Quillette Podcast How Accurate Is 'Adolescence'?
Apr 5, 2025
Iona Italia chats with William Costello, a PhD student in Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in incels. They delve into the Netflix series 'Adolescence,' dissecting its portrayal of incels and the impact of societal narratives on young men. Costello critiques the misconceptions held by adults about incel culture and highlights how media representations can perpetuate misunderstanding. Their discussion emphasizes the need for accurate depictions to address issues of toxic masculinity and violence.
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Episode notes
Adult Confusion on Incels
- Adolescence accurately portrays adult confusion surrounding incels, manosphere, and online teen issues.
- It shows adults lumping these groups together without nuance.
Jamie's Story
- The show depicts a 13-year-old boy, Jamie, who is bullied and called an incel.
- This public humiliation triggers a confrontation leading to a tragic outcome.
Knife Violence and the Manosphere
- While the show's portrayal is plausible, such incidents are outliers, not representative of knife violence epidemics.
- Drill music has a stronger link to UK knife violence than manosphere ideology.