United by Rage, Self-Loathing, and Male Supremacy: the Rise of the Incel
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16 UNITED BY RAGE, SELF-LOATHING, AND MALE SUPREMACY: THE RISE OF THE INCEL COMMUNITY Farshad Labbaf, University of Alberta Introduction and Background Abstract: Following Delanty’s post-traditional Since the 1990s, the internet has fundamentally interpretation of Jurgen Habermas’s ideation of transformed social relations by giving rise to cyber- community, a community is an entity that is communities, which have brought new kinds of linguistically created through deliberation and polymorphous, highly personalized, and lifestyle- sustained by social action (Delanty 2018, p. 135). oriented social groups (CBC News, 2018). They As noted by Ryfe (2007), deliberation is regarded have also given rise to new political movements, as a cultural practice that facilitates the exchange including extremist internet groups, that can be of ideas, knowledge, beliefs, and opinions. It is severely detrimental to the sustainable wellbeing of also a procedural mechanism that serves a political society (Delanty, 2018, p. 200). Over the past purpose by asserting an individual’s roles, values, decade, a fringe internet group known as the and actions in the dynamics of the group. Under involuntary celibates (Incels) have developed this notion, online communities would be mainstream infamy for their extreme misogynistic considered a manifestation of an echo-chamber rhetoric and reactionary anti-feminist language, which has manifested into several terrorist attacks that can be intrinsically individualistic and (ContraPoints, 2018). It can be argued that Incels fragmenting. However, it can be argued that have developed an online community centred on the because of the lack of deliberation from excluded desire for society to revert to absolute patriarchy that groups within such forums, these online groups are dehumanizes women as mere sexual commodities instead regurgitating ideas within their boundaries. and vehemently oppose the idea of women’s Since the 1990s, the Internet has brought empowerment and sexual liberation (Tolentino, about a fundamental transformation in social 2018). This paper will analyze the social dynamics relations through advancements in communication, and methods of communication within this fringe which have revolutionized our theoretical echo-chamber to better determine if the values of understandings of a community and everyday hate, self-loathing and misogyny can facilitate experiences (Delanty 2018, p. 200). Cyber- deliberation and in turn constitute the Incels as a communities have brought about new kinds of legitimate community. social groups, which are “polymorphous,” highly Keywords: community, Incel, misogyny, violence, personalized, and lifestyle oriented (Delanty 2018, hate, and manosphere p. 200). They have also given rise to new political Author Note: movements, including extremist internet groups, that can have significant influence over the This article was completed under the University of sustainable wellbeing of society (Delanty 2018, p. Alberta, Augustana Faculty as a final assignment paper for AUSOC 263: Social Theory of 200). Community under the guidance of Dr. Tara Over the past decade, a fringe internet Milbrandt. group known as the involuntary celibates (Incels) 17 have developed mainstream infamy for their common sentiment of disdain towards feminism, extreme misogynistic rhetoric and reactionary they are distinctly unique due to their language, anti-feminist language, which has manifested into beliefs, and ideology compared to other groups in several terrorist attacks (Olheiser, 2018). On April the Manosphere (Jane 2017, p. 662). Incels have 23, 2018, Alek Minassian was charged with developed a cohesive environment of social murdering ten people, mostly women, and injuring engagement centred on a shared desire for society sixteen others through a van attack in downtown to operate under absolute patriarchy that Toronto, Canada. Before the attack, he applauded dehumanizes women as mere sexual commodities the Incel movement. He declared an “Incel and quashes the empowerment of women and Rebellion” to punish women for denying Incels sexual liberation (Tolentino 2018). sex, which was regarded in the forums he partook It is essential to determine what elements in as a human right (Olheiser, 2018). within the online platforms where Incels gather In the same Facebook post, Minassian provide members with a sense of nostalgia and pledged allegiance to Elliot Rodger, a 22-year old, comfort that Zygmunt Bauman refers to as the self-identified Incel who killed six people and foundation of community (Bauman, 2001). This wounded fourteen others in the college town of paper refers to core theoretical notions of Isla Vista. Rodger is lionized