VIOLENCE AMONG YOUNG MEN, ALIENATION, AND THE DIGITAL AGE
Understanding and combating deeply ingrained loneliness and its tendency to collide with extreme and violent areas of the internet are crucial as COVID-19 compels more of us to live our lives online.
As the world was forced into lockdown at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alex Lee Moyer's documentary TFW No GF was released online. The film focuses on an online subculture made up mostly of young white men who have already lived most of their lives in the comfort of their homes despite the pandemic.
Its title, which alludes to the 4chan line "the feeling of not having a girlfriend," reveals the essence of the complaints of subjects featured in the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival program as the first "lack of romance" "Camaraderie," then evolves into "a larger state of being defined by isolation, rejection, and alienation." As one of the film's characters noted, "Everyone my age grows up on the internet... 4chan was the only real... Me realized other people go through the same shit.”
What does this level of alienation tell us about today's society? And how seriously should we take the content of this online mosaic of forums and forums, each with its own language and visual culture that may seem funny or ironic at first glance, but often hides misogyny, racism and violence? These are tough and pressing questions, especially given the emerging incel phenomenon — “incel” is a portmanteau of “involuntary celibacy” — that seems to be gaining traction online.
The idea of virtual expressions of alienation and anger leading to real violence remains a real and current threat, as we were reminded in May when a teenage Canadian became the first Canadian to be charged with terrorist-inspired incel. However, the documentary avoids confronting the violence that the subculture often glorifies, and the director has since said the film was never meant to be about incels, but discussing the subject without the term coming up became impossible.
It turns out that the men we encounter in TFW No GF appear largely harmless - except perhaps to themselves - and despite the documentary's lack of narrative voice acting, he takes a decidedly empathetic stance. . Against a backdrop of industrial landscapes and deserted deserts, they show the United States in decline. Here are models and possibilities on site and the closest thing to "community" is virtual reality. Each self-proclaimed NEET — colloquial for “not in education, work, or education” — has their own history of alienation: alcoholic parents, dead friends, or disenfranchisement in the school system.
Those who study internet subcultures will be familiar with the memes explored in the film by Frog Pepe and Wojak.Pepe is used as a reaction image, usually disguised as "good man" and "happy/angry/sad Pepe", and while not intended to have racist undertones, it is often used in sectarian contexts by the alt-right. Wojak, also known as "Feel Guy", is usually portrayed as a bald man with a depressed expression on his face.
One of the characters in the documentary "Kantbot" explains that "one cannot exist without the other...it is the duality of man". To these men, Pepe represents the troll self, a public figure who embodies their smug and conceited qualities. Wojak signifies a more private and vulnerable self marked by inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and sadness.The documentary attempts to explore the root of this dichotomy by demanding our sympathy.
At first glance, the men of "TFW No GF" have one thing in common: their inability to find mates, a theme that permeates the "manosphere," which includes men who go their separate ways (MGTOW) and incels. The latter identity has garnered particular attention in recent years due to the spate of incel violence we've witnessed across North America, including Eliot Rodger's 2014 attack on Isla Vista, California, which killed six people . According to Moonshot CVE, incels believe that's genetic factors affect their physical appearance and/or social skills in a way that makes them unattractive to women", and some follow the "black pill" philosophy, i.e. they say that women Are superficial and natural Choose mates based on looks and eliminate unattractive men's chances of finding a mate and procreating.
The Incele are a heterogeneous and nebulous community whose worldview is shaped by a virulent form of nihilism viewed through the prism of a three-tiered social hierarchy dictated by appearance. Here are the incels at the bottom of the stack, after normals, Chads, and Stacys."While instances of actual violence by incels remain relatively small, their potential to become an offline phenomenon is justifiably a concern, and Bruce Hoffman and others make a compelling case for greater scrutiny by law enforcement, noting that expressions are more violent." are considered this ideology are the "new terrorist threat". These virtual worlds are powered by self-reported accounts on forums like Incels.net and Incels.however, low self-esteem, bullying and mental health issues are common.
As researchers of online subcultures, documentaries like TFW no GF are invaluable because they give us a rare perspective of these men in their own words. Despite the film's selectivity and subjectivity - which represents a small sampling of the infinite experiences and beliefs of the members of this vast community - it provides us with vignettes of online spaces that allow certain hateful ideas to flourish and assert themselves.
For some, the weird and often hostile world of online forums offers a much-needed connection when other doors are closed. For others, they contribute to a more misogynistic, racist, and sometimes violent worldview. As COVID-19 continues to rage, forcing more and more people to live their lives online, the ability to understand and combat deep loneliness and its potential for intersection with the extreme and even violent corners of the internet will be critical. .
