Mark Zuckerberg has once again placed himself at the centre of political and cultural debate. Just days before Donald Trump’s inauguration, the Meta boss praised what he called society’s “masculine energy”, urging that more of it be channelled into the workplace. Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Zuckerberg argued that businesses have been “culturally castrated” in recent years by policies designed to promote diversity and inclusion.
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He claimed that a culture embracing a measure of aggressiveness could be beneficial, lamenting what he sees as a corporate tendency to shy away from such qualities. The comments mark a stark shift from the tech leader who once embodied Silicon Valley progressivism.
Martial arts and a personal revelation
Zuckerberg, who grew up surrounded by sisters and now raises three daughters with his wife Priscilla Chan, said he came to appreciate this so-called masculine energy only recently, through martial arts training. He described the experience as an eye-opener, helping him reassess how assertiveness might translate into business.
At the same time, he acknowledged the obvious risks. Overemphasis on masculinity, he conceded, can alienate women in professional environments. But he stopped short of labelling masculinity itself as negative. The irony is not lost on observers: according to the Washington Post, women currently make up just a third of Meta’s workforce.
Dismantling diversity programmes
The shift isn’t only rhetorical. In a recent internal memo reported by the U.S. press, Meta announced the end of its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes. Positive discrimination in hiring will no longer be pursued, nor will supplier partnerships based on minority ownership. Even small measures—like menstrual products placed in men’s restrooms—have been scrapped, according to the New York Times.
Meta has also scaled back its U.S. fact-checking initiative, which had partnered with around 80 organisations worldwide. Zuckerberg argued that the system leaned into “bias” and “censorship,” choosing instead to adopt “community notes,” a model similar to Elon Musk’s platform X. At the same time, moderation rules have loosened, with content once flagged as hate speech now allowed to circulate more freely, including posts equating homosexuality with mental illness.
What this means for Meta—and beyond
Zuckerberg’s embrace of “masculine energy” and his rollback of inclusion efforts reflect not only a personal ideological shift but also an attempt to align with America’s shifting political winds. His comments place Meta in closer orbit to Trump-era conservatism and further away from the liberal Silicon Valley culture in which it first thrived.
The bigger question is whether this repositioning will strengthen Meta’s standing—or deepen divides both inside and outside the company. For now, Zuckerberg seems convinced that a dose of assertiveness and raw competition is what the corporate world needs most. Whether employees, users and investors agree remains an open question.
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