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I was waiting for theMotte(TM) to discuss this. I had listened to the podcast Louis did with Chris Williamson (of Modern Wisdom) fame (https://youtube.com/watch?v=cBt7KbaBzu8). Not all the podcasts are hits, IMO.
While I was listening, I was rolling my eyes at what Louis was complaining about. The constant focus of "streamers", the banal descriptions of what the manosphere means, the "tax" that Chris Williamson paid (by saying he was not part of the manosphere), and so on. I stopped before I got half way.
I was trying to listen to see if Louis had any insights as I mostly do with Chris's guests but I was sorely disappointed. Anyways, I am appreciative of the comments from @faceh and @cjet79 (sorry if I summoned you) (https://www.themotte.org/post/3618/culture-war-roundup-for-the-week/422386?context=8#context).
That comment really crystallizes a thought that I have been wrestling for a while what makes me manly over my lifetime. It distills some of the readings from /r/marriedredpill, parts of the Redpill from 2015-2017 (when I was really reading it) and some male-focused Substacks.
I wish Chris got someone on that had a more positive/nuanced take. But those people are not attention-seeking so it is probably a pipe dream.
Well its hard to complain when you give me a complement.
In one of the original formations of my comment I was explicitly trying to wrestle with this idea.
I feel manly right now. It has been a journey. What would I tell to a young boy trying to embark on this journey?
This is not an entirely idle question for me. I have male cousins that are in the 16-23 range. I have two nephews that are young now but they'll grow. I have friends that are in their early 20's. I would like to be able to give them good advice if slightly prompted since unprompted advice is not worth the energy it takes to speak it. I've also found that just being a knowledgeable advice source and acting as you are gets some of the smarter guys to seek you out themselves. As I said above, being a man is recognizable. It is kind of one of the main benefits. Humans are social. They recognize social success, and being a man is ultimate social success for the male gender.
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Has this always been the way of things? Those most worthy of
the crownattention are often the least desirous of it.I think in the case of RedPill, most people that both hold nuanced opinions and are also influential enough to help steer the tone of conversation have just gotten old. Much of red pill theory seems based on how the dating market shifted through the late 90's and early 2000's. People who were in their late twenties in 2008 are almost 50 now. It seems plausible to me that those who originally wrote the theory no longer care about swaying public opinion and the drama that comes with that.
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