Zooming In at The UnPopulist Manosphere Men Want a Society That Loves Them For Their Vices: A Conversation With Toby Buckle
Mar 15, 2026
Toby Buckle, host of the Political Philosophy Podcast and UnPopulist contributor, critiques reactionary visions of masculinity. He dissects the media script of aggressive manhood, the adolescent nostalgia behind it, and the politics of resentment. They contrast these myths with how many men actually live and sketch a liberal, pluralistic alternative that offers richer options for flourishing.
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Freedom Undermines A Single Male Essence
- Men today largely have the freedom to pursue traditional heroic roles but largely do not choose them.
- Toby Buckle notes modern free choice empirically disproves a single intrinsic masculine nature because men can become soldiers or firefighters yet mostly don't.
Far Right Masculinity Is An Adolescent Fantasy
- The manosphere's ideal of masculinity is an adolescent fantasy rooted in resentment.
- Buckle and Aaron Ross Powell argue teenage power fantasies (video games, warriors) explain why the far-right script appeals to younger males but not most adults.
Caught Between Competing Gender Regimes
- Many feel caught between traditional and egalitarian gender norms and resent losing perceived benefits.
- Toby Buckle frames the grievance as living under a mixed regime where obligations remain but benefits of old gender roles feel withdrawn.