William Costello

Costello argued that modern social settings such as corporate workplaces reward the female style of indirect aggression more than the male style.

“It actually kind of rewards the female style of aggression way more than the male style”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:02:57

Costello cited research from Sarah Hill's lab finding that women mistrust women described as having more male than female friends.

“when you describe a girl as being a guy's gal, having more male friends than female friends, women mistrust her”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 37:21

Costello explained women's indirect competition style as an adaptation to the high ancestral cost of making enemies while caring for offspring.

“It's very costly for women to make enemies. Throughout ancestral history, they are responsible for the well-being of their offspring”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 14:36

Costello said that pointing out hypocrisy persuades him personally, though he doubted it works generally because it may trigger tribal psychology.

“If someone points out a way in which I'm being hypocritical, I find that persuasive”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:05:32

Costello said he is writing a paper arguing that psychological scales measuring sexism and toxic masculinity pathologise men for attitudes celebrated in women.

“I'm writing a paper at the moment called The Mismeasurement of Men, and it's all about scales that seek to kind of pathologize men”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 32:03

Costello cited statistics that around 30% of young men with gambling problems have felt suicidal and around 13% have attempted suicide.

“I think something like 13% have attempted suicide because of this”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 57:00

Costello cited research from the American Institute for Boys and Men showing that legalising online gambling increases bankruptcy and debt among young men.

“when you legalize online gambling in a specific area bankruptcy among young men goes way up and they go into way more debt”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 57:27

Costello called an Irish radio presenter's claim that the ad set women's sport back 40 years a sexist view of women's sport.

“claimed that she, in 40 seconds, has set female sport back 40 years. And I hear that and I think, what an incredibly sexist”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 3:13

Costello argued that Sweeney, as a stakeholder, deliberately used the principle that sex sells to market a product aimed at young men.

“she understands the oldest maxim in advertisement or marketing that sex sells, and she backs herself on that front to be the face or body of her own brand”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 2:57

Costello claimed that in-group bias affected the O.J. Simpson jury, which he said could not sympathise with Nicole Simpson.

“the majority black female jury hated that and they just could not get any sympathy for her as a victim at all”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 47:16

Costello said evidence on preferred breast size is mixed but that short-term mating-oriented men prefer larger breasts, which may contribute to women's hostility.

“short-term mating-oriented men prioritize big boobs. So that could be another part of the puzzle that's putting women off”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 41:38

Costello described women collectively as acting like a cartel that polices the price of sexual access.

“women kind of, as a group, they're kind of like the cartel with the cost of sex. They have to kind of police each other on who's offering it for what”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 19:42

Costello argued Sweeney draws particular hostility because she openly appeals to the male gaze without reassuring other women she is not a threat.

“she aggressively prostrates herself or kind of presents herself as appealing specifically to the male gaze without first coming in”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 13:25

Costello argued that self-sexualization is judged as empowering or not depending on whether the woman belongs to the critics' political in-group.

“the very same act of self-sexualization can be seen as empowering if it's the right person in the in-group in your tribe”

Modern Wisdom: Why Sydney Sweeney Has Two Big Targets On Her Chest - William Costello - #1152 (Sep 19, 2026) · Listen from 5:41