have claimed the advert breaches the Advertising Standards Authority guidance, which warns against glamorizing or trivializing cosmetic surgery. The Advertising Standards Authority, in its social responsibility section of its website, states, quote, marketers should take care not to trivialize the decision to have cosmetic surgery. Procedures should always be portrayed as something that requires time and thought and should never be portrayed as safe, easy, or risk-free. Maya Forstater, the executive director of Sex Matters, said promoting the removal of healthy breast tissue is not only shockingly immoral but against advertising standards guidance to not glamorize or trivialize cosmetic surgery. Can you imagine, by the way, if some advertiser years ago had used a model, for whatever reason, a female model who had had a breast implant, says, isn't this great? Aren't I better looking or cuter or sexier now with bigger breasts? You know what the, The panic that that would have induced. But removing breasts, that's fine. Breast implants, that's not fine. But this is fine. The campaign perpetuates the terrible lie that women can become men if they have their breasts removed and take hormones. That's Maya Forstater of Sex Matters. Braun executives must have been living under a rock if they think that this campaign represents, quote, inclusivity. The reality is that Braun has now written itself into history as promoting social contagion and what will become one of the most notorious medical scandals. That's right, no one will remember Braun shavers years from now, but they will merit an anecdote in history as one of the sick forces of the corporate world. Not only do not buy a Braun shaver, throw yours away and let Braun know this and publicize it on your page. If this would be— this would be instructive because this is vicious. The Bud Light issue was ludicrous. This is vicious. That's social contagion. That is what it is. That's exactly what it is. James Esses, the co-founder of Thoughtful Therapists, a group of counselors and psychologists concerned with impact of gender ideology on young people, said, once again we find a private corporation willing to glorify irreversible surgery being performed on the healthy breasts of women in pure pursuit of profit. Let me see, I don't agree with that. It's not in pure pursuit of profit. These— it's in pure pursuit of sick ideology. It is very hard for normal, healthy people to understand the pathology of the left. That's why I keep reminding you of the British communist who lived in China her whole adult life with her communist husband. She continued to believe in Mao, absolute Hitler of history. About 60 million slaughtered for ideological and financial reasons. Even when her husband was arrested for 6 years during the Cultural Revolution in the '50s. You have to understand that the left believes their sickness. That's why they're sick. It's not for profits. So they have to be hurt financially. Braun Shavers, B-R-A-U-N. It's funny, I brought— not funny, take that back, it's not funny at all, but it's coincidental that I brought to you another two arenas where the left is destroying everything precious. Where Braun Shavers is now advertising a woman who had her breast cut off showing her scars on her chest while using a Braun shaver. That is a sick, despicable company. You are a collaborator in destroying young people's lives if you buy a Braun shaver. It's as simple as that. Much worse than what Bud Light did. Much worse. I can't think of something more perverse. Let's celebrate girls getting their breasts cut off. Wow. Please get the word out. We're putting up the articles on my website so you can send them along. Just send them along and ask, do you think it's moral to use a Braun shaver? I just asked my producer to remind me every day to remind you about Braun shavers. I can't do this. It can't be a one-time thing. And then Fetterman, this despicable man who craps on standards, on tradition. He is the leftist incarnate. Why would I honor a tradition that people look classy, look sophisticated in the U.S. Senate? I'll preside in a t-shirt and shorts. I don't know how we produced in this country so many disgusting people. I don't know. It's a puzzle to me. I mean, I do believe that the answer lies in the death, largely lies in the death of religious standards. But not only. The UK Prime Minister delays ban on sale of new petrol and diesel cars. Wow. This is from the left-wing Guardian, which like every other left-wing source is crapped on PragerU. They have to understand the universality of the attacks on PragerU. Has the same exact effect on everybody who donates to PragerU and everyone who works at Prager University. It says, oh, there's got to be a reason they so fear a 5-minute video. There's got to be a reason. They have students free all year for years, and, and they're afraid of a 5-minute video? As well they should be. That's why they're afraid of any conservative speaker on a campus. By the way, next Wednesday night, Charlie Kirk and I will be at Arizona State University. Anyone you know who is in Arizona State, no matter how distant from you, a relative or friend or a friend's friend or a friend's friend's friend's friend's daughter, pay them to go. Challenge them. Say, you're sure that Charlie Kirk and Dennis Prager are wrong? Okay. Devote 90 minutes to finding out. If you're afraid to go, it says something about you, not about them. Next Wednesday night, Arizona State University. Rishi Sunak, that's the UK Prime Minister, has announced a major U-turn. This is from a left-wing source on the government's climate commitments as he promised to put his party on a more radical path in an attempt to close the gap with Labour. Before the next general election. In one of the biggest— in one of his biggest policy changes since taking office, Sunak confirmed the UK would push back the deadline for selling new petrol and diesel cars. Petrol is gas, of course. So wow, he's pushing back the deadline. Yes, because he doesn't want to bankrupt the UK. Everything the left is urging is destroying the economies of the countries, whether they're poor African countries or rich Western countries. Everything the Greens are pushing is destructive. I'll have another example for you with the wind turbines, uh, hopefully this hour. Huh, this is a— Boris Johnson is a true buffoon. Some senior Tories led by Boris Johnson criticized the move, with the former prime minister warning his successor that he, quote, cannot afford to falter now because heaping uncertainty on businesses could drive up prices for British families. What does that mean? What does that even mean? I don't understand what that means. What else did they, uh, what else did the government in Britain want to do aside from banning new petrol or new gas and diesel cars? Phasing out gas boilers, prompting furious condemnation from the automobile and energy industries. How about from people with common sense? The move was met with despair by climate scientists and environmental experts. See, The Guardian leads you to think by that sentence that all climate scientists, environmental experts are in agreement on this. They don't report to you dissent. The left never reports dissent. The left has never allowed for dissent. Liberals allow dissent. That is how you know one of the differences. This is one of the ways of knowing the difference between a liberal and a leftist. Do they allow dissent? The left never does. Sometimes liberals do. The former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, a true fanatic, very wealthy fanatic I might add, said Sunak was doing the wrong thing. Hmm. Boy, if you can't depend on conservatives to do the courageous and good thing for society, Upon whom can you depend? That is the question. Windmills coming up on the Dennis Prager Show. By the way, Sunday night is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. I will be leading services for the 17th year. Go to pragerhighholidays.net. Hi everybody, Dennis Prager here. I want to read to you one more sentence from this article in the left-wing Guardian. I only emphasize left-wing so you'll understand it's not a right-wing source about what is happening in Britain. Polls have consistently shown that the majority of people, that is in the UK, back the transition to net zero in order to limit climate breakdown. That's a new term, climate breakdown. I don't know what that means. Although that support starts to wane if costs are piled on consumers. This sentence would be a riot if it weren't so absurd and farcical and destructive. Really, that support starts to wane if costs are piled on consumers?

