Swamp Kings and the Glorification of Abusive Leadership | Performance Psychology and Pop Culture Ep 2

The Mindbuffs Podcast

It’s both maddening and unsurprising that a show like Swamp Kings celebrates only the toxic aspects of sport and masculinity. The headline quote of the show is “I treat my superstars like superstars and my shit like shit.” Coach Urban Meyer smiles with satisfaction at the quote and the football players on the show, which are only the superstars, chuckle at the mention of this famous line as they try not to show how they truly feel about it. It’s an extreme example of the kinds of old-school “suck it up princess” leaders that are still extremely prevalent in sports, business, and every place you can find your local “competitive at” human beings. Victory at any cost might be horrifically true in war, but it has no place in other high-pressure environments. If you haven't seen the show or don’t have the hours to invest in it, take part in this 30-minute roast of how not to lead.