Finding a Balance of Masculine and Feminine Energy in an Age of Extremes
As I write this from Taiwan, I find myself contemplating the ancient tai chi symbol — better known in the West as the yin-yang symbol. This elegant circle, divided into flowing black and white segments, each containing a dot of its opposite, has become almost cliché in Western culture. Yet sitting here in its cultural homeland, its wisdom feels freshly relevant to our modern struggles with gender and identity.
The symbol reminds us that opposing forces aren’t truly in opposition at all — they’re complementary aspects of a greater whole, each containing a seed of the other, eternally dancing in dynamic balance.
Today is both Martin Luther King Day and the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as president of the United States — a second time. As a society, we find ourselves at a fascinating inflection point in the long arc of gender relations and identity politics. The re-emergence of traditionally masculine expressions in politics and tech culture — a major factor in Trump’s re-election — might appear, at first glance, as a concerning regression from recent progress (for the record, I voted for Jill Stein as my vote to end the absurd duopoly we have been under for far too long). However, viewed through a wider lens of psychological and spiritual evolution, the Trump “phenomenon” may represent something more nuanced: a necessary, if sometimes messy, step toward a more integrated and balanced future.
The pendulum of social change rarely swings in a straight line toward progress. Instead, it often overshoots in one direction before finding its way back toward a healthy center. The #MeToo movement represented a crucial awakening to long-ignored abuses of male power and systematic inequality remaining in our culture. It catalyzed vital conversations and reforms. Yet its aftermath, combined with broader societal shifts, left many men and boys feeling increasingly alienated and uncertain about their place in the modern world.
Many men simply didn’t know how to be men anymore — everything they do is judged to be wrong.
This alienation isn’t just about losing male or white privilege — though that’s certainly part of it. It’s about a deeper existential crisis regarding the role and value of masculine energy in contemporary society. When young men hear their natural inclinations toward competition, protection, risk-taking, debate, and hierarchical organization characterized primarily as toxic or problematic, many retreat into defensive postures or seek refuge in reactionary movements that promise to restore their sense of purpose and worth.
The burgeoning alliance between tech culture and traditionally masculine political movements (such as MAGA) reflects this dynamic. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of META, in his new surfer dude haircut and more frank speaking style that makes him feel much more human, recently said on Joe Rogan something that encapsulates well much of these dynamics:
“Masculine energy I think is good, and obviously society has plenty of that, but I think that corporate culture was really trying to get away from it. It’s like you want feminine energy, you want masculine energy. I think that that’s all good. But I do think the corporate culture sort of had swung toward being this somewhat more neutered thing.”
The tech industry, despite its modern trappings, often embodies traditionally masculine values: meritocracy (at least in theory), competition, and a belief in objective truth (whatever that is). When these values appear under attack in broader society, it’s perhaps unsurprising that some in tech would gravitate toward political movements that explicitly champion them.
But here’s where we need to think more deeply about the evolutionary and spiritual dimensions of this moment. Throughout history, genuine progress in human consciousness has often required confronting and integrating shadow aspects of our collective psyche rather than simply suppressing them. Carl Jung (and many others) emphasized that the path to wholeness requires acknowledging and integrating our shadow selves, not denying them.
From this perspective, the current resurgence of masculine energy might be better understood not as a simple backlash, but as part of a larger process of collective psychological integration. The key question isn’t how to suppress this energy, but how to channel it constructively toward that more balanced future we seek. I had similar thoughts after Trump’s first win, coming in the wake and, I felt and still feel now, very much as a counter-response to Pres. Obama’s historic run as the first Black president, driven by the half of the country that wasn’t ready yet for a Black president, or a female president.
Consider the concept of polarity in spiritual traditions. Many Eastern philosophies emphasize that masculine and feminine energies exist within all of us, regardless of gender, and that spiritual growth involves harmonizing these forces rather than eliminating either one. The masculine principle of action, discrimination, and forward movement needs to be balanced with the feminine principle of receptivity, integration, compassion, and nurturing — but balance doesn’t mean elimination.
Looking ahead, the challenge and opportunity before us is to create spaces where healthy masculine expression can coexist with and complement feminine values. This means acknowledging that traditionally masculine traits like competitiveness, analytical thinking, and hierarchical organization aren’t inherently toxic — they’re neutral behaviors that can be wielded either destructively or constructively.
The tech industry, and American society more generally, despite its current growing pains, might actually offer some useful models here. The best tech companies combine traditionally masculine attributes like meritocracy and competition with increasingly feminine values like collaboration, emotional intelligence, and sustainable thinking. They show how these apparently opposing forces can actually strengthen each other when properly integrated.
Similarly, in politics and broader society, the path forward likely involves finding ways to honor and integrate masculine energy rather than demonizing it. This means creating positive masculinity frameworks that acknowledge men’s need for purpose, respect, and recognition while channeling these needs toward constructive social ends.
This isn’t about returning to traditional patriarchal structures — that ship has sailed, and good riddance. Instead, it’s about recognizing that the journey toward true gender equality and social justice requires integrating the best aspects of both masculine and feminine energy in new and more sophisticated ways, allowing room for various types of expression without suppression.
The current moment, with its apparent regression toward traditional masculine expression, might actually be preparing the ground for this deeper integration (fingers crossed). By bringing these energies fully into the light — even in sometimes problematic ways — we create the opportunity to work with them more consciously and constructively.
One step back and two steps forward?
The key is to remain both grounded and compassionate as we navigate this transition. We can acknowledge the valid fears and aspirations of all parties while still holding firm to the larger vision of a more balanced and integrated society. This means creating spaces for honest dialogue about gender, power, and social evolution without falling into either defensive reactionism or reflexive condemnation.
In the end, the re-emergence of masculine energy in our political and technological spheres might be less about turning back the clock and more about setting the stage for a new synthesis. By understanding and working with these dynamics rather than against them, we might find our way to that more balanced future sooner than we think.
We should remain committed to the larger project of integration while having the wisdom and patience to work with, rather than against, the natural rhythms of social and psychological evolution.
Personally, I’ve been planning a type of yin/yang tattoo made of human bodies, as an expression of my personal question for a balance of masculine and feminine within me. I’m feeling it’s time to get that tattoo done.
