In the first of this two-part series, we're talking about the myth of the alpha male, where it came from, how it's developed, and why it has remained so prevalent in our culture, despite the fact that a lot of research has overturned the idea.
Perhaps the group most obsessed with the idea of alpha males are incels (involuntarily celibate men), who have adopted an elaborate pseudoscientific misogyny that explains why women won't have sex with them. We spoke with Callum Hood, the head of reserach at the Center for Countering Digital Hate, about how incels look to "nature" to explain human society and justify their beliefs, how incel forums foster and spread hate online, and what (if anything) can be done about them.
To support the show, visit our Patreon and become a patron today. You can also sign up for our free monthly newsletter. Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram for climate news and dank memes.
You can find Callum's report for CCDH and other resources below.
CCDH research on Jake Davison, a UK mass shooter involved in incel communities
We Hunted the Mammoth is a blog covering the manosphere that has been around nearly a decade now and is a useful 'historical' resource
Article explaining how former pick-up artist Roosh V described raping women in his books
Another article about a different pick-up artist describing having raped someone
Former pick-up artist Roosh V's blog on legalizing rape
Laura Bates' book "Men Who Hate Women" is very good on incels and crossover with white supremacism
Article about a leading incel moderator recently announcing he is now in a sexual relationship
CCDH's report The Incelosphere