The sigma grindset. A half-eaten sandwich. Stuffed animals. Adolescence, the hit show on Netflix, manages to wrap all three of those things together into a deep exploration of toxic masculinity and its effects on young men. The murder of a young girl, Katiel by her classmate, Jamie is a gripping story; not because of the material, but of what it alludes to. Ever since around 2020, toxic masculinity has been on the rise. Almost everyone was pushed into the weird, wide world of the web, making for swayed adolescents with new views. Whichever bubble of the internet one found during that period became one they were stuck in. For many, that bubble was one of Christian Bale reels and edited street interviews.
Those concepts brought their way into our present day. If you have Instagram or TikTok, I bet you’ve seen a video of a street interview of someone that’s getting flamed in the comments for their overall denseness. Usually it’s a woman, either far-left or incorrect about a random trivia fact. They’re usually edited or staged, but it’s quite the sight to see the thousands of commenters clamoring about how illustrative a 30 second video is of greater society. TikTok, while less of a toxic cesspool, suffers similar issues.
While Instagram and TikTok might have an age limit of 13, it’s rare to see that being followed. It’s too easy to get caught up in a loop of toxic or incorrect content. Younger individuals are particularly susceptible to these biases. When these ideals are further reinforced at school and between friends, social media becomes a breeding ground for polarizing opinions far beyond the years of some children. Chickens come home to roost when the generations age, and political spectrums are far more important. This phenomenon leads to situations like in Adolescence. Content you consume online transforms into real life violence. That’s when satire is no longer satire; it’s dangerous rhetoric to an impressionable audience.
There’s only one way to win against toxic masculinity; live your life like you’ll die tomorrow. Break free from expectations and rules, and others will do the same. Put the phone down and touch grass. Be your own person and not Andrew Tate.