During the U.S. and Israel military campaign against Iran starting late February, social media posts by U.S. national security agencies employed terminology originating from the manosphere—online communities centered on male grievance and empowerment.
Terms like "lethalitymaxxing" and "locked in" with "low cortisol" were used to describe AI-guided military actions. Analysts note that such language, once confined to internet subcultures, is now appearing in official government communications, indicating broader cultural permeation.
Key Details
- The Pentagon and other agencies used manosphere terms, including "maxxing" (optimization) and "mog" (outperform competitors), in descriptions of military operations.
- The manosphere, popularized during COVID-19 by influencers like Andrew Tate, has expanded beyond online forums into mainstream discourse.
- Concepts such as "looksmaxxing" (extreme physical appearance optimization) and "hypergamy" (women dating up) have gained traction in popular culture, endorsed by high-profile figures like Joe Rogan.
- Influencer Braden Peters, known for "looksmaxxing," denies association with the manosphere but promotes its ideas, including competition and quantification of self-worth.
- Researchers observe that such quantification can lead to dehumanizing views, where people are seen as competitors to dominate rather than as fellow humans.
Background
The manosphere's rise is linked to diminishing economic opportunities, global crises, and social decay, leaving vulnerable young men receptive to simple, quantifiable solutions.
Initiatives promoting respect and empathy may mitigate some negative impacts but fail to address underlying structural causes like wealth inequality and lack of secure jobs and housing.