The four-episode British series titled ‘Adolescence,’ which premiered last week on Netflix, has received considerable praise. The show delves into the aftermath of a 13-year-old student killing another classmate. Every installment offers an unbroken look at various facets of this tragedy: starting with the initial detention, moving through the inquiry within the educational institution, examining the mental health evaluation of the young perpetrator, and concluding with how his family reacts.

Looming over the drama is the query of how a culture has developed

toxic masculinity

has resulted in the tragedy. Notably during the school incident, the impact of male content producers such as

Andrew Tate

The issue of young boys being portrayed as a perilous factor for radicalization within British society is emphasized.

Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, who are both writers and co-creators of the series, expressed their desire for the show to bring about genuine societal transformation. “My vision is for it to be screened in educational institutions as well as legislative chambers,” stated Thorne. He emphasized its importance, noting, “The situation will likely worsen over time.”

The UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned that he viewed the series alongside his 16-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter. When asked whether he supported airing ‘Adolescence’ both in Parliament and educational institutions, he responded, “This is an excellent drama to watch. The aggression exhibited by young males, driven by content consumed online, represents a genuine issue. Such behavior is deplorable, and we must address this challenge.”

Knife crime against women

Figures from the

Office for National Statistics

(ONS) show that

knife crime

The rate has risen in England and Wales, with an increase of 4.4% over the past year. During the same period, sharp objects were utilized in 41% of homicide cases concluded in March 2024.

The two categories with the most significant rise in knife-related crimes over the last four years were rape and sexual assault. During this period, there was a decrease in knife crime associated with attempted murders and robberies; however, incidents involving rape surged by 16.7%.

Even though rape and sexual assault can affect anyone regardless of their gender, these offenses primarily victimize women. According to last year’s statistics, the number of incidents where women were killed, harmed, or intimidated with a knife increased over twofold within a span of five years.

In 2023, a tragic incident occurred where 16-year-old trans teen Brianna Ghey lost her life at the hands of two fellow students from her school. Last year, these individuals were handed life sentences after being found guilty; the court concluded that their primary motive was sadism, followed by animosity towards transgender individuals.

‘Adolescence’ exposes how toxic masculinity promoters on social media contribute to the radicalization of men and young boys, leading them to develop hatred towards women.

This is a story centered around a young person whose actions result in significant damage. To grasp his motivations, we must consider the pressures he faces,” Thorne elaborated further. “Jamie has been influenced by notions he encountered online—ideas that resonate with him, possess an appealing rationale, and provide explanations for his feelings of loneliness and alienation, ultimately driving him toward making extremely poor decisions.

“We must comprehend what material he has been exposed to, which particularly involves examining the internet and the manosphere.”

incel

culture,” said Thorne.

The term “manosphere” denotes an internet-based subculture where men engage in discussions centered around anti-feminist ideologies. Often, these platforms serve as hubs for individuals identifying themselves as incels—men who consider themselves involuntarily celibate because of what they perceive as unattainable female standards regarding potential romantic or sexual relationships. In ‘Adolescence,’ the character responsible for the killings is portrayed as being influenced by this community.

Incel influencers

Within the manosphere, the best-known figure is

Andrew Tate

The 38-year-old British-American influencer gained significant attention over recent years due to his viral posts that espoused misogynistic ideas. “Being realistic means being sexist; there’s simply no way around it,” he stated during an interview.

In tandem with fellow influencers such as Jordan Peterson and Hamza Ahmed, Tate has played a significant role in radicalizing many young men into believing that rejecting feminist ideals of equality is essential for achieving success.

The British artist Sam Fender mentioned that he wasn’t shocked “to see all these young guys being drawn to figures like Andrew Tate who play on their emotions.”

“They constantly face humiliation and are made to feel as though they are an issue. This story is often told to white boys from small-town areas,” the ’17 Going Under’ singer stated.

Tate, along with his sibling Tristan, was

detained in Romania during 2022

and officially charged with being part of a criminal network where women were enticed into the nation only to be exploited afterward.

The brothers are additionally confronting a civil lawsuit filed by an American woman alleging that they forced her into prostitution. They also face accusations of human trafficking and rape in the UK. Both men have denied these allegations.

Even with these accusations, the Tate siblings escaped to the United States in January after a Romanian appellate court sent their case back to the prosecution. The brothers possess American citizenship and each backed Donald Trump’s presidential run last year.

It remains unclear whether Trump’s administration was involved in helping the pair evade the travel restrictions. However, it is evident that Richard Grenell, who served as Trump’s special envoy, brought up their case with Romania’s Foreign Minister, Emil Hurezeanu.

Trump himself has denied knowing Tate, but they have been brought up by both Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. Similarly, last year UK anti-immigration politician Nigel Farage called Tate an “important voice” for boys.

Gendered political divides

This alignment between manosphere and right-wing figures might be compounding increasing political divides between men and women. Research last year found that Gen Z is

split along gender lines politically

In a manner that past generations have not experienced.

British Generation Z males are 25% more conservative compared to their female counterparts. In the United States, females between the ages of 18 and 30 are currently 30% more progressive than males within the same age range. A comparable size of this ideological divide can also be observed among Germans based on gender.

Initially observed in South Korea, this phenomenon stems from a growing gender-based political division over the last ten years, leading to increased societal segregation. The country’s marriage and birth rates have plummeted considerably, aligning with the perspectives espoused by the manosphere movement.

If influencers such as Tate contribute to the divide between genders, it is because young men are susceptible to their sexist posts on social media.

Australia has made significant progress in addressing the risks posed by social media to young people. The country’s government passed a law at the end of last year prohibiting anyone under 16 years old from using social media platforms.

British lawmakers have proposed adopting similar measures. Currently, the nation plans to enforce the Online Safety Act (OSA), a series of regulations designed to safeguard both children and adults from online dangers. The act aims to prevent minors from encountering harmful material; nevertheless, prior to its rollout, it has faced criticism for inadequately addressing technology firms hosting content that could be extremist.