Ah.

If, in fact, costs were not piled on consumers. It would not be an issue. The costs are destructive. Anyone middle class and below is really hurt by green policies. I mean really hurt. That's why it's a rich man's movement, the environmentalist movement. Rich leftists who are to boot phonies. Their aim is to destroy the West as we know it. It is not environmental. If it were environmental, they would be for nuclear power. That is the proof their aim is destruction. They don't like the fact that you are independent when you own a car. They want you on a bicycle. They want you in public transport. They don't want you in a nice house in the suburbs. They want you in a small apartment in a city. That's what they aim for. They use the environment like communists use workers and feminists use women and teachers unions use students. It is all a left-wing agenda in the name of some group that buys the lie that they, that the left is for them. Oh, so you're for left, you're for the left-wing environmentalists until it hurts you? What, what a foolish proof of ignorance on the part of most people about how it will hurt. I didn't get to the windmills. I have to wait till next week. As I was noting Sunday night, Monday, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, I will be leading services. If you're interested in attending, either through The internet, anywhere on earth, or live, go to pragerhighholidays.net. And we continue the Happiness Hour. The Dennis Prager Show, live from the Relief Factor Pain-Free Studio. Okay, hello there everybody. Whoa, I blew that one. Huh, do we have the happiness theme on or did we already do it? Hello? Hello? I missed it. I can't believe it, folks. Forgive me. I am in Florida. I got sidetracked. And I can't believe I didn't sing along with the happiness theme. Well, there's a first time for that. I think it's the first time. I missed the theme in, what is it, 24 years of doing the Happiness Hour. Well, everybody, anyway, it is the Happiness Hour. Hello from Florida. I am in South Florida for the bar mitzvah of my grandson, my oldest grandson. I have to tell you, I started broadcasting in my early 30s. For me to say on radio, oh yes, I'm at the bar mitzvah of my grandchild, it's sort of cognitive dissonance. I know it's true, but I don't believe it. Because in my brain, I'm still the guy in his 30s who is broadcasting. My health is virtually identical and my energy is greater than ever. My love of life is the same. And how did, how did, how did that occur? How did I become the grandfather of a 13-year-old? That is why you have to think in life. Which I did, by the way. I must tell you this. I did think this all of my life. How will I want to look back on my life? It was a gift of my religion, my home, and my own nature that I cared about wisdom at a very early age. Most kids don't think, how will I want to look back at my life? They think about that day. They think about, at most, the immediate future. But most people have a very long distant future they ought to think about. Which brings me, ironically, Maybe not ironically, but not deliberately, but it does bring me, in fact, to a headline that I brought to your attention in the first hour of the show today. Only 1 in 4 say parenthood and marriage are crucial for fulfilling life. This is a brand new fact of life. Because we live in the age of non-wisdom, of anti-wisdom. People really, really do believe that the great joys of life are available, the meaning of life, from work. That's what they say. Here. So here it is. This is the Breitbart summary of the Pew survey. Pew is not right-wing or left-wing. Pew Research. Only roughly a quarter of U.S. adults say having children or being married are extremely or very important for living a fulfilling life. By the way, that is, I want to make sure, is it fulfilling? Because that's not even the same as happy. So it's even more wrong. Yeah, fulfilling. That is the term that the Pew research question used. Marriage and parenthood are seen as less important to living a fulfilling life. Really?

