Arnold Schwarzenegger: We're Raising a Generation of Wimps!

Details: Written by Corey Young

If there's one man who understands the essence of struggle, it's a seven-time Mr. Olympia.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian bodybuilding legend turned actor and politician, issued a stern warning against the United States cultivating a "generation of wimps" during his recent appearance on "The Howard Stern Show."

He emphasized, "The more you struggle, the further you’re gonna go and the stronger you’re going to get. It’s just the way the world works."

Schwarzenegger, who marked 40 years of US citizenship this year, expressed concern that many "young kids today" tend to shy away from the necessary hardships that pave the way for success, instead opting to coddle themselves.

He had a poignant message for those seeking an easy way out:

"Anybody that tries to baby themselves, and pamper themselves and protect themselves — ‘Oh, I don’t want to feel bad, I don’t really want to go through any discomfort’ — It’s over. You have to be able to struggle."

Drawing on history, "The Terminator" star asked a rhetorical question, challenging whether it was the complacent or the resolute who built the foundation of the nation. His answer was resolute, "No. These were ballsy women and men that went out there at five in the morning and got up and they struggled, and they fought, and they worked their butts off. That’s what made this country great."

He urged, "Continue this way. Don’t start creating a generation of wimps and weak people."

When the topic shifted to Ozempic, the much-talked-about weight-loss drug, and whether it might be diverting attention from the larger issue, Schwarzenegger didn't mince words. He underscored that this apparent miracle drug was removing a crucial element from the formula of success: "resistance."

In his view, "The human mind can only really grow through resistance. You can only strengthen your character, become a really strong person inside, if you have resistance."

Schwarzenegger clarified that he wasn't advocating for insensitivity toward others, but rather, there must be a distinction between genuine struggle and excessive coddling.

"Let’s go and teach kids to be tough, to do sports, to study and struggle and go through these kind of painful moments sometimes."

The legendary bodybuilder, who shares children with ex-wife Maria Shriver, admitted to grappling with the changes in his own physique during the candid interview.

Watch this related segment from "The Howard Stern Show"