Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where the two discussed the evolution of company culture in a lengthy, in-depth interview.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is done with the “culturally neutral” elements of corporate America and is embracing “masculine energy” as DEI programs falter.
“It’s one thing to say that we want to be sort of welcoming and create a good environment for everyone and I think it’s another thing to say that ‘masculinity is bad,’ and I just think that we’ve kind of shifted culturally to that part of the world – kind of – the spectrum,” Zuckerberg said during his recent interview with Joe Rogan.
Zuckerberg, who grew up with only sisters and now has only daughters, told Rogan he wants women to succeed, but doesn’t think masculinity needs to be categorized as “toxic” for that to happen .
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers a speech during the annual Meta Connect event at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, September 25, 2024. (Reuters/Manuel Orbegozo / Reuters)
The tech billionaire credits martial arts for his change of heart when it comes to masculinity, telling Rogan that having something to do with his male friends where they can “fight” has been a “positive experience” for him.
“I think having a culture that celebrates aggression a little bit more has its own merits that are really positive,” Zuckerberg added.
The release of the Joe Rogan Experience episode came on the same day that Meta ended its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
The company reportedly cited changes in the “legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts” in a memo from Meta’s vice president of human resources, Janelle Gale.
“The term ‘DEI’ has also become controversial, in part because it is understood by some to be a practice suggesting preferential treatment of certain groups over others,” Gale wrote in the memo.
Signage outside Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California on February 1, 2024. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
META ENDS CORPORATE DEI PROGRAMS
Additionally, Meta’s policy overhaul included an order to remove tampons from men’s restrooms.
Meta also announced the end of its controversial fact-checking policy, with Zuckerberg saying “it’s time to return to our roots of free speech on Facebook and Instagram.” Fact checkers will be replaced with “X-like” community ratings.
The CEO also admitted that while he tried “in good faith” to “address concerns” about misinformation online, there was “too much censorship” and called the recent presidential election a “tipping point cultural”. He blasted fact-checkers as “too politically biased” and said they were “destroying more trust than they gained.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrates Orion AR glasses during his keynote speech at the annual Meta Connect event at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, September 25, 2024. (Reuters/Manuel Orbegozo)
The tech giant would remove transgender and non-binary personalization themes from its Messenger app and change its “hateful conduct” policies to allow criticism of gender identity, according to the New York Times.
Meta is not alone in this cultural shift away from DEI policies. Major companies began abandoning their diversity programs in the wake of President-elect Trump’s decisive victory.
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Brooke Singman and Eric Revell of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