It—

this shows, along with the ability to teach young people that they may not be what they're born, a boy or a girl, they might be something else or neither. Non-binary is the term. People believe the most absurd things that are told to them. All it needs is to have enough people say it and it is believed. That is apparently the human condition, except for a few people. Really? You're going to have a fulfilling life based on job satisfaction? When asked what it takes to lead a fulfilling life, the public prioritizes job satisfaction and friendship over marriage and parenthood. Well, the friendship is a big factor, I agree, and I've always said even married couples need friends. Although, if you're lucky, and obviously that's a factor, your spouse is your best friend, or at the very least, one of your best friends. People should have friends, period. Some 71% of all adults say having a job or career they enjoy is extremely or very important in order for people to live a fulfilling life. So this was the feminist message. Women, your happiness depends upon job and career, not on a man, a husband, or children, or a family. So it's worth analyzing since it is the happiness hour. I have come to the tentative conclusion. I've never said this, but I believe that it's verifiable by the data. If you care about such things as verifiability and not just ideology, it's, uh, women are burdened by what will make me happy more than men are. And for very many women, they don't know, and I'm not, this is not a criticism. It's a lament. They don't know what will make them happy. It's part of the old joke, you know, what they always said, you know, even Freud said, uh, with all his study of human psyche, of the human psyche, human nature, I still don't know what women want. And, you know, I never knew whether it was even actually said by Freud, but the joke actually has some truth to it. And as I've gotten older, I've come to believe that women don't know what women want. Not all. There's no such thing as all. The only people who say all are the left and the true racists who are not left. When they say all whites are racist, I mean, that's a lie. It's absurd. So I never, to the best of my knowledge, I've never said all about any group about anything because it doesn't exist. But in general, I'm not sure if women now, I think perhaps 100 years ago or 75 years ago, thought they knew what would make them happy. And it was generally believed getting married to a good man and having children and making a home and then having grandchildren was the greatest source of happiness. Then along came the feminists who found the idea to be pure patriarchal sexism. That's not what women want. Women want a career because after all, careers make men happy. Although men with careers without family have a very serious problem with happiness. No, no wife and no children and just career is a challenge. Everything is possible, but it is a challenge. But for women, it is a greater challenge. It is amazing that three-quarters of American adults actually believe this. They think a job is more fulfilling than a family. What do you make of this? 1-800-PREGAR, 776-877-243-7776. What does your, what does your daughter think? We'll be back in a moment. The Dennis Prager Show. Hey everybody, it's the Dennis Prager Show, the Happiness Hour, every Friday, the second hour of the program. I have not missed— if I've been on on a Friday, obviously there are Fridays I'm off, but any Friday I'm on, this has been true. No matter what is happening in the news, I do a Happiness Hour. And there's a reason for that, because we have to figure out how to be happy in bad times. Theoretically, it's easy to be happy in good times. The question is, can you do it in bad times? Otherwise, you know, otherwise, if your happiness is completely dependent upon your living in a good time, and even then, in good times, there are a lot of people who are depressed. There are physiological and other reasons. But anyway, we do have it every Friday. So I've been reading to you this Pew study that three-quarters of Americans believe that career and friends are more important for a fulfilling life than having a than being married or having children. So I want to make something clear before I take your calls. I have a very, very fulfilling career, so I cannot in honesty say it's completely divorced from my happiness. So there are two questions to be posed then. First, would I be nearly as happy if I were not married and did not have children compared to how I am now? No, they are a very important part of my happiness. And B, is being a man different from being a woman. In most cases, not all, does work bring more importance to a fulfilling life to most men than to most women? I think the answer is yes. The understanding that it is to most and that there are a handful of jobs that are so meaningful that they can do that. But those women that I know with exceedingly fulfilling lives in career are all married. In fact, all have children. And they, uh, they would be hard-pressed to say one is more than the other at the best. But that's the point. These people in the say that parenthood and marriage are not crucial for a fulfilling life. That, that's the point.

