How the manosphere is hurting NZ boys – Under the Influence, episode 2

Looks. Money. Status. This is the playbook of the manosphere – an online community of male influencers who promise the cheat codes to becoming a successful man. In episode two of the Herald’s new online video series Under the Influence, director-producer Nadia Maxwell discovers how the manosphere is spreading unchecked through youth culture and undermining the confidence of young Kiwi men.

Across social media, our boys are growing up in a world filled with conflicting and often dangerous messages about masculinity, relationships and their own self-worth.

“When you’re 14, 15 and there is someone in your pocket, at all times ... talking to you, surrounded by girls and cars and boats, saying, ‘I have what you want and I will teach you how to get there’ – that’s such an attractive message,” Mac Stephenson, a youth mentor who has spent years working with boys and young men, says.

“I would fall for that every day of the week at 14”.

As young men talk about what’s in their feeds in the second episode of our series, Donovan Gray, an 18-year-old law student, describes social media pressure as a “dark horse”.

“It’s something that creeps up on you and when you’re younger, you’re not really aware of it.”

St. Bede’s College students reveal the algorithm initially helps them be more motivated to go to the gym – but it also creates a lot of pressure.

The unrealistic body standards that have plagued our girls for generations are now coming for boys, with the algorithm driving content on peptides, looksmaxxing and the darker side of gym culture.

“You definitely get hooked onto the other kind of things that come with it, the influences the culture, the hardness of it,” Gray says.

“There’s this economic incentive,” Dr Kris Taylor, an academic researcher and counsellor at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Addiction Research, explains.

“It’s all about engagement farming, which relies on saying more and more outrageous things to get eyes on your content. And often that means saying the most sexist or most misogynistic thing that you can. But it’s also weaponising their anxiety.”

In Dunedin, a group of Otago University students talk about the way online influencers promise to make you rich.

“You’re seeing this guy and he’s showing how much he’s made this month ... ” Harvey, aged 20, says.

“He’s made $300k and ‘You can do this, if you buy my course’.”

“It’s not true,” 21-year-old Jack adds. “It’s just going to make them more money”.

The young men started the Heavy Breathers, an initiative to raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health in New Zealand.

Instead of relying on content without choice, they are encouraging connection and conversation to support young men.

Taylor also wants to see more dialogue. Contrary to popular belief, he says, teenage boys do want to talk about their feelings – we’re just not giving them enough opportunities to do so.

“Boys all across the country are interested and crying out for a conversation. They’re crying out to be heard”.

Under the Influence is produced by Overactive Imagination for the NZ Herald. The series was made with support from NZ On Air and Screen Canterbury. You can watch the next episode, Predatory Chatbots, on Monday, June 29, at nzherald.co.nz/undertheinfluence.