Sigmas in Stigma

Modern masculinity and its perverse effects on the upcoming election

The 2024 election is the current culmination of the surmounting bipartisan divide that has plagued the United States for decades, but notably since Trump’s victory in 2016. Meanwhile, the world is advancing technologically. Since the pandemic, algorithmic short form media has dominated the entertainment industry. Political campaigners obviously are not oblivious to this ever growing social trend, and thus have flocked towards platforms such as TikTok and Instagram reels to take advantage of the feedback loops and echo chambers perpetuated by the algorithmic engagement systems. 

Perhaps at the helm of the negativity that sprouted from this clever political exploitation are Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson, both famous conservatives. While Tate is infamous for his belligerent and misogynistic attitude, he isn’t exactly known for well articulated rhetoric and comprehension. The man even claimed that women shouldn’t possess the right to vote. Thus, while impressionable towards a younger audience, his bravado doesn’t sustain any sort of longevity within his fandom. Peterson, however, has garnered a large following due to his elocution, and this eloquence helps him promote his twisted idea of masculinity. 

Peterson, now also joined by billionaire and endeavoring internet personality Elon Musk, foments hate towards ideas such as “political correctness” and identity politics. Just like Peterson’s glib language, Musk’s affluence also aids the Republican party’s validity, as surely one of the richest people in the world has the firmest grasps on public affairs. Regardless of this logical fallacy, due to their combined colossal platforms — Musk owns X, and has been known to censor “tweets” despite ironically advocating for free speech — these influential figureheads can easily prey on susceptible young men. 

These ideas happen to be reiterated by Donald Trump, the current Republican candidate for the presidency of the United States of America. Recent polling from the Harvard Kennedy School shows that almost 58% of young men support Trump, versus the 37% that support Kamala. Despite the theory that most voters will return to logos and rationality, this conjecture falls short when an entire demographic has yet to develop their prefrontal cortexes. 

Potentially joining the nominal leaders of online conservatism is Joe Rogan. While Rogan may not be as outlandishly dramatic as his peers, he nonetheless occasionally perpetuates the common misinformation shared among his ilk. Additionally, Rogan isn’t steadfast on any political party: he endorsed Bernie Sanders back in the 2020 election, and later in 2022 called himself a "bleeding heart liberal” and was a surprising advocate for same-sex marriage. However, Rogan has also claimed to prefer the Trump administration to Biden’s, and maintained a similar sentiment toward Kamala Harris’ campaign. While at the time of writing this Rogan hasn’t espoused a specific candidate for the 2024 election, he has hosted the former president Donald Trump on his podcast very recently on October 25, 2024. Rogan did not outright endorse Trump, and even criticized and corrected Trump on multiple occasions; however, the casual communion of the two might suggest to Rogan’s largely young adult audience a large implication of political endorsement. Similarly, Rogan would go on to host Republican Vice President candidate JD Vance on October 31, 2024. With Rogan being a podcaster with 18 million followers on YouTube alone and both videos having amassed 57 million views combined as of November 3, 2024, these last minute interviews could garner vital voters in the tumultuous upcoming election. 

In light of our assembly with Dr. Matthew Dickinson, one should recall that less than 2% of Americans are the most vocal on our nation’s politics. The outrageous videos and comments online are not written or even liked by the average person. While the Republican party has brazen figureheads which perhaps reflect poorly on the GOP, the loud minority does not represent the political party as a whole. No matter your affiliation, please remember to maintain civility and rationality in political discourse. 

Ethan Yuan