And from—

and the number of truly fulfilling jobs is, is not great. Most jobs you can make fulfilling if you like, and you should, but they're not intrinsically fulfilling. So I thought that those things needed to be mentioned in the context here. Maybe part of the answer is all eggs in any one basket, uh, is risky. I'm just thinking aloud. I, I don't know if that's the lesson to be learned, but I think it is a lesson that might be learned. Putting all the eggs in one— you want as many sources of meaning as possible. After all, there's another source of meaning that isn't even in the Pew Research poll. That's religion. By the way, I don't know if religion can be, for most people, the sole source of fulfillment in their life. Even putting all your eggs— and I am deeply religious— even putting all your eggs in the religious basket. I like the Jewish Trinity. Torah, marriage, and good deeds. Good deeds is very fulfilling. No, God or life has given us a lot of avenues to fulfillment. Thank God, I might add, or thank whatever. And for most people, I'm not sure that job is as powerful as the other things. Okay, let's see what you have to say. Louisville, Kentucky, and Mark. Hello.

Hey Dennis, I love your show. Uh, I, I just think of Jacob and Esau. I, I, correct me if I'm wrong, didn't Esau sell his birthright for the immediate satisfaction satisfaction of a bowl of lentil soup. Uh, and I'm assuming these people are younger in this survey because it's not— everything goes great till it isn't, and then you're too far along in life to realize the mistake you've made. So what is the age?

You're, you're right, you're right on Esau, and you're right about the too far in life issue. That's why I said too few young people ask How will I feel or look back at life when I'm 50, let alone 80? It's a big mistake because the odds are they'll be 50 and 80.

Yes.

And yes, Esau. Esau is the paradigm of I want pleasure now. That's right. That's a good example. All right. Yeah.

Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Intelligent call. Religion, marriage, good deeds. Very powerful combination. I'm actually going to be speaking on that at my grandson's bar mitzvah. They've asked me to speak. As the grandfather and as one who does speak a lot, I will speak about what I call the Jewish Trinity. America is a trinity. In God we trust, e pluribus unum, and liberty. The Christian Trinity is the best known. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. Well, Judaism has one. It's said from the beginning of life to every newborn, may you grow up for Torah. So in other words, religion, God, wisdom, laws to make your life better, marriage, and good deeds. If you've got a better trinity of personal life, I'd like to hear it. But that's a good one. 1-800-PRAGER-776. Go to pragerhighholidays.net. Sunday night is the holiest day of the Jewish year, and I'm conducting services that night and the next day. You can attend or watch on stream. PragerHighHolidays.net. Hi there, everybody. Dennis Prager here. Happiness Hour. The subject is the Pew Research poll that 1 in 4 Americans, only 1 in 4 Americans Dennis Prager says that marriage and parenthood are crucial for a fulfilling life. Rather, it is career and friends. I'm glad they note friends. I think friends is true. So I would argue that ideally, that is exactly what you have. That in the final analysis, as you move on with years, that you realize that that is important. Ironically, especially marriage. A partner in life is a big deal. Children should not be there to assuage your loneliness. That's— they can't do that. It's not a role that they can play. They can bring joy, a sense of accomplishment, of course added love ideally, many things. But see, it's an interesting thing, why have children? I think I should discuss this at length because I've talked about why get married so often. Why have children? We don't think any longer about what do I owe society. It's all about the self. But the societies that are not having children, like Japan and Germany, ironically the two major enemies in World War II, They're not having children. They are, over the long term, disappearing. Italy as well. The United States, were it not for constant immigration, and I am not for open borders, but I am for truth. Americans are also not reproducing, not at the level of Japanese and Germans and Italians, but it's a serious issue. We owe it to next generations to reproduce, among other things. Okay, let's go to Uh, Debbie in Louisville, Kentucky. Hello, Debbie of Louisville.

