Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 36 minutes ago
What does it take to write books that make the establishment uncomfortable — and keep writing them anyway?
Manhattan Institute senior fellow, contributing editor at The Free Press, and one of the most consequential voices in American cultural journalism today, Abigail Shrier and Rafael Mangual sit down for an insightful conversation. The author of two national bestsellers, "Irreversible Damage" and "Bad Therapy," Shrier has spent years investigating what's gone wrong in the institutions raising and treating America's children — and why so few were willing to say it.
They discuss Shrier's intellectual journey, the ideas and experiences that shaped her worldview, her work challenging the medical and therapeutic establishment, and what it means to pursue truth in an era when the cost of doing so has never felt higher.
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Follow City Journal on X: https://x.com/CityJournal
Abigail Shrier: https://x.com/AbigailShrier
Rafael Mangual: https://x.com/Rafa_Mangual
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background of Abigail Shrier
03:11 Transition from Law to Journalism
06:13 Investigating Social Issues and Advice Column
09:05 Exploring 'Irreversible Damage' and Parental Concerns
11:50 Understanding 'Bad Therapy' and Its Implications
15:12 Iatrogenesis in Therapy and Its Effects
18:03 Cultural Shifts in Parenting and Independence
20:56 The Role of Social Media in Mental Health
24:07 Navigating Risks and Building Resilience in Children
26:53 Policy Interventions and Societal Changes
What does it take to write books that make the establishment uncomfortable — and keep writing them anyway?
Manhattan Institute senior fellow, contributing editor at The Free Press, and one of the most consequential voices in American cultural journalism today, Abigail Shrier and Rafael Mangual sit down for an insightful conversation. The author of two national bestsellers, "Irreversible Damage" and "Bad Therapy," Shrier has spent years investigating what's gone wrong in the institutions raising and treating America's children — and why so few were willing to say it.
They discuss Shrier's intellectual journey, the ideas and experiences that shaped her worldview, her work challenging the medical and therapeutic establishment, and what it means to pursue truth in an era when the cost of doing so has never felt higher.
Get the best of City Journal, delivered weekly:
city-journal.org/email-alerts
Follow City Journal on X: https://x.com/CityJournal
Abigail Shrier: https://x.com/AbigailShrier
Rafael Mangual: https://x.com/Rafa_Mangual
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background of Abigail Shrier
03:11 Transition from Law to Journalism
06:13 Investigating Social Issues and Advice Column
09:05 Exploring 'Irreversible Damage' and Parental Concerns
11:50 Understanding 'Bad Therapy' and Its Implications
15:12 Iatrogenesis in Therapy and Its Effects
18:03 Cultural Shifts in Parenting and Independence
20:56 The Role of Social Media in Mental Health
24:07 Navigating Risks and Building Resilience in Children
26:53 Policy Interventions and Societal Changes