Its title, which alludes to the 4chan line "the feeling of not having a girlfriend," reveals the essence of the complaints of subjects featured in the South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival program as the first "lack of romance" "Camaraderie," then evolves into "a larger state of being defined by isolation, rejection, and alienation." As one of the film's characters noted, "Everyone my age grows up on the internet... 4chan was the only real... Me realized other people go through the same shit.”
What does this level of alienation tell us about today's society? And how seriously should we take the content of this online mosaic of forums and forums, each with its own language and visual culture that may seem funny or ironic at first glance, but often hides misogyny, racism and violence? These are tough and pressing questions, especially given the emerging incel phenomenon — “incel” is a portmanteau of “involuntary celibacy” — that seems to be gaining traction online.
Virtual Expressions
The idea of virtual expressions of alienation and anger leading to real violence remains a real and current threat, as we were reminded in May when a teenage Canadian became the first Canadian to be charged with terrorist-inspired incel. However, the documentary avoids confronting the violence that the subculture often glorifies, and the director has since said the film was never meant to be about incels, but discussing the subject without the term coming up became impossible.
It turns out that the men we encounter in TFW No GF appear largely harmless - except perhaps to themselves - and despite the documentary's lack of narrative voice acting, he takes a decidedly empathetic stance. . Against a backdrop of industrial landscapes and deserted deserts, they show the United States in decline. Here are models and possibilities on site and the closest thing to "community" is virtual reality. Each self-proclaimed NEET — colloquial for “not in education, work, or education” — has their own history of alienation: alcoholic parents, dead friends, or disenfranchisement in the school system.
Those who study internet subcultures will be familiar with the memes explored in the film by Frog Pepe and Wojak.Pepe is used as a reaction image, usually disguised as "good man" and "happy/angry/sad Pepe", and while not intended to have racist undertones, it is often used in sectarian contexts by the alt-right. Wojak, also known as "Feel Guy", is usually portrayed as a bald man with a depressed expression on his face.
One of the characters in the documentary "Kantbot" explains that "one cannot exist without the other...it is the duality of man". To these men, Pepe represents the troll self, a public figure who embodies their smug and conceited qualities. Wojak signifies a more private and vulnerable self marked by inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and sadness.The documentary attempts to explore the root of this dichotomy by demanding our sympathy.
At first glance, the men of "TFW No GF" have one thing in common: their inability to find mates, a theme that permeates the "manosphere," which includes men who go their separate ways (MGTOW) and incels. The latter identity has garnered particular attention in recent years due to the spate of incel violence we've witnessed across North America, including Eliot Rodger's 2014 attack on Isla Vista, California, which killed six people . According to Moonshot CVE, incels believe that's genetic factors affect their physical appearance and/or social skills in a way that makes them unattractive to women", and some follow the "black pill" philosophy, i.e. they say that women Are superficial and natural Choose mates based on looks and eliminate unattractive men's chances of finding a mate and procreating.
The Incele are a heterogeneous and nebulous community whose worldview is shaped by a virulent form of nihilism viewed through the prism of a three-tiered social hierarchy dictated by appearance. Here are the incels at the bottom of the stack, after normals, Chads, and Stacys."While instances of actual violence by incels remain relatively small, their potential to become an offline phenomenon is justifiably a concern, and Bruce Hoffman and others make a compelling case for greater scrutiny by law enforcement, noting that expressions are more violent." are considered this ideology are the "new terrorist threat". These virtual worlds are powered by self-reported accounts on forums like Incels.net and Incels.however, low self-esteem, bullying and mental health issues are common.
Unusual and Dangerous World
An acknowledgment of the pain, rejection, and sickness that one can suffer is certainly necessary, uncomfortable as it may be given the repulsive imagery and rhetoric that is advocated. Underlying all of this is the need for a public health-based response. However, the documentary's empathetic approach has been criticized, with The Guardian accusing it of misinformation, notably portraying 4chan and others as harmless, and Rolling Stone criticizing the film's acceptance of events without questioning the community's support for violence, misogyny and racism place. In that sense, the film is reminiscent of the 2016 documentary Red Pill, which followed Cassie Jay's journey into the world of men's rights activists, just as focuses on one side of an increasingly complicated debate.Ultimately, showing empathy shouldn't be a way to avoid difficult conversations, and in the case of inceldom, not doing so can be considered irresponsible.
As researchers of online subcultures, documentaries like TFW no GF are invaluable because they give us a rare perspective of these men in their own words. Despite the film's selectivity and subjectivity - which represents a small sampling of the infinite experiences and beliefs of the members of this vast community - it provides us with vignettes of online spaces that allow certain hateful ideas to flourish and assert themselves.
For some, the weird and often hostile world of online forums offers a much-needed connection when other doors are closed. For others, they contribute to a more misogynistic, racist, and sometimes violent worldview. As COVID-19 continues to rage, forcing more and more people to live their lives online, the ability to understand and combat deep loneliness and its potential for intersection with the extreme and even violent corners of the internet will be critical. .
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