Dark Side of the Internet and the Unfiltered Exposure
The internet has made everything accessible at our fingertips with all electronic devices you can think of. But hidden within social media platforms, toxic ideologies are secretly guiding young minds in ways we have never imagined. Particularly, within the incel culture, shaping perceptions of gender, relationships, and masculinity
No matter what age you are, with just one click can reach amounts of content –whether it is suitable or not. These days, even kids in the beginning of primary school have personal devices. Owning social media accounts on several platforms where they could create their contents or follow whoever they like. Without supervision from the parents could allow young kids to expose inappropriate media.
It has become a concern that we are having distinctive ideologies of individuals in this world. And by giving them an opportunity to freely share what they think, it could have led to wrong perception of young children which could worsen the society.
The Adolescence: Reflection of The Real-World Issues
“Adolescence”, a freshly released mini series from Netflix, let us explore the story of a 13-year-old boy ‘Jamie’ who murdered ‘Katie’ his girl classmate by stabbing her to death.
The series first introduces the conflict between Jamie and Katie by illustrating Kathy bullied Jamie through social media ‘Instagram’. She commented an emoji on his post referring to a member of “the truth groups” (a group of men who are not cared or wanted by women) which belongs to the incel community of men who are frustrated that they aren’t having sex.
Nevertheless, in episode 3 the plot twists, the psychologist asked Jamie about his girl experience, then he told that he was once seduced by a girl, showing her boobs, but it was all a lie. During the interview, Jamie tells that he approached Katie by asking her out at the weakest time. After an explicit photo of her topless leaked out. However, she rejected him which made him embarrassed.
As the conversation keeps digging deeper, it reveals the negative attitude toward women in his mind. Due to his claim about Katie said that “She’s flat”, “Most boys would’ve touched her so that makes me better”, “She’s a bitch”, especially, his thought that she is gettable if she was weak. His vulnerability and familiarity with this incel culture have turned into women loathing. Forming by the social media, planting monstrous beliefs and reflecting the modern way of thinking in which male hold ideas toward females.
This series is a reflection to our society as male exposed to radical and extremism online. Putting misogynistic thoughts in their mind which lead to violence and crime. It makes me start to question, are all women must live in fear and being objectified to make the society peaceful?
What Is Incel Culture and Why Is It Growing Online?
The word incel, short for involuntary celibates, typically used for describing a heterosexual man who considers themselves unable to attract women sexually and hardly build romantic relationships. Originally, it used to explain a group of people who struggle with loneliness and dating challenges. Yet, over time it has become online communities and formed to incel culture, fostering misogyny, sexism, and radicalization.
Sometimes, it is known as the manosphere, online platforms where men express opinions and ideologies concerning masculinity issues –mostly promoting anti-feminism and misogynistic views. The rise of this toxic idea is fostered by social media algorithms, pushing users to inappropriate extreme content that encourages beliefs in echo chambers.
Misogynistic Influencers
The spread of incel ideology cannot go widely without the influence from those who have gained interest on the internet, or so called misogynistic influencers who proclaimed themselves as ‘men’s right activists’ or ‘alpha male’. These figures exploit the insecurities of young men and preserve unfavorable ideas about women and relationships, creating content related to sexual harassment, such as how to seduce women sexually.
The most notorious one among the community is Andrew Tate, who declares himself a misogynist, having over 10 million followers on X. Promoting men’s dominance over women, creating misunderstanding narratives about women, manipulating young men to adopt hyper-masculinity ideas are things Tate has contributed to.
With a massive and devoted followers, mostly young boys –who are self-doubt and seek fulfillment, his contents rapidly spread. Making it easier for these poisonous beliefs to take root and draw to real-world threats to women in the society.
Cases that Actually Happened By the Incel
In May 2014, Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured 14 due to his mental sickness deep-rooted with women hatred. His revengeful fueled with frustration of being single and virgin. He planned murdering as a “Day of Retribution”, as he was being denied romantic relationships and intimate acts with women. Therefore he decided to punish women by causing the tragic incident to take revenge.
Isla Vista incident has made Rodger seen as the incel hero among the community. It inspires those men to cause more incidents of misogynist terrorism. As in 2018, Alek Minassian, a Canadian man ploughed the van into pedestrians which has killed 11 people and mainly were women. After getting caught, He claimed that this attack was an act of reasoning mind and felt accomplished his mission.
Addressing Incel Culture
This set of mind has become a concern to society, the normalization of incel beliefs is growing and rooting within many men’s minds but we could prevent threatful incidents in the future and our young kids to receive that ideology and become one of them.
These are some key steps we should look at:
- Parental & Educational Guidance:
As children spend most of their days in school, making friends and building their views. It’s crucial for educators to provide information and discussion on digital literacy to create critical thinking and prevent harmful minds when they are using social media.
Besides, Parents play a crucial role to avoid their childs from becoming addicted to online space. By spending quality time together with activities that bond relationships, leading to closeness and openly communication. The fathers is the first figure of their sons, they could positively foster healthy ideas of masculinity from an early age which reduce the tendency in attracting toxic narratives.
- Media Censorships
Harmful contents should be scrutinized precisely before posting or sharing on the platforms. Especially, strictly enforcing age restrictions to prevent those sensitive groups from gaining ideas of misogynistic or extremist. Platforms must reorganize the system of algorithms in promoting inappropriate contents before it goes viral.
- Mental Health Support:
Those who are part of incel communities are dealing with loneliness, lack of confidence and societal acceptance. Normalizing the idea of being in a romantic relationship or losing virginity is not a life accomplishment. We should address and encourage these issues intensively at their root to prevent radicalization.
Social media is a double-edged sword, it empowers us with knowledge while attacks with misinformation. By staying aware of the existence of toxic norms can prevent further sorrowful events and make the society peaceful again.
Start talking to your boys about toxic masculinity seriously. And if they are struggling with feelings of isolation or rejection, just know that there is always support. Be part of the movement and reshape harmful ideology to be the righteous one. We all deserve better and safer space both online and offline!
To learn more about incel culture and how it grown online. Here are five things you could explore to incel behavior, ideology, and online activity
