TikTok has reignited the incel cause by promoting one of it’s most ridiculous practices
'Looksmaxxing' is the manifestation of deep-seated insecurities and societal pressures surrounding physical appearance. Facing an onslaught of social media grifters and unrealistic beauty standards, individuals, in this instance, men, are obsessing over a relentless pursuit of an idealised physique. This phenomenon started intersecting with the rise of incel (involuntary celibate) culture. Incel forums have been alive and kicking in various shapes and forms since the early 2000s. Originating with the queer university experience in 1997. Over time it morphed into a community adopted by men through the various outlets of Reddit, 4Chan and other lenient web-based chat forums. A misogynistic and self-pitying advocacy of rape rhetoric was seeded. The Dark Web facilitated a merge of extremist right-wing violence and Inceldom, allowing a breeding ground for Incels who shared each other’s pathological opinions. As a result of the last few years of toxic, 'Alpha Male' content; Andrew Tate, Fresh&Fit, and various right-wing outlets, on mainstream internet platforms the incel issue has violently erupted.
Coined in fringe, online forums, 'looksmaxxing' represents the extreme right-wing end of the digital spectrum, developing from an incel ideology known as, "taking the black pill." Britannica defines, "black pill" as such:
"The term black pill, first popularized in the 2010s on the incel blog Omega Virgin Revolt, refers to accepting the futility of fighting against a feminist system. Blackpilled incels are encouraged to…commit suicide”
This online playground breeds seemingly innocuous ideas of self-improvement. Through fitness, healthy eating and basic grooming– a clear path, where one can increase their self-esteem and romantic satisfaction. However, beneath the surface, the motivations for ‘looksmaxxing’ are swamped in misogyny, sexual objectification and the conquest of women. For many adherents, the pursuit of physical perfection becomes an all-consuming obsession – warped by nihilistic beliefs about the nature of human relationships and the futility of personal growth. They fundamentally believe in the idea that sexual relationships are biologically determined; their concept of an 80/20 rule is that 80% of women are only interested in 20% of men, men whom these incels commonly refer to as, 'Chads', 'Sigmas', or 'Alphas.' Breaking down all social dynamics into a hierarchy of desire, thinking of themselves as a contemporary 'underclass' of men.
Proponents of the “Black Pill” ideology view, “looksmaxxing” not merely as a means of self-improvement but as a desperate bid for survival in a world they perceive as inherently unjust and rigged against them. It is important to note, that the social demographics of incels, as outlined in the Channel 4 documentary, "The Secret World of Incels" seem to predominantly be unemployed white males in their 20s who live at home with their parents and spend the majority of their time online with little to no in-person, human interaction. The Guardian also reported, "Counter-terror officers say incel makes up 1% of referral to anti-extremism scheme." So regardless of how we feel about the scale of this issue, they are becoming a very imminent threat, as evidenced by several international mass shootings linked to their ideas.
As the summer approaches, the pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards intensifies. Love Island fever takes over each year, pushing men and women into reflective cages of insecurity. The show’s jagged history of controversy with undiverse participants and mental health crises. This makes it more crucial than ever to critically examine the problem of, “looksmaxxing” and its broader implications for society. Through the promotion of unrealistic standards of beauty, “looksmaxxing” perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reinforces outdated gender norms that are damaging to both men and women alike. Furthermore, the parallel between Incels, their appearance obsession and far-right radicalisation poses a significant terror threat to social cohesion and does nothing to abet our culture of misogyny and loneliness.
By shedding light on this multifaceted issue, we can begin to challenge the toxic narratives that underpin this harmful manifestation of the male mind.
image CNN
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