I Watched The Manosphere Documentary So You Don’t Have To

If you're not familiar with the manosphere, journalists often lump Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Andrew Tate and many men with completely opposing views into it, which is objectively untrue.

I’d argue Rollo Tomassi is one of the originators of the manosphere. He wrote a book titled “The Rational Male” that is supposed to help men take control of their lives and understand the “hypergamous” nature of women. The first chapter argues against the idea of a "soulmate," warning men about "oneitis" or the tendency to fixate on the one who got away.

Ironically, Rollo posted on X that he wasn’t even reached out to be a part of the documentary. Andrew Tate, on the other hand, was but turned it down because it wouldn’t pay him enough.

The main men in the documentary are HSTikkyTokky (Harrison Sullivan), Myron Gaines, Sneako, Justin Waller, and Ed Matthews.

The documentary starts with Louis Theroux meeting Harrison Sullivan, a young man obsessed with working out and bettering himself. Notably, Harrison admitted his mother wouldn't approve of most of what he says, and that he'd never let his daughter do OnlyFans, despite profiting from it himself. Fatherless homes and hypocrisy are common threads throughout the documentary and among those labeled the manosphere in general.

These are men who are against “the matrix,” which is the 9-5 grind and “powers that be.” Essentially, society that works to keep men broke and losing in life. 

The men are all highly skeptical of the mainstream media and bring it up countless times throughout the documentary. Myron Gaines, one of the main stars of the documentary, quickly took to X accusing Louis Theroux of editing out a clip where his ex-girlfriend said she was fine with him having a one-sided open relationship. 

Still, it’s honestly irrelevant. In a scene with Louis asking Myron if his ex-girlfriend would be happier not having a one-sided polyamorous relationship, Myron claims she just wants to make him happy while she looks visibly uncomfortable with the entire situation. For these men claiming they understand women so well, it’s apparent that they don’t. Today, Angie is in a new relationship with a man who wants a family with her.

Many of the men in the documentary think that sleeping around is okay as long as it’s only the man who does it because it’s more “emotional” for women. Sneako, who actually becomes a devout Muslim, not a LARPing Muslim, is the exception here.

Many of the men in the documentary think that sleeping around is okay as long as it’s only the man who does it because it’s more “emotional” for women.

People act like the manosphere is shocking. But for decades now, men have been told, explicitly and implicitly, that there is something inherently wrong with them. That their instincts are dangerous. That their masculinity is, at best, embarrassing and, at worst, threatening. This wasn’t a fringe message. It showed up in classrooms, in media, in culture consistently. “Girls rule, boys drool.”

I’ve heard countless stories. Men getting snapped at for holding a door and awkwardly retracting simple acts of courtesy because they’d been reframed as offensive. Over time, those moments accumulate. And men, who tend to value peace over conflict, adjust accordingly. And that's when the manosphere stepped in.

Historically, men had guidance. Mentorship was embedded in society. You see it everywhere, even in the stories we still tell. Virgil guiding Dante. Gandalf leading Frodo. Phil training Hercules. The archetype is consistent: older, wiser men helping younger ones become heroes in their own lives. 

But look at Daniel Penny. Men stopped being rewarded for being heroes. In fact, they were crucified for it. And men, like women, no longer had positive mentors. A recurring theme in this documentary is that the men came from fatherless homes and were solely raised by their mothers. 

So when the manosphere arrives and says: You’re not broken. Build your body. Get disciplined. Improve your life. Get rich. Beat the Matrix. It’s going to land. Of course it does. It’s the first time many of these men have been told they are capable instead of dangerous.

It’s the first time many of these men have been told they are capable instead of dangerous.

That doesn’t mean all of it is good. It isn’t. There’s a clear turn, especially in younger audiences, toward cynicism about women and a complete rejection of virtue. Another interesting fact is that the most viral voices shaping that movement come from cultural frameworks that don’t align with traditional Western or Christian views on relationships and family. 

But here’s what’s also true: most successful, well-adjusted men in stable marriages who are building meaningful lives aren’t paying attention to any of this. They’ve already moved past the stage where this content feels relevant.

The discourse is largely happening around a younger, more impressionable demographic still trying to figure out what it means to be a man. 

Which isn’t necessarily better. Girls today are asked “What do you bring to the table?” on dates and it feels like romance is dead for the young. I can’t count the number of beautiful women I know in their early 20s who have never even been asked on a date. 

I do, however, think the current media obsession with the manosphere feels a bit misplaced. The people being elevated as representatives of it are often not aspirational. And, frankly, not very cool either. Which means the cycle will likely burn out faster than people think. But the underlying issue won’t.

If there’s a path forward, it’s not in overcorrecting again. It’s in rebuilding something that should have never been discarded in the first place: a culture that expects both men and women to rise to something higher. A society that celebrates virtue and doesn’t expect men to be defunct women. 

Because you can’t fix the outcome without addressing the root cause.