Hi, Dennis. I hope you're doing well today.

I am, thank you.

Thank you.

Um, I'm wondering if maybe part of the problem is because we move away from our families, we're so transient, and we don't live close to grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, and those that can show us and speak into us how important family really is and live that model for us. So because we don't live near them, our friends and our career really is the most important thing.

It's a good point. Is that true in your life?

Um, actually, with one of my children, yes. Yeah, he moved. He was close to lived in Louisville near siblings and moved, moved away quite a distance away. And so his career really has taken a front seat. But something that really speaks to me, I have a daughter that lives in Turkey, and just visiting there, they still have very much their families intact. It's just really important to them. They live that, you know, grandparents live with their children, and family and children are everything in that society. It's a beautiful thing.

Yeah, no, I'm quiet because I'm thinking it's, it's a tough call. Is, is that an ideal as well? So I'll ask you, since you said it was beautiful, and, and in many ways it undoubtedly is, Would you have liked to live with your parents in the same house?

Um, in the moment, um, looking back, raising 4 kids, I'm not sure that I would have. As I look back on it now at 68, I think that it would have been— it would have been a good thing. I can remember as a child going to my grandparents and seeing them every weekend. And my—

yeah, well, all right, you've given me another topic. Thank you. It's a big question. I'm awaiting the signal here in Florida. What? So there's no music background, is that correct, Sean? Oh, that's what I was waiting for. Enjoy the music, everybody. Okay, I'm getting indecipherable messages. We might as well say it aloud. What does it mean you'll reboot during the segment? Does that mean I'll be off the air? What does it mean your operating system is— I'm on. Okay. Hi everybody, welcome to The Hour. You set the agenda, whatever is on your mind. Obviously I am not in studio. I am on the road again, as almost always, which is fine. This is not a complaint. I am very lucky to be on the road, to be wanted to be on the road, and to be healthy enough to do it. That's all I think about, how lucky I am. You know the question that people ask when they suffer, why me? I think people when they have it good should ask the same question, why me? It's an important attitude to have. And I'll tell you, by the way, why it's a double joy, because I'm here in Florida because my grandson, my oldest grandson, I only have two. I don't know if the word only is appropriate. It's not a lament, it's just a fact. And the older one is having his bar mitzvah this weekend. So I can't believe that I have lived to see this day in that I always thought I'm a kid. Kids don't have grandsons, let alone grandsons who are 13. So it's, uh, It's quite something to see your values continue on two generations. It's— there is a certain sense of— I don't know what it is. Peace. That's it. I knew I was looking for the word and that's what it is. I purposely avoided the word achievement. It might be an achievement, but that's not how I regard it. I regard it as giving me peace, because I see the angst in parents whose children and/or grandchildren do not have their values, and my heart breaks for them. It's part of my, my anger at what the elementary schools, high schools, and colleges have done to so many American children. Warped their sense of values. Anyway, welcome. This is the hour. Whatever you want to talk about, about you, about me, about life, about death, and of course about audio equipment, photography equipment, fountain pens, classical music. And cigars. Not bad. My track record in remembering those 5 items is about 50%, I would say. But more recently, I have been remembering them. I've been on a hot streak. There's no question about that. The more things that bring you joy the happier your life. I, I have never been— maybe I should do that. You know what, let's have that as a Happiness Hour subject. It, it will— I think it will trouble a lot of people, and I, I won't be doing it in order to trouble you, but I do— when I think about it, putting all your eggs in one happiness basket is, uh, is risky, to understate the case. Interesting subject. Okay, let's see here. Uh, Northridge, California, and Russ. Hello, Russ.

Oh, Dennis, hi.

Um, hi.

After—

hi.

