Incel Reading Response # 2
Incel short for “involuntary celibacy” is a group that formed into a community. The author discusses this group of noting the members all having the specific pattern of facing rejection in their lives from women. The members of this community, majority male range from the ages of 16-30 sharing their hardships from things like bullying, autism, anxiety, and unacceptance from others that have caused these men to feel unvalued and unattractive. These men are introverted and turn to the internet to seek refuge from their isolation and rejection.
The author provides a context of the origins of Incel showing the insider experience through the altering of this community. This once small group that began from a shy lonely teenager evolved in two decades after the death of Sohe Chung beginning a trend of violence and hate towards women. This open-minded support group for those are lacking in dating and sex had degenerated into a place where praise for hate, mass killers, and ideas of this like rape has become normalized.
The incels have this inside idea of “sexist ideology” which is a belief known as “black pill” having disrespect towards women labeling them as shallow, cruel creatures who will choose only the most attractive men. This tells us that the rejection these men have faced from women has caused them to blame women for their problems. From this community, we see constant loneliness these men feel has evolved into rage towards women. In this community, they all share the same feelings of misfortunes but don’t work in any way to empower or find a more positive outlook.
The author’s analysis of this community relates to a wider context as he talks in the end about how all people can relate to members of Incel’s feelings of rejection and loneliness but this community takes their common misfortunes and has turned into misogynistic rage towards a gender.
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