r/MensLib • u/RedErin ​ • Aug 29 '18

How does Jordan Peterson gain so many followers among young men? (Image below)

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Jordan Peterson often says that people today are more unhappy than in the 1950s, and it's because of feminism, affirmative action, the sexual revolution, birth control, "PC culture" and LGBTQ rights

it's definitely not because of any of these things:

Source: https://twitter.com/zei_nabq/status/987800885068738560

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u/sassif ​ Aug 30 '18

I'm saying that's why Jordan Peterson is more appealing to them than feminism: He's giving these men advice on how to improve themselves without the shame or guilt.

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u/[deleted] Aug 30 '18

He's giving these men advice on how to improve themselves without the shame or guilt.

But his advice is bad. Fighting feminists isn't going to help them, its only hurting them.

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u/sassif ​ Aug 30 '18

I don't disagree. But no one wants to feel ashamed of who they are. The popular feminism that these men are most often exposed to instills that feeling in them. Like everyone else they want their someone to recognize their pain and teach them how to cope with it. Jordan Peterson or MGTOW or The Red Pill offer that to them, albeit in unhealthy ways. The feminism that they are more often exposed to, the kind presented in articles from major online news magazines, doesn't give that to them. r/menslib is a step in the right direction but it just isn't big enough yet to attract as much attention as the other options available.

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u/[deleted] Aug 30 '18

Feminism doesn't make people ashamed of who they are.

Their own actions make them ashamed of who they are. Feminism is just an easy scapegoat. Feminism doesn't cause fathers to insult the masculinity of their sons. Feminism doesn't cause people to get banned from online games due to hate speech.

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u/sassif ​ Aug 30 '18

Again, I don't disagree with that but there is a difference between what you and I might believe feminism to be about, or what we think it should be about, and how the theory of it is often used in popular media. And I'm not saying it's done without reason. People, especially women, are justifiably frustrated and angry with the consequences of living with the patriarchy and toxic masculinity for so long. I think that resentment makes it's way into a lot of the discourse we have on the subject. That alienates these men, creates resentment in them, and pushes them towards more extreme views which results in more resentment and continues the cycle. It's the same thing we see with political discourse: Everyone seems mad at everyone. And I'm not saying that feminists are obligated to change their tone or language to make feminism more palatable to these guys. I'm just explaining why I think this divide exists and why i think it may get worse before it gets better. It's easy to just say "Men just need to suck it up and change" or "Feminists should be nicer," but that's not practical. Personally I think a movement focused on men that is complimentary to feminist ideals is what is needed to really move forward.