What The Manosphere Gets Wrong About Masculinity - A Response to Louis Theroux's Documentary

I just watched Louis Theroux's "Inside The Manosphere" documentary on Netflix.

As someone who's spent 30+ years teaching character development to men and boys, I was disturbed - but not surprised.

Here's what the documentary reveals about the crisis facing young men - and what they actually need instead.

THE HYPOCRISY IS THE TELL

Harrison Sullivan manages an OnlyFans-style platform but calls the women "disgusting" and says he'd never let his daughter do it.

Andrew Tate built his wealth running webcam operations exploiting women, then lectures young men about "traditional masculinity."

Amrou Fudi demands girlfriend loyalty while openly sleeping with multiple women.

They profit from exploitation and humiliating others whilst preaching integrity.

As the ancient Stoic Seneca wrote:

"All cruelty springs from weakness." 

"I'M LIVING FOR MYSELF"

When Louis asked Harrison Sullivan "Why not try to be a good person?", his response was revealing:

"If I'd just done good things, I would never have blown up on social media... I'm not living for other people. I'm living for myself."

This is a CHILD'S worldview.

A child asks: "What do I want? What benefits me?"

A man asks: "What's my responsibility? Who am I serving? What's my role in the larger story?"

The manosphere teaches boys to remain boys dictated by males who never became men. 

Warrior codes teach boys to become men.

THEY DIAGNOSE CORRECTLY BUT PRESCRIBE POISON

To be fair, the manosphere isn't entirely wrong.

They correctly identify that:

• Men are being emasculated

• Modern culture attacks masculinity  

• Boys need codes and purpose

But their solution is toxic:

Instead of BUILD CHARACTER → They say: Build wealth/status only

Instead of SERVE OTHERS → They say: Use others

Instead of INTEGRITY → They say: Win at all costs

They diagnose the disease correctly. Then prescribe more poison.

THE FATHERLESS CRISIS

Many of these manosphere figures grew up without fathers.

When you don't see what real masculinity looks like, you INVENT it based on what the fatherless boy thinks it should be:

• Money, women, domination

• Status, followers, image  

• Cruelty, control, performance

This is counterfeit masculinity.

And millions of other fatherless boys are following them because they don't know better.

Orphans teaching orphans how to be men.

WHAT YOUNG MEN ACTUALLY NEED

As the Dalai Lama said: "Secular ethics, not religion, is best placed to assist the moral crisis facing the world."

Young men need SECULAR WARRIOR ETHICS - universal codes that work for everyone:

Discipline (not feelings as your guide)

Integrity (word matches action)

Courage (face what's hard in the service of others)

Service (strength protects, doesn't exploit)

Brotherhood (real relationships, not followers)

Legacy (who you become matters)

Not what you believe. Who you become through practice.

THE ALTERNATIVE

The manosphere is what happens when lost boys teach lost boys.

Real transformation happens when actual men teach character codes that have worked across cultures for millennia.

This is what I'm building with Kingmakers - secular warrior ethics for men. 

Not performative masculinity. Real character.

Not exploitation. Transformation.  

Not selfishness. Service.

Young men deserve better than the manosphere.

They deserve warrior codes that actually work.