Perhaps no other TV series has gained the kind of cultural relevance in recent times as the British universal hit 'Adolescence'. Just four intense episodes have initiated a much-needed conversation on a pressing global issue: the rising influence of toxic masculinity among teenage boys.
The concern goes beyond boys merely spewing misogynistic drivel. In the UK, for instance, it has evolved into a deeply disturbing problem that even adults struggle to comprehend.
A surge in violent incidents involving teenage boys attacking and even killing girls has left communities in shock. The victims and perpetrators alike are children — between 13 and 16 years of age — and their futures hang in the balance as the number of such incidents continues to rise.
Public discourse often stalled at how it happened, rarely exploring the why. That’s where Adolescence steps in. It focuses on the perpetrator — a 13-year-old boy — and the socio-cultural factors behind his violent behaviour.
Adolescence spotlights how web content, particularly ‘manosphere’ ideas, distort vulnerable young men’s perceptions, amplifying toxic ideas. Manosphere is an umbrella term for forums and communities that promote misogynistic ideologies.
Such has been the impact of the series that even the World Economic Forum has taken note of it in an article titled ‘Adolescence has sparked a digital safety debate’, published on April 4.
Written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, it has indeed jolted parents, educators, and government officials to acknowledge the hidden dangers of social media.
Recognising the severity of the problem, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed support for Netflix’s plan to screen the series in schools across England for free. Reports also suggest the government is preparing to roll out anti-misogyny classes in schools.
This is not a ‘western’ issue. “We can’t take comfort that it’s happening in England, thousands of kilometres away from our little Kerala. Many might believe our children are safe. But the reality is different and dire,” says Anson P D Alexander, director of the NGO Kanal, which focuses on children’s welfare.
With mobile phones and social media now widespread among children, harmful ideologies travel quickly. “They all know who Andrew Tate is — the infamous influencer facing multiple charges, including human trafficking. They talk about how women are taking away men’s jobs, and how it’s okay to beat up women. By Class 5 or 6, children are already familiar with terms such as alpha/beta/sigma male,” Anson notes.
Most adults have never even heard of these terms, he adds. For the uninitiated, the concepts stem from animal behaviour studies—wolves, chimpanzees, and the like. An alpha is dominant and assertive, a beta is subservient, and a sigma is a so-called lone wolf.
Characters such as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders and Homelander from The Boys became the symbol of sigma males, making the manosphere more attractive.
“However, these behaviour patterns belong to animals,” Anson notes. “Aren’t we humans supposed to be more emotionally and intellectually evolved?”
Gender divide is pronounced in Kerala’s schools as well. “We can clearly observe this while conducting workshops for students,” Anson says.
“Not everyone, of course, but in nearly every session, there’s a group of boys who claim they proudly adhere to these toxic beliefs. Their heroes aren’t just Andrew Tate — there are many like him, spreading violence and hate under the guise of masculinity. We must act quickly to curb this.”
These teenagers, he adds, who have not yet formed healthy ideas about sex, find themselves part of online groups that propogate violent pornographic content.
Worried mothers
The issue has made its way into mothers’ WhatsApp groups in Kerala. “Just yesterday, a friend mentioned how her teenage son sometimes makes misogynistic remarks at home. There’s no way he’s picking that up from the family – he must be discussing it with his peers,” says Veena Rajendran, member of one such group.
She adds that terms like red pill, incel, chad, and the 80/20 rule are now common in teen conversations.
It is true that misogyny and the glorification of the ‘bad boy’ image have existed for a long time. Many popular films with anti-heroes – from Devasuram to Animal and Marco – have entertained and influenced generations. But with social media, the stakes are higher.
“Social media preys on young boys and their emotional need to ‘belong’,” says Tasneem Jahan, who is also part of a mother’s group.
“Vulnerable children end up in the digital arms of toxic influencers who give them a false sense of community and belonging. To avoid figures like Andrew Tate filling the void, elders – especially men in the family – have to be emotionally available to them. They need to be role models.”
Nisna Muhamed, a mother from Kochi now living in the UAE, cites the Australian model of banning social media access for those under 16 as a step worth considering. “It reduces exposure to extreme content,” she says.
“But it’s not a full solution. What we really need is education. England’s plan to introduce anti-misogyny classes is a meaningful step. Teaching empathy, respect, and emotional intelligence will go a long way.”
Beyond misogyny
Psychiatrist Dr Arun B Nair agrees. “Manosphere ideas do not just perpetuate misogyny and crimes against women among boys from a young age. It also isolates them from society and makes them dependent on the digital world,” he says.
“It also makes them believe that being strong means not asking for help. Not from mother, father, teachers. Even if they are sick or struggling mentally.”
Toxic masculinity is the underlying principle of these ideologies, he adds. “The manosphere says the world is unduly favourable to women. Such discussions are increasingly happening among men. Another consequence that not many are aware of is this can result in severe isolation and even suicide.”
Dr Arun cites the case of a 14-year-old boy he treated recently. The boy used to be academically brilliant till Class 8. Trouble started when his relative gifted him a smartphone.
“Soon, he became distracted, and his sleep got affected. He started missing school often. started taking many leaves from school,” he says.
“A few months later, he said he wouldn’t go to school, which he said was not ‘up to his level’. That he knew more about the reality that others didn’t. When the parents tried to forcibly send him to school, he attacked his eight-year-old brother. That’s when the parents decided to seek medical help. It came to light that he had been greatly influenced by toxic content. After treatment and therapy, he is fine now.”
From home to school
Psychiatrist Dr Vivek Ullathil stresses that adolescence is a period that needs a “very delicate” period. “It’s the time many children trust their friends more than their parents. They are vulnerable and susceptible and easily fall to external influences,” he says.
“So parents need to know what’s happening in their lives and who they are interacting with online and offline.”
Social activist and researcher T K Anandi, who is a gender consultant for the state government, highlights that boys are often left behind when it comes to life education.
“We have been giving empowerment classes across schools in Kerala. However, in many cases, boys are not required to sit in such classes that deal with women’s empowerment,” she says.
“We teach girls from a young age to be independent. We teach them the necessary life skills to navigate home and work environments. But not the boys. They are given leeway from their childhood — at home, school and then college. This makes them especially susceptible to such toxic ideologies. Boys need to be aware of how to be empathetic and how harmful patriarchy is.”