Contents

• Strength Under Pressure
• A Life Without Children
• The Woman as “Belonging” to a Man
• Weak Men Are Dangerous
• God, The Missing Piece
• Resources

Andrew Tate has been one of the internet’s most polarizing figures. He’s revered by some as a beacon of masculinity and reviled by others as a toxic influence.

In a clip that’s now a few years old, Daily Wire host Michael Knowles reviewed a series of Tate’s statements. His conclusion: Tate is often right, but he’s missing something crucial.

That missing piece is, of course, God.

While Tate correctly critiques modern cultural decay, his solutions are often rooted in materialism, self-interest, and a skewed view of relationships. Let’s break it down.

Strength Under Pressure

One of Tate’s most quoted takes is that men perform better under stress than women.

He asserts that in high-stakes situations, such as piloting a plane through a hurricane, people would naturally prefer a male pilot.

Knowles finds this assertion largely non-controversial, stating: “You’re saying men have generally speaking better spatial reasoning, a little cooler under pressure, a little less given to emotional passion. That’s all true.”

There is a sort of semi-mandatory statement that must accompany such analysis to avoid triggering those who don’t understand “average” does not mean “all.” That is, not all men would be better than all women in this kind of situation.

A Life Without Children

Tate argues that a childless life is inherently meaningless, stating: “You may sit here and think that your career matters, but the truth is that your job will fire you on a whim… When you’re 52 and past it, with no grandchildren in a house by yourself, do you think a few extra Gucci bags will make you happy?”

Knowles largely agrees, pointing out that modern society often idolizes careerism at the expense of family.

However, he also notes Tate’s oversight: not all women are called to motherhood. Some women face infertility, and others pursue religious vocations.

The Catholic Church has long held that marriage and children are noble callings, but so is the consecrated life. Nuns, for example, live deeply fulfilling lives through service to God and community.

The Woman as “Belonging” to a Man

Here’s where Tate’s worldview starts to unravel.

He claims that in a relationship, a woman “belongs” to her man, justifying this by referencing marriage customs, such as a bride taking her husband’s name. Knowles responds bluntly: “There it is. See, this is where the guy falls apart.”

Tate conflates biblical marital leadership with ownership, reducing relationships to transactional dynamics.

Marriage, as defined by Christianity, is about unity: “the two become one flesh” (Mark 10:8).

A husband is called to love his wife as Christ loves the Church, which is to say, sacrificially.

Tate’s view strips marriage of its spiritual depth and turns it into a business deal where men hold the power and women are assets.

Worse than that, he doesn’t require that the relationship exist within the bond of traditional matrimony. Instead, Tate suggests this is the agreement in any “relationship.”

Weak Men Are Dangerous

Tate makes an interesting point when discussing crime and violence, arguing that weak men are more dangerous than strong men.

He notes that strong men don’t need to resort to deceit or cowardly violence, while weak men do.

Knowles agrees but refines the argument: strength, absent virtue, is no better than weakness.

Christianity teaches that true strength is not just physical dominance but the moral fortitude to resist temptation and protect others. A man who is physically strong but lacks virtue is no different from a weak man who lashes out in insecurity.

The problem is more about a lack of moral formation.

God, The Missing Piece

Michael Knowles’ biggest critique of Tate isn’t that he’s wrong about everything.

In fact, much of Tate’s critique of modern culture is spot on.

He’s right to call out careerism, modern decadence, and the need for personal responsibility.

However, he remains deeply entrenched in a materialist, self-serving worldview. He identifies the sickness but prescribes a cure that is only slightly less poisonous than the disease.

As Knowles puts it, Tate “recognizes that the kind of modern lib culture is stupid and wrong and leading people to misery. But he still wants to partake of that modern lib culture.”

Until Tate embraces an objective moral order that transcends wealth, status, and self-interest, his vision will remain incomplete.

He’s on the right track. Now he just needs to follow it to its logical conclusion.

Resources

• Michael Knowles (YouTube Channel)
• The Daily Wire (Website)