within online forums community noted by Zygmunt Bauman and Jurgen of Incels, in which Minassian actively engaged Habermas’s as the basis of whether or not (Branson-Potts & Winton, 2016). The deification interactions among Incels within and outside their of Rodger was not only due to the violence of his online forums constitute the subgroup as a act but also the 137-page manifesto that excoriated legitimate community. Analyzing the social women for “unfairly” rejecting him and giving dynamics and methods of communication within their affection, love and sex to other men while he this fringe eco-chamber clarifies whether values of remained a virgin. Rodger’s manifesto and hate, self-loathing and misogyny can facilitate YouTube videos became a staple hold of the Incel deliberation, emotional connectedness, and movement, serving as a guide for many Incels who nostalgia which in turn will constitute the Incels as want to partake in acts of violence (Branson-Potts a sociologically legitimate community. & Winton, 2016 ). The motives of sexual History of the Incel Community frustration and hatred for women further inspired In 1997, a woman in Toronto known as Scott Paul Bierele to murder six women at a yoga “Alana” created a website that sought to operate as studio in Tallahassee, Florida, in November 2018 a support network for anybody of any gender who as well as several other attacks in which was lonely, never had sex or who had not been in perpetrators were linked to engaging in Incel a relationship in a long time for whatever reason forums (Zaveri, Jacobs & Mervosh, 2018). (Taylor, 2018). She coined the term ‘involuntary A product of the anti-feminist Men’s celibates’ to refer to the members of this online Rights Movement (MRM), Incels operate within a support group. However, after dissociating herself broader online conglomerate of fringe anti- from the network, the forum began to shift towards feminist sub-groups known as the Manosphere becoming a virtual area of hate and frustration (Lily 2016, p. 50). Although Incels express a 18 among mostly heterosexual men within the the subjugation of women (SPLC, 2018). The manosphere (Taylor, 2018). Incels’ ascent to mainstream social discourse is According to Ging (2017), the manosphere due, in part, to the acts of violence perpetrated by is a product of the men’s liberation movement of Elliot Rodger and Alek Minassian, whom Incels the 1970s, which emerged as a form of resistance glorify for avenging the perceived injustices of an against second-wave feminism. Historically, oppressive feminist society (Ging, 2017, p. 3). The Incels identified as men who were disillusioned by consensus among Incel chatrooms is that feminists, the seduction methods of pick up artists whom social justice warriors, and alpha males are to they felt had failed them in developing sexual blame for their inability to have sexual relationships with women (SPLC, 2018). As a relationships (Ging, 2017, p. 3). Overall, Incels result, Incels began to coalesce within anonymous subscribe to a notion of masculinity that is defined social media platforms such as 4Chan, Reddit, by a tally of “sexual conquests” and referring to 8Chan, Gab, Incel.me as well as other platforms to women as “emotionally cruel,” “sexually deviant express their frustrations through unfettered subhumans” (Grinnell College, n.d.) who are misogyny, racism, and violence rhetoric (Fifth inferior to men intellectually and genetically and Estate, 2019; Beauchamp, 2018; Massanari 2015, must, therefore, be controlled. p. 333). Social Boundaries of the Incels The adoption of violent and extreme It is important to note the difference misogynistic rhetoric within Incel forums appealed between those who are involuntarily celibate and to male members as a socially acceptable outlet for those who are part of the Incel community. venting their anger and hate without backlash According to a linguistic analysis study, it was (Marwick & Caplan, 2018). Many Incels consider determined that the demographic characteristics of such platforms as safe-spaces for members to find self-identified members of one Incel forum were kinship, camaraderie, obtain emotional support predominantly adolescent males, heterosexual, and develop a sense of belonging through a shared often less educated and described as lonely, sense of victimhood even through the promotion socially anxious, and depressed (Jaki et al., 2018, of violence against women (Kimmel 2013, p. 115; p. 13). They were also noted as using language that Hill, 2019; Ging, 2018). This coincides with the exhibited low-self esteem, self-pity and notions of community highlighted by Bauman hopelessness due to perceived physical or mental (2001), those of preserving and promoting a sense shortcomings and a lack of professional success as of comfort among its members. a result