The LRB Podcast Selling the Manosphere
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Sep 10, 2025 Emily Witt, a noted critic and journalist for The New Yorker, dives into the dark world of the manosphere, an online network promoting male supremacy. She discusses its alarming rise over the past fifteen years and how it entices young men by portraying them as victims of feminism. Witt highlights the dangerous rhetoric influencing political discourse and even leading to violent acts. Through insights on figures like Andrew Tate, she explores the complex dynamics of misogyny and how these ideologies undermine genuine relationships and women's autonomy.
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Origins And Online Amplification
- The manosphere grew from earlier anti-feminist backlashes and pickup-artistry, evolving online into cohesive worldviews.
- Small groups on the internet amplified absurd theories until they felt like comprehensive truths to members.
Powerful False Explanations
- Manosphere content offers men a sense of mastery by reframing social and economic frustrations as caused by feminism.
- It misattributes structural problems like housing and jobs to gender change, offering a false explanatory key.
Race And Restorative Nostalgia
- Male supremacist ideas often overlap with white supremacist nostalgia for a mythical past of racial and gender dominance.
- The movement's promise of restored individual agency appealed across demographics amid rising individualistic politics.
