"Masculinity" is no longer confined to the corners of the internet—an era when the manosphere has become a household term

When people hear the term "manosphere," they might still think of extreme male-oriented communities hidden in overseas forums and video-sharing sites. Misogyny, anti-feminism, extreme advice for those struggling in love, muscles, money, sexual success, and dominant masculinity—these are elements swirling in a corner of the internet. It is considered dangerous but distant from one's own life. Many have thought this way.

However, the article "You'd better start paying attention to the manosphere. You're living in it" published on Phys.org by The Conversation challenges this perception. The article's argument is clear: the manosphere is no longer a subculture confined to the "corners of the internet." Its vocabulary, values, competitive views, and human perspectives have already infiltrated everyday language, political expressions, self-improvement, the dating market, school environments, and trending words on social media.

What is happening now is not just about some extreme influencers inciting young people. More serious is the fact that the worldview they have used is dissolving into mainstream culture under different names.

What the word "maxxing" signifies

The key term in this article is "maxxing."

"Looksmaxxing" is about maximizing appearance. "Statusmaxxing" is about enhancing status. "Financemaxxing" is about maximizing income and assets. These terms originally spread in communities around the manosphere, where a man's value is measured by indicators such as appearance, height, jaw shape, muscle mass, annual income, sexual attractiveness, and social status. Improving oneself is not inherently bad. Exercising, maintaining cleanliness, working hard, and organizing one's lifestyle are healthy efforts for many people.

The problem is when these efforts transform from "taking care of oneself" to "outdoing others," "winning in the market," "being chosen by women," and "erasing one's inferior self."

Manospheric self-improvement often scores humans. How many points for the face? How many points for height? How many points for income? What is the value in the dating market? Is the social media profile strong? Is it photogenic? How is one evaluated by the opposite sex? Can one win against competitors?

In this mindset, human relationships also become a market. Romance becomes a transaction rather than intimacy. Friendships become hierarchies rather than security. The body becomes a product to show others rather than a place to live. Life becomes a collection of numbers to be constantly improved rather than experiences.

The article warns that such ideas are spreading not only on dubious forums for young people but also on general social media, podcasts, life hacks, business self-improvement, fitness culture, dating advice, and the portrayal of political strength.

The manosphere has become "social" rather than "antisocial"

When considering the manosphere, we tend to separate it as "a world of abnormal people." However, there is a pitfall in that.

The real fear is not that extreme ideologies spread in their extreme forms. Rather, it is that they spread by diluting their toxicity, becoming laughable memes, self-improvement words, joking slang, success philosophies, and banter among men.

For example, ideas like "weak men lack effort," "a man should earn," "don't show emotions," "women only think about marrying up," "romance is a strategy," and "dominance is needed over kindness" are easy to oppose when spoken as blatant misogyny. But when they are replaced with phrases like "face reality," "increase your market value," "optimize yourself," and "be strong as a man," they sound like self-improvement.

On social media, this transformation happens very quickly.

Extreme words become memes, short videos, clips, and are spread, including videos of rebuttals and criticisms. Algorithms tend to prioritize content that generates anger, anxiety, and ridicule. As a result, even those who do not agree with the manosphere unknowingly share its vocabulary and assumptions.

It's not about "watching the manosphere." It's about "living in a manospheric atmosphere." The article's title indicates this change.

Reactions on social media—crisis awareness, ridicule, parental anxiety, and complex empathy

Looking at reactions on social media, perceptions of the manosphere are not monolithic. Some voices express strong crisis awareness, while others view influencers as "empty frauds." There are voices of parents worried about their children's online environment, and others who argue that "the anxieties young men face cannot be ignored."

In women's communities on Reddit, reactions often link the manosphere not just to internet culture but to real anxieties faced by women and girls. One post, reflecting on Louis Theroux's documentary 'Inside the Manosphere,' expressed concern not only about the expansion of misogyny but also about society's tendency to treat male violence and dominant behavior as "individual issues." Another reaction pointed out that the documentary did not sufficiently delve into the impact of the manosphere on women.

On the other hand, in Netflix-related forums, many reactions view the influencers featured as "businessmen saying extreme things for attention and money" rather than "sincere thinkers." This perspective sees it as a "business" involving information products, investment advice, self-improvement, podcast revenue, and membership fees, in addition to being a misogyny issue.

Reactions from the parent generation are also notable. In a Reddit community for fathers, there were voices warning that it is dangerous for parents to remain unaware of the manosphere's world, considering that its main audience is men in their late teens to early twenties. In another Australian community, practical concerns about managing children's internet use were discussed. Is simply "not showing it" enough to solve the problem? Does filtering work? Won't it be bypassed with a VPN? These concerns indicate that the manosphere has become an issue in family education.

However, interestingly, not all reactions suggest "blaming young men" as the solution. One parent shared an experience of watching a related documentary with their son and discussing it. The son already knew many of the figures featured and viewed them critically. This reaction is important. Young people are not merely passively brainwashed. They know. They watch. They even joke about it. But that doesn't necessarily mean they are safe. Knowing and not being influenced are different things.

Where does "improving appearance" become dangerous?

Among the manosphere, "looksmaxxing" is particularly pervasive among young people. It is used to mean maximizing appearance. It ranges from relatively moderate activities like muscle training, skincare, hairstyles, clothing, and orthodontics to procedures that change jaw shape, dangerous DIY body modifications, extreme drug use, and eating behaviors.

There are also positive reactions to looksmaxxing on social media. Improving appearance can lead to confidence. Men should also be interested in beauty and fashion. Improving one's complexes is not a bad thing. These opinions have some validity.

