Beyond Misogyny: Understanding the Incel Mindset in a Fragmented Society
Who are Incels?
Incels (short for "involuntary celibates") are members of an online subculture of primarily heterosexual men who identify as being unable to form romantic or sexual relationships despite desiring them, a recognised trend in modern society. There is not a lot of empirical primary research on Incels, but the research we do have has shown a cohort of individuals predominately characterised by loneliness, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide. This subculture has become heavily discussed due to Incels being linked to several mass shootings, including those committed by Elliot Rodger and Jake Davison.
Do Incels have an ideology?
Within the online Incel community, there is some core talking points which are often cited. For example, Incels believe that society is structured as a rigid hierarchy based on physical attractiveness, with "Chads" (attractive alpha males) and attractive women at the top, "normies" (average people) in the middle, and Incels at the bottom. A person's position in this hierarchy is determined primarily by immutable genetic factors like bone structure, height, etc. Transcending one's genetic "sexual market value" is impossible. Women desire the most attractive "Chad" males for sexual/romantic relationships. Incels believe they are cruelly excluded from dating due to their unattractiveness.
Does this constitute an ideology? An ideology represents a coherent system of ideas, beliefs, values, and attitudes that attempt to structure society. Examples of ideologies include capitalism, socialism, feminism, environmentalism, Marxism, and various religious doctrines. It is not obvious that Incels are attempting any sort of political or social change in society. This is largely because they are defeatist and nihilistic in attitude and will disparage even a fellow Incel from trying to improve even their own situation (by talking to a girl for example), although some do advocate for a more traditional approach to dating and relationships. Feelings of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, loneliness, and frustration are emotional states or mental health conditions experienced by Incels statistically more than other individuals. While these moods may be shared among a group, they do not constitute an organised system of ideas or guiding principles that would qualify as an ideology. Incels do, however, have a coherent set of ideas – in fact it is unfortunately the case that their ideas are very coherent and reflect the situation of many young men.
“the fact that most frustrates and depresses the Incel subculture is that the “top” 80% of women, all compete for the “top” 20% of men.”
Incels make claims that are indeed backed-up by substantial research. In a large-scale survey looking at trends in sexual relationships from 2010 to 2018, authors found the number of persons between the ages of 18 and 24 who claimed to be virgins increased for men over this time period, but not for women. A host of cross-cultural research demonstrates that women, on average, do prefer men with socioeconomic success, socially dominant and who are physically attractive. The Incel assertion that female mating choice does select for the “alpha’ is entirely consistent with our evolutionary history, natural selection and female mating strategies of our species - and our closest primate cousins. Furthermore, our modern online dating world in which the “top” 20% of men are often dating more than one person at a time, at least casually can be described as a polygynous modern dating environment, where a small number of men have access to a large number of women. Typically, a man of average attractiveness is “liked” by approximately 0.87% of women on dating apps such as Tinder, and the average woman “likes” just 12% of men. Women are very selective, and as we would expect matches on dating apps are not evenly distributed. The “bottom” 80% of men (in terms of attractiveness) compete for the “bottom” 20% of women. But the fact that most frustrates and depresses the Incel subculture is that the “top” 80% of women, all compete for the “top” 20% of men. As Kathryn Baselice has argued, “the problem is not that Incels’ are wrong in their observations (at least for those pursuing the scientific literature), [it is that] they are inflexible or superficial in how they apply evolutionary principles. They fail to consider alternative explanations or the complexity of human behaviour”. This leads to the defeatist, myopic, dogmatic, and ultimately depressed and suicidal worldview and to an individual who does not even try to elevate himself into the perceived “top” 20%.
Aren’t they Misogynistic?
The Incel subculture has been increasingly associated with misogynistic violence and even terrorism, due to a few cases of Incel violence, yet the mainstream discourse often oversimplifies or misrepresents their perspectives. This prevalent characterisation of Incels as primarily misogynistic is a reductive and unhelpful interpretation that fails to capture the nuanced complexity of their worldview. A more comprehensive analysis suggests that their grievances and worldview is better understood through the lens of misanthropy rather than gender-specific antipathy. The incel phenomenon, at its core, represents a profound disillusionment with societal structures and human nature. Their discourse, while often inflammatory, reflects a pervasive and profound sense of alienation from a society they perceive as fundamentally unjust and superficial. This is most powerfully evidenced in the high levels of suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety with the Incel subculture. This alienation extends beyond gender dynamics to encompass a broader critique of social hierarchies and value systems. Crucially, the Incel worldview posits a universal human condition marked by shallow judgments and unfairness. Their frustration, therefore, is not solely directed at women but at a societal framework they believe disadvantages a significant portion of the population, regardless of gender. Furthermore, the Incel worldview can be interpreted as a manifestation of broader sociological trends, including increasing social isolation (particularly for men), the impact of digital culture on interpersonal relationships (particularly negative for young girls and women), and shifting paradigms of masculinity in contemporary society. While misogynistic elements are undeniably present in Incel discourse, categorising the movement as primarily misogynistic (or misogynistically violent) dramatically oversimplifies a complex sociological phenomenon. A more accurate characterisation would frame the Incel worldview as a dogmatic, nihilistic and misanthropic response to perceived societal dysfunction, reflecting deep issues of social alienation and disillusionment in the modern era.
“the Incel propensity for violence appears relatively low compared to that of the general population [Therefore] A great research question is: what are Incels providing that is limiting male violence on a global scale”?
But aren’t they violent?
The fact that a handful of these lonely, depressed and suicidal young men turned to violence is entirely predictable and it is surprising there is not a lot more violence given how many individuals claim an Incel identity. Estimates place Incels globally at around 21,000 individuals (as counted on current Incel forums), roughly around the same number of foreign fighters (20 – 30,000) that went to fight for ISIS in Iraq and Syria – the fact we can only attribute around 15 global cases between 2009 and 2022 that are potentially linked to Incel violence is astonishing. Furthermore, and this is a very powerful finding - it has now been shown that “the Incel propensity for violence appears relatively low compared to that of the general population”. However, when one reads about Incels one gets the impression that they are the new ISIS, drawing from evil misogyny which is extant everywhere is society. A great research question is: ‘what are Incels providing that is limiting male violence on a global scale’?
Do we think it is a coincidence that we having a global population collapse on the horizon, an epidemic of childless women (most of which are involuntary childless) and a subgroup of men not able to date? What are the sociological factors at play that are contributing to these trends? Understanding these nuances is crucial for developing more effective strategies to address issues around loneliness, sexual deprivation, mental health and resentment that can potentially fuel extremism. But rather than just labelling and alienating this subculture of young men, perhaps we should acknowledge that they are swept up in global sociological trends that do not have easy solutions but, like their childless female counterparts, deserve our compassion.
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Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, legal advice, or other professional opinion. Never disregard such advice because of this article or anything else you have read from the Centre for Male Psychology. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of, or are endorsed by, The Centre for Male Psychology, and we cannot be held responsible for these views. Read our full disclaimer here.
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