Powerful piece by Thom Hartmann on toxic and controlling masculinity
https://hartmannreport.com/p/the-manhood-trap-from-epsteins-island-b7c
The Manhood Trap: From Epsteins Island to Musks Baby Farm How the Right Redefined Masculinity as Control
Underneath the memes, podcasts, and tradwife fantasies lies a dangerous agenda: train young men to reject equality, fear womens power, and embrace authoritarianism disguised as masculinity
James Carville recently suggested that Democrats need to do more to reach out to young men, as though pandering to testosterone-fueled grievance and entitlement is the key to winning elections. Lets be blunt: thats a bullshit, dead-end strategy that risks ratifying the very worst elements of a crisis in masculinity thats corroding our politics, poisoning our culture, and endangering our democracy.
Rape culture isnt just at the top; its everywhere, especially in the digital spaces young men inhabit. Pornography has become the de facto sex education for millions of boys. A ten‑year‑old with a smartphone has unfettered access to violent, misogynistic content that normalizes coercion and degradation.
This isnt just a parental issue, its a cultural emergency. This content is shaping how an entire generation understands sex, power, and consent.
This is a deliberate, systemic reinforcement of toxic masculinity, an ideology of power, control, and domination.
It shows up in incel forums, Proud Boys gatherings, Andrew Tate videos, and in the halls of Congress. Its being sold to young men as an antidote to their anxieties, be they economic, social, or existential.
Lets reject the calls coming from multiple corners to reach out to codes of rape culture. Instead, lets lead the way to a future where strength means service, power means accountability, and freedom means equality for everyone.