Netflix has released a new documentary by Louis Theroux where he goes inside the so-called ‘manosphere’, the world of young men who are followers of a small group of ‘influencers’. The whole set up is quite simple to understand. The influencers have become wealthy by acquiring followers from the pool of marginalized young men by telling them that their precarious lives with no proper jobs or financial security or female companions is not their fault but because ‘the ‘system’ controlled by a secretive cabal (read ‘Jews’) is keeping them down. References to the film The Matrix abound and these influencers say that they offer the ‘red-pill’ that reveals the world as it really is so that the men can defeat the system and become rich too.

It is a seductive message aimed at alienated and aggrieved young men that is wrapped in a package where the influencers show their followers lavish lifestyles in fancy homes and cars surrounded by young women in the skimpiest of attire and say that all this could be theirs as well if they follow the leaders and send in money for products, courses, and financial services.

This world exists on social media, especially Instagram and TikTok, so if you do not have accounts there, you probably have no idea of the extent of what is going on or who these influencers are.

Terms including “The Matrix” and “red pill” – referring to the idea that men have become “wage slaves” disadvantaged by a society that prioritises women’s rights – are popular in the space.

Manosphere influencers such as Justin Waller, an American businessman who appears in Theroux’s film, often portray themselves as wealthy, successful and surrounded by young women.

Many sell courses claiming to teach subscribers how to emulate them.

They often go viral in short clips where they will unapologetically make bold, divisive statements about gender roles or degrading comments about women.

The levels of misogyny, homophobia, racism, and anti-semitism expressed by these people are disgusting. The influencers believe in ‘one-sided monogamy’ which means exactly what you would guess it to mean. Women are meant to ‘stay in their lane’ which means being at home, cooking, and cleaning, be available for sex whenever it is demanded of them, and to accept that the men will be having sex with other women.

One big question is: How large is the target audience is and how many are being converted to these view? Those most susceptible seem to be alienated and even traumatized young men. It is clear that while some are buying into it, others are rightly skeptical.

Zeesham Khan, 23, said he and his younger brother both knew people who had radically changed their mindsets after engaging with it.

“I know people who have lost friends because those friends believe: ‘If you’re not rich, I shouldn’t be hanging around with you.

“I’m trying to get rich, I’m trying to go off to Dubai, I’ve got to cut you off’.”

Student Kenan says he’s looked at some of the courses many influencers sell and has not invested himself, but understands why others might.

“A lot of people, when you get to your 20s, they feel like they’re running out of time to make a move, to be rich, so they invest in these courses,” says the 20-year-old.

“You can’t just go to one of these influencers and buy one of their courses thinking that life’s gonna be so much easier after that.

“They’re the only ones profiting off that.”

The selling tactics are pretty straightforward.


What makes this worth noting is that these men deliberately flaunt their wealth, cars, and cash, specifically to attract women. And then they turn around and tell their followers that women only go after men for financial gain, presenting it as a universal truth about female nature.

The real goal is to become rich, because everything else is predicated on that. This is basically a pyramid scheme. The people who got into it early got rich by tapping into the market of alienated young men who wanted to find a quick way out of their present lives and think that sending in money to these influencers for courses, products, and financial advice is the way to do it. While the influencers say that anyone can replicate their lives, the reality is that as with any other pyramid scheme, it is only those who got in early that make any real money.

These influencers promise that if a man works out to build their muscles and wears flashy clothes, they can get any woman. In reality though, one of the women shown is quite frank about the fact that what she likes is the fact that these men have money and are willing to spend it on them. The young follower wannabees don’t seem to realize that only a tiny few can achieve what they have been promised is there just for the taking

I am sympathetic to the view that the system is stacked by the oligarchic rich against everyone else. But that is because of the late-stage capitalist world that we live in. The idea that it can be overcome by adopting deeply misogynistic, racist, homophobic, and anti-semitic views is to actually help perpetuate that exploitative system by dividing us along lines that weaken us.

Here’s the trailer.