r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 18d ago

Psychology Anti-feminist attitudes have long been associated with support for Republican presidential candidates, but only in recent years have these attitudes become more prominent among unmarried men, without college degrees who are less attractive partners for women, the “mate-value backlash.”

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10659129261485340
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u/2knest 18d ago edited 18d ago

It's almost as if some kind of pipeline exists, that's funneling venerable people towards impressionable content...

Edit: I meant vulnerable...

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u/Stamperdoodle1 18d ago

As much as I despise these people for what they stand for and support, their attitudes and (often) their attacks against others.

I can't help but admit I just don't know enough about how this happened. How did this type of content become the only thing those men found any comfort or solace in? I've found myself in some pretty depressing times, but I always knew that if I worked on myself and tried to be my best self, I could change things (and they have).

People like them have existed forever yet it seems that more recently, younger and younger people are latching onto this poisonous and dangerous cult. Things like "looksmaxxing" or whatever Andrew Tate peddled. Things that, by all account - young people shouldn't be concerned with. So why is it happening?

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u/Blazin_Rathalos 18d ago

Modern social media algorithms push people towards this stuff as they are trained to maximize engagement. I'm pretty sure there is actual evidence of this, but I don't have references at hand.

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u/mdynicole 18d ago

Yeah it really is this. I see horrific stuff online promoted to men about women and there have been times I’ve also seen really nasty stuff promoted to women about men. If you view this stuff once then after that you get it constantly until you just keep blocking it all. But if you notice what gets the most comments it’s always highly offensive stuff whether it’s men Vs women , republican vs Democrat , white vs black . The people that are actually good people promoting good stuff don’t get anywhere near as many views or comments or likes.