Episode

Debra Soh on Why Men and Women Are Drifting Apart, Dating Apps, and Gen Z

Podcast
The Michael Shermer Show
Published
Apr 3, 2026
Duration seconds
5426
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.libsyn.com/sciencesalon/mss597_Debra_Soh_2026_04_03.mp3
Audio
https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/sciencesalon/mss597_Debra_Soh_2026_04_03.mp3?dest-id=513978
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/the-michael-shermer-show-444422/episodes/debra-soh-on-why-men-and-women-are-drifting-apart-dating-apps-and-gen-z
Markdown
/podcast/the-michael-shermer-show-444422/debra-soh-on-why-men-and-women-are-drifting-apart-dating-apps-and-gen-z.md

Actions

  • POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-michael-shermer-show-444422/episodes/debra-soh-on-why-men-and-women-are-drifting-apart-dating-apps-and-gen-z/transcription-requests
    Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
  • GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-michael-shermer-show-444422/debra-soh-on-why-men-and-women-are-drifting-apart-dating-apps-and-gen-z.md
    Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

Summary

Fewer people are having sex, fewer are forming lasting relationships, and many feel more isolated than ever. Why? Michael Shermer sits down with neuroscientist and author Debra Soh to discuss her new book Sextinction: The Decline of Sex and the Future of Intimacy . They talk about the so-called sex recession, why modern dating feels so broken, and how social media, pornography, AI companions, and changing expectations between men and women are reshaping intimacy. The discussion also touches on Gen Z mental health, dating apps, the manosphere, marriage, and the broader social consequences of a culture that increasingly substitutes screens for real human connection. Debra Soh is a neuroscientist who specializes in human sexuality and biological explanations for behavior. She received her PhD from York University in Toronto and worked as a scientific researcher for eleven years. As a journalist, Soh writes about technology, health, and the politicization of science.