Editorial

I recently watched the documentary by Louis Theroux, called Inside the Manosphere and I was uncomfortable. Not because of what Louis was unearthing, but because I have been quite naïve to what is alive and well online and in our society. How do we as a Christian school deal with something like this?

For those that are unaware of what it actually is, the manosphere refers to a largely online network of communities based on strong influencers that focus on masculinity, relationships, power, wealth and control. It might look like a self-improvement blog or site but can give way to thwarted views of power, control, wealth, self-identity and relationships, often highlighted by sexist and misogynistic views, sometimes resulting in violence against women in particular. Views that are not reflective of what we as a school would want to uphold at all.

The saddest thing about the Manosphere, is that young men are being led to believe that their worth is found in their appearance, their wealth, their ‘power’ (physical and mental) and their ability to dominate those around them. One might say that this pressure has always been around for young men, and that is true, but current society seems to have ramped up the pressure on this and the voices of the influencers are getting into the social media feeds of young boys and teenagers, distracting them from the story that we think is far more compelling; who you are in Christ is what matters. How God sees you is what is real and you can find forgiveness and freedom in a relationship with Jesus.

So, how can we as parents respond to this? What do we need to be looking out for? How do we know if our boys are being influenced by this culture? Essentially, if our boys have access to social media, they are most likely seeing the reels and feeling the pressure. The answer might be, particularly for under 16s, to ban social media. The answer might also be to limit screen time, or it might also be in helping our kids to be discerning and open in conversation about what they are seeing and hearing.

At the basis of this conversation, is two competing world views. We like to talk about world views at MECS! The manosphere view is “How do I win, how do I dominate” where as the biblical view is “who am I and who am I becoming”.

As parents, we encourage you to notice and have conversations with your boys about this, especially if you notice some of the following:

• Fixation or comments repeatedly around the need for status, money, power.
• Language around relationships that is dismissive and reduces women to stereotypes. Other language changes might include terms like 'high value male', 'alpha' etc
• Emotional withdrawal “I have to be strong” (this is not uncommon in teenage boys)
• Cynicism towards relationships

• Fixation beyond reasonable on looking 'good'

   

As much as this is alarming to talk about, we need to remember that as parents, we have the ability to continue to provide something very solid for our children, a safe and nurturing home. Tim Keller once said “to be loved but not know is comforting but superficial”. The biggest challenge with the manosphere is that it offers something very superficial, where as in our homes we get to offer a space that is safe and a place where they are known. Known by God and known by those that love them best.

We will continue here at school to remain informed and be assured that our staff take opportunities to provide appropriate opportunities where some of these challenging topics can be talked about with our students. Let’s partner in this, together.

I do recommend the viewing of Inside the Manosphere, available on Netflix.

Michelle Dempsey

Principal