After Will Witt spoke, we were talking about religion being, uh, the best— a Bible-based government being the best form of government. And I thought about that later, and I was thinking enlightened self-interest, even with marriage, like you were talking about at the end of the last hour. If rather than saying it's good for society, if we tell people how it's good for them I think it's the best way to convince people belonging to religion, for instance, why it's good for, for you, not just for society. And that's all.

Okay. Yeah, well, uh, that, that's been a big part of my life. All I was saying was that the— it's not enough for us to ask what is fulfilling for me personally as what is better for society. It's not asked anymore. No, no, nobody asks that. The classic example is John Fetterman, a truly destructive human being who presided over the Senate wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Uh, the— there, there is a percentage of Americans and others who just want to destroy whatever they have been handed. They're a combination of spoiled brats and fools. It's a bad combination. But I don't blame him as much as I blame the people who voted for him. Every one of you who voted for him in Pennsylvania is responsible. For the degradation he brings to the U.S. Senate. Wasn't exactly a mystery. We are responsible for whom we vote for unless they become a total shock. I mean, where there was no predictability in their behavior. But I acknowledge it. That's correct. Including for my votes. That's right. I acknowledge it. So we don't ask any longer what is best for society. And as a result, the society suffers. That's pretty clear. All right. Let's see here. Also in LA is the name. Let's see. Anki, is that your name?

Anka.

Anka, hi.

Yes, and we spoke before, um, that it gives you peace to be at the bar mitzvah of your grandson. And you spoke at our synagogue probably about 30-some years ago, 35 years ago. To the parents and the crowd was like minuscule. I think you mentioned that it was the smallest crowd you had ever spoken to. So in the meantime, my oldest one who then attended the kindergarten because you spoke on the sending your children to a religious school, we did. And so all three of my children were bar and bat mitzvahed and I have now four grandchildren. And in the segment before, you mentioned I am actually one of those rare creatures. I, my daughter is living with me with her 3 and a half year old twins. So my house—

So wait, wait, wait. So she's a single mother?

Well, there is a dad in definitely in the picture, but they are living with me. They had— Are you?

'Cause you said she, forgive me. You said she is living with me. So that's why—

yes, yes, exactly.

So are they— are they— are they— wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Are they separated?

They're not married.

They're not married. Okay, well, they're not married. Wait, wait, there are not married people who live together? They're not married and don't live together? I'm just trying to get the right picture because you're— I If a woman— look, my wife was a single mom when I met her, and she was living with her mom, but, uh, and her mother, uh, is a special human being, but that was not what she would have argued was the ideal life for a woman, to be raising children in her mother's house. And so I'm not arguing with you, I'm just noting that the question last hour was when somebody called and said their child is living in Turkey, and in Turkey it's very common to live with your parents your whole life, or at least until they die. I was saying, is that, is that really what we want? Do we want our children to live with us?

Well, let me say this, um, there are times I don't want them to live with me.

All right, hold on, you'll answer me. Okay, fine, you'll answer when we get back. This is whatever is on your hour. No, this is whatever's on your mind hour. It's also the whatever is on the hour mind. Both. And the subject is a really important one. You see, it came up last hour when I was when I was reading the data from Pew Research that only one quarter of Americans now believe that marriage and children are necessary for a fulfilled life. Now, obviously you can have a fulfilled life otherwise, but— or no, no, not necessary, I take it back, important. They don't even think it's important to a fulfilled life. So the human being tends to think in extremes. So Somebody called in and spoke about how their daughter lives in Turkey where it's so frequent that people live with parents till the parents die, grandparents, parents, and children in the same home, which has been the norm in human history. The question is, is it the ideal? Sometimes it's terrific and I understand that. But I will remind those of you who are inclined toward that belief that the Bible has a different recommendation, that therefore a man shall leave his mother and father and cling to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. And as I explain in my Rational Bible Commentary, the volume on Genesis, I have 3 volumes out, 4th is coming out next year. You can't really cling to your wife if you're still living with your mom and dad. So 3,000 years ago, the biblical prescription was in fact leaving mom and dad and living with your spouse. Okay, so back to you, Anka in California. Hello. Yes.

