We often assume that each new generation becomes more progressive than the last. But with the rise of far-right movements, growing discrimination, and unchecked abuse of power, it’s starting to feel like we’re moving in the opposite direction.

One troubling trend is the increasing hostility some young men show toward women and their embrace of red pill culture as a supposed solution to their struggles. Many are asking: where is this coming from?

Cindy Noir, a woman who recently shared her thoughts in a powerful Instagram video, believes she has an answer. She argues that boys today are emotionally neglected, left to navigate the internet alone, and lack strong, healthy role models to guide them in real life.

Scroll down to see her full message and tell us your thoughts.

Young men are showing rising hostility toward women and turning to harmful online content

Image credits: MikeShots (not the actual photo)

One woman argues it’s because they’re emotionally neglected

Image credits: thecindynoir

Image credits: thecindynoir

Image credits: thecindynoir

Image credits: thecindynoir

Watch the full video below

 

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A post shared by Cindy Noir (@thecindynoir)

Are young men today really becoming more sexist?

We know how social media works by now. The most extreme content spreads the fastest, comment sections are full of bots or trolls, and algorithms push the loudest voices to the top. So when people say that Gen Z men are becoming more conservative or even hostile toward women it’s fair to ask: is it just noise, or a sign of something deeper going on?

Turns out, the concern might be very real. Research from the Financial Times last year points to a growing divide between young men and women around the world.

Data journalist John Burn-Murdoch analyzed surveys and voting patterns in countries like the UK, US, Germany, and South Korea. In the UK, Gen Z women are 25 percentage points more liberal than their male peers. In Germany and the US, that gap jumps to 30 points. And in places like Poland and South Korea, young men are showing clear support for far-right parties.

According to the Financial Times, this divide seems to be a backlash to feminist movements like #MeToo and the growing presence of gender equality in mainstream conversations. But it’s not just about feminism. These differences are spilling over into broader views on immigration, race, and social issues.

“Survey data show that in many countries the ideological differences now extend beyond this issue,” says Murdoch. “The clear progressive-vs-conservative divide on sexual harassment appears to have caused—or at least is part of—a broader realignment of young men and women into conservative and liberal camps respectively on other issues.”

“In the US, UK and Germany, young women now take far more liberal positions on immigration and racial justice than young men, while older age groups remain evenly matched,” he explains.

That brings us back to what Cindy Noir said in her viral Instagram video. She believes a big reason these views stick with boys—future young men—is because they’re drawn to content from figures like Andrew Tate and other so-called “alpha male” influencers. And the explanation for why they’re so into it, she says, is simple: they’re emotionally neglected.

And she’s not alone in thinking that. In a recent Dazed article, Halima Jibril wrote that young men are pulled in by people like Tate since he offers them something that feels like structure and purpose. Even if it’s toxic, it gives them a script for how to live in a world where they feel lost.

So it’s not always boys actively seeking out misogynistic spaces online. Many are simply looking for guidance, confidence, and a sense of control. That’s how they end up finding influencers like Tate and Jordan Peterson, who market themselves as self-help experts, selling advice on how to attract women, get rich, and be “real men.” To a teenage boy who’s feeling overlooked or unsure of himself, that message can be powerful.

But that’s exactly the problem. As Noir pointed out, when boys don’t have healthy role models or real emotional support, they’re more likely to fall for these tough-love, anti-empathy messages. The influencers they follow tell them that to succeed, they have to shut down emotionally, act dominant, and treat women like conquests. And that mindset is harmful to them and to everyone around them.

This isn’t just a parenting issue, or a social media issue, it’s a cultural one. And it’s going to take all of us to start changing it.

Image credits: Brooke Cagle (not the actual photo)

Commenters connected with the message and shared their own thoughts

It’s intriguing to consider how individuals find solace and expression in different artistic forms. Much like Brittany Bloom’s impromptu performance that moved an immigrant photographer in Times Square, Cindy Noir’s heartfelt video reflects how deeply emotional connections can impact us all.

Check out the link for the story behind the profound moment that unfolded in the heart of New York City when a singer’s voice touched someone’s heartstrings in an unexpected way.

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