Masculinity

whatshot 19 snips

Sep 23, 2025

Dive into a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving concept of masculinity. Explore the crisis facing modern men, from loneliness to the rise of right-wing influencers. Unpack the historical roots of masculinity studies and the troubling characteristics often associated with male roles. Analyze the controversial rhetoric of figures like Andrew Tate and the implications of their views. Finally, engage in a lively debate on whether a healthier, more positive model of masculinity can emerge, touching on universal ethics versus gendered traits.

58:58

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Masculinity In A Moment Of Crisis

Many men today feel unclear about what masculinity means, producing either withdrawal or extreme online models like the manosphere.
This confusion couples with a male loneliness epidemic driven by declining homosocial bonds.

insights

INSIGHT

Hustle Culture Fills A Social Void

The manosphere and hustle-bro culture offer simplified masculine blueprints that prey on lonely young men.
Those models merge patriarchal and capitalist incentives, equating male value with wealth and sexual entitlement.

insights

INSIGHT

Four Old Masculine Archetypes

The 1970s 'male sex role' lists four features: no sissy stuff, be a big wheel, be a sturdy oak, give them hell.
These features reveal masculinity as contradictory and anxiety-driven because men must police themselves against failing any dimension.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Masculinity in Crisis, Loneliness, and the Manosphere

00:26 • 7min

chevron_right

Origins of Masculinity Studies and the Male Sex Role

07:44 • 11min

chevron_right

Evolutionary Claims, Primatology, and Historical Change

19:10 • 15min

chevron_right

Manosphere Rhetoric: Andrew Tate and 'Realism' Justifications

Can Masculinity Be Redeemed? Reclaiming Virtues or Ethics?

The Forty-nine Percent Majority: The Male Sex Role is a book exploring the male sex role during the mid-1970s. In this text, David and Brannon identify four defining features of the male sex role. The book delves into the expectations and behaviors associated with masculinity. It examines how men are conditioned to perform certain roles. It provides an influential definition of what we would now call masculinity. It explores the social constructs and pressures shaping male identity.

#56471

Hegemonic Masculinity

James W. Messerschmidt

Hegemonic Masculinity: Rethinking the Concept is a book that explores the concept of hegemonic masculinity. It critically examines the theoretical foundations and empirical applications of hegemonic masculinity. The book offers new perspectives on the ways in which masculinity is constructed and contested. It analyzes the relationship between masculinity, power, and social inequality. The collection brings together leading scholars in the field to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic.

#60070

Gender and Power

Society, the Person, and Sexual Politics

R.W. Connell

Gender and Power, by R.W. Connell, examines the social construction of gender and its role in power relations. Connell introduces the concept of hegemonic masculinity, which refers to the dominant form of masculinity that legitimizes men's power over women. The book explores how gender intersects with other forms of social inequality, such as class and race. It analyzes how gender relations are maintained through institutional practices and cultural norms. Connell's work provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complexities of gender and power in contemporary society.

#497

• Mentioned in 40 episodes

The mask of masculinity

How Men Can Embrace Vulnerability, Create Strong Relationships, and Live Their Fullest Lives

Lewis Howes

In 'The Mask of Masculinity,' Lewis Howes explores the nine masks that men wear to protect themselves from emotional vulnerability. These masks include the Stoic Mask, Athlete Mask, Material Mask, Sexual Mask, Aggressive Mask, Joker Mask, Invincible Mask, Know-it-all Mask, and Alpha Mask. Through personal anecdotes, interviews with psychologists and notable figures like Tony Robbins and Alanis Morissette, Howes provides a roadmap for men to remove these masks and achieve true fulfillment. The book also offers insights for women to better understand the men in their lives and how to support them in their journey towards emotional freedom and deeper relationships.

#7007

• Mentioned in 5 episodes

The will to change

men, masculinity, and love

Javier Saez

Marta Pera Cucurell

Bell Hooks

In 'The Will to Change', bell hooks, along with Javier Saez and Marta Pera Cucurell, provides a compassionate and insightful exploration of masculinity and its impact on men's emotional lives. The book encourages men to break free from traditional masculine norms and to develop a healthier, more emotionally expressive form of masculinity. It delves into the complexities of male identity, love, and relationships, offering practical advice and theoretical frameworks for personal growth and societal change.

#12430

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

La Domination masculine

Pierre Bourdieu

Dans cet ouvrage, Pierre Bourdieu développe une analyse sociologique des rapports sociaux entre les sexes, en se basant notamment sur une étude anthropologique de la société berbère de Kabylie. Il examine comment la domination masculine se perpétue à travers des structures symboliques et des institutions telles que la famille, l'école, l'église et l'état. Bourdieu argue que ces structures créent un habitus qui impose des rôles prédéterminés aux hommes et aux femmes, et que cette domination est maintenue par un processus de déshistoricisation qui rend ces rôles apparemment naturels et non culturels.

#39814

Moderating Masculinity in Early Modern Culture

Todd W. Reeser

Moderating Masculinity in Early Modern Culture examines the virtue of moderation as a key component of masculinity in the early modern period. Todd W. Reeser challenges the traditional view of masculinity as inherently aggressive and dominant. The book explores how moderation was valued as a sign of judgment, acumen, and resolve. Reeser analyzes literary and cultural texts to uncover the nuances of masculine identity. It offers a fresh perspective on the history of masculinity and its evolving relationship to virtue.

#4998

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

Chimpanzee Politics

Frans de Waal

#761

• Mentioned in 31 episodes

Capitalist Realism

Is There No Alternative?

Mark Fisher

#88

• Mentioned in 133 episodes

BOWLING ALONE

The Collapse and Revival of American Community

Robert Putnam

In 'Bowling Alone', Robert D. Putnam presents extensive data showing how Americans have become disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and democratic structures. He argues that this decline in social capital has significant negative impacts on physical and civic health. The book explores various factors contributing to this decline, including changes in work, family structure, suburbanization, and the influence of technology such as television and the internet. Putnam also discusses historical precedents and potential solutions for reviving civic engagement and social connections.

Performative males, hustle bros, sissies, and manfluencers. In episode 140 of Overthink, Ellie and David discuss masculinity. What does it mean to be a man, and how has the concept of masculinity changed over time? They look at the male loneliness epidemic, the current influx of male influencers spreading right-wing rhetoric on the manosphere, and some of the main features of masculinity. Is masculinity rooted in violence and homophobia, or is it possible to have a healthy model of masculinity? In the Substack bonus, your hosts get into the mythopoetic men's movement and the connection between haircuts and masculinity.

Works Discussed:
Robert Brannon and Deborah Sarah David, The Forty-nine Percent Majority: The Male Sex Role
Pierre Bourdieu, La domination masculine
R.W. Connell, Gender and Power
Bell Hooks, The Will To Change
James W. Messerschmidt, Hegemonic Masculinity
Joseph Pleck, The Myth of Masculinity
Todd W. Reeser, Moderating Masculinity in Early Modern Culture
Frans de Waal, Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex Among Apes

Support the show

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books