Hello. So I had some more time to think about this. To clarify it, it's— I totally agree Children should move out and have their own life. So it is definitely harder for my daughter probably to live with me because I tend to always give advice because I raised 3 children and she has twins. So it's very difficult. She also has to work and so do I. I worked last night and then I come in the morning and then help her get the twins ready so that they can go to preschool. And then I do all the housework. I cook, I clean, I do everything else to make it easier, to make, you know, things more smoothly for everybody. But the joy to see them coming down in the morning and say, "Hi, Oma," and then, "Breakfast," or "Frühstück" when I speak German to them sometimes, and to see them all repeat when I light the candles on Friday and they say, "Hala," when I put the bread on the table because I know that if my daughter was living alone and had maybe a nanny or some other help, this would probably not happen. So the peace that I have because I raised my 3 children Jewish, I want this to continue. It would just totally break my heart if they didn't have Shabbat. So I—

Well, you, you're right. So there's a beautiful example of it's rare that things are all good or all bad. This is the human condition. And there's no, there is no question that you, this woman, Anka, has a joy from seeing her grandchildren grow up. My grandchildren are 3,000 miles from me. So my son has the ability to live, obviously, with his wife on their own, and it is a blessing. So I think that mature people, and maturity is not common, used to be much more common, but mature people understand there's a price paid for everything. Price pays for, prayed for your children's independence from you. There's a price paid for your children's dependence upon you. That is why one of the things in life, if I feel like we're doing a Happiness Hour rerun, or not rerun, but just another Happiness Hour, but it doesn't matter. This subject is so happy. Is to find meaning and joy in whatever the situation that you find yourself in. That's the great Viktor Frankl insight from Man's Search for Meaning. We cannot control what happens to us. We can control how we react to it. So that would be an example. All right, let's see here.

Hmm.

Let's try to get something on a different subject for a moment. All right. Uh, hmm. Moreno Valley, California, and Lance. Hello.

Hi, Dennis. I've just been wanting to get your opinion on my thesis of when I was a kid in the '60s, a teenager in the '70s, Looking back now, life was just so less complicated to deal with. And now with all the chaos going on and everything, gender this and that and everything else, has the human mind reached any kind of, uh, limit to just deal with everything that's going on around us?

Well, the human mind is— can deal with a lot of things, but you are right. I think anybody who grew up, I would say, almost through the '90s, almost till the end of the 20th century, had a simpler life than what is being thrust upon young people today. You may not be a boy or a girl, you'll decide. America stinks. You live in a in a moral cesspool called the United States. There's virtually nothing to be proud of. And there is no God or religion. There is no source of great joy and meaning. There's just chaos. And of course, you'll die early because of climate change. I mean, it's not a matter of romanticizing the past. Back in a moment. All right, everybody. Unfortunately, you didn't hear eats chopsticks with ice— eats ice cream with chopsticks. One of my favorite lines. It's the final segment of the week, my dear friends. Let me summarize your calls lest they all go unanswered, at least in some way. Uh, let's see. In Baltimore, Maryland, Ira wants to know who's the most famous person I ever met and any suggestions for a great cheap cigar. Now there are two related questions. I guess the most famous person I ever met well, it's an interesting question. First, you should know, this is really important. Never in my life, even as a kid, was I drawn to meeting famous people. I, I am drawn to meeting good people. And it's not a cute line. I mean it sincerely. Most famous people are not particularly good. Most people are not, and so it's not an attack on them, just a fact. Anyway, the most famous, probably Pope John Paul II and Donald Trump. I guess those would be the two most famous people I ever met. Good cheap cigar? The only answer to that is for you to go to a cigar store. Buy the cheapest cigars and see what you like. I can't answer that. I have an upper limit in what I spend, but it's going to be more than you probably are willing to pay by asking the question, and I perfectly understand that. When I was, let's see, in my 20s, cigars were $1.50. And that was considered a serious amount of money. Do I believe in life on other planets? That's Ron in Denver. I have no idea, and nor do I have particular interest in the subject. My ultimate supposition is this is it, the only intelligent life. Is on this planet. I am afraid of AI. I will say that. Anyway, I'm sorry, John and Sonia and Pat and Sephora. Wish I could have gotten to your calls. I won't be on Monday because Sunday night is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. I'm conducting services again that night and the next day. It's streamed and live. Go to pragerhighholidays.net. And I wish you a wonderful weekend. Portions of The Dennis Prager Show are brought to you by Sierra Pacific Mortgage. Dennis Prager here. Thanks for listening to The Daily Dennis Prager Podcast. To hear the entire 3 hours of my radio show, commercial-free every single day, become a member of Pragertopia. You'll also get access to 15 years' worth of archives, as well as the Daily Show prep. Subscribe at pragertopia.com.