In traditional society, it was often said that only women faced pressure regarding appearance. However, now men are also subjected to evaluation axes such as muscles, skin, hair, jaw, height, and sexual attractiveness. Especially on image and video-centric social media, "how one looks" is often treated as personality or value.

However, looksmaxxing becomes dangerous when appearance improvement turns into a perpetual motion of self-denial rather than restoring self-esteem.

"I need to make my jaw sharper"
"I need to build more muscle"
"I need to look taller"
"I need to have a face that women choose"
"My market value is low as it is"

Such thinking pushes people further rather than helping them recover. Moreover, social media never ends. There is always someone better. Faces altered by filters, bodies created by lighting, staged lives, borrowed luxury cars, exaggerated incomes, and clipped success stories. The comparisons are endless.

Efforts to improve oneself become materials for self-hatred. The boundary is much more ambiguous than one might think.

"Male loneliness" is real, but the answer is wrong

The manosphere attracts young men due to real anxieties. Loneliness, economic insecurity, a sense of stagnation about the future, lack of romantic experience, lack of a place in school or work, and a culture where it's hard for men to express vulnerability. These are not fabrications.

Many young men are losing sight of their value. They are told to become someone. They are told to earn. They are told to be strong. They are told to succeed in romance. They are told not to show weakness. Meanwhile, stable jobs, housing, community, and long-term relationships are becoming harder to obtain. In an uncertain future, social media constantly streams images of "successful people."

In this context, manosphere influencers offer simple answers.

"Women are to blame"
"Feminism has weakened men"
"Society is cold to men"
"You're suffering because you're too kind"
"Build muscle"
"Earn money"
"Dominate"
"Discard emotions"
"Join the winning side"

This message sounds very appealing to those who are suffering. Because it simplifies complex problems. Because it gives a name to one's pain. Because it provides a target for anger. And because it offers a story that "although I am a loser now, I can become a winner by following the right method."

However, the answer is often wrong. The ideology that should heal loneliness deepens distrust of others. Advice that should build confidence creates endless comparisons. Training to become masculine takes away the ability to share vulnerability. Strategies for success in romance destroy the ability to see the partner as an individual.

The manosphere is good at finding men's suffering. But it is better at converting that suffering into anger, payments, and loyalty than solving it.

"Internet words" infiltrating schools and homes

This issue has also spread to schools. The article mentions that harassment by male students towards female students and female teachers is becoming noticeable in Australian schools. UN Women also warns that online misogyny is infiltrating schools, workplaces, and intimate relationships.

What is important here is that children do not necessarily understand the manosphere as an ideological system. They enter through terms and jokes. Through short videos. Through imitating friends. They say things as jokes. But jokes carry values.

"Women are like this"
"Men should be like this"
"Weak men have no value"
"Not being popular is losing"
"Kindness is weakness"
"A man who can dominate is strong"

When such words are repeated in the classroom, they become everyday intimidation for female students. For male students, it also becomes a painful environment in a different way. Because in that place, they are expected to perform as "strong men." Expressing vulnerability, being hurt, having doubts, feeling anxious about romance, and consulting someone are all seen as "losing."

In other words, manospheric culture not only harms women but also deprives men of an outlet for their emotions.

Why "education" alone is not enough

So, what should be done?

Commonly mentioned are media literacy education, gender education, managing SNS use, parent-child dialogue, and harassment countermeasures in schools. Of course, these are necessary. It is important for children to have the ability to critically read online discourse, and rules that do not tolerate misogyny or violence are also necessary. Parents must be interested in what their children are watching.

However, the article delves into the point that education alone is not enough.

Because there is a larger social structure in the soil where the manosphere spreads. Young people's economic insecurity, difficulty in acquiring housing, job instability, community collapse, widening disparities, and lack of hope for the future. As long as these exist, the feeling of "I am losing," "someone is taking from me," and "I must become a strong person to survive" will not easily disappear.

The manosphere parasitizes on that anxiety. Therefore, simply saying "don't watch that video" or "don't use that word" is not a fundamental solution. What is needed are social conditions where young people can live without seeing others as enemies.

Stable jobs. Affordable housing. Communities where people are not isolated. Places where men can talk about their emotions. A culture where self-esteem can be maintained without viewing women as enemies. An environment where cooperation, not just competition, can be learned. Space to think of romance and marriage as relationships, not "winning or losing."

Countering the manosphere is not just about monitoring the internet. It is about whether we can create a society where trust is a more realistic option than hatred for young people.

Not reclaiming "masculinity," but rebuilding it

What must not be misunderstood here is that criticism of the manosphere is not a "denial of masculinity itself."

Building the body. Working hard. Taking responsibility. Facing difficulties. Wanting to protect loved ones. Wanting to be independent. These should not be denied in themselves.

The problem is when these become "the power to dominate others," "weapons to win against women," or "qualifications to look down on the weak."

What is needed now is not to discard masculinity but to rebuild it.

Strength is not about killing emotions. It is about not breaking even when acknowledging one's wounds. Independence is not about relying on no one. It is about being able to ask for help when needed. Charm is not about the skill to manipulate others. It is about being able to respect others as individuals. Success is not just about defeating others. It is about creating a state where oneself and those around can live better.

The masculinity that the manosphere presents to young people looks strong on the outside. But inside, there is deep anxiety. Masculinity that must always compare, always prove, and always continue to win is actually very fragile.

What is truly needed is dignity that is not lost even if one does not continue to win.

We are already in it

As long as we view the manosphere as "a dangerous world beyond the internet," we misjudge its spread. Its words have now entered video comment sections