The video above is an interview with a researcher named William Costello who’s part of a wider team of researchers taking an empirical approach to understanding incels and the problems they face. Whereas the usual pop-sci understanding of incels starts and stops with the misogyny in their communities. The empirical focus gives us better results as it reveals the mental status and situations incels themselves are dealing with and why modern upbringings are failing them.
You can find their research here and I highly recommend giving it it a look: http://www.psychstudies.co.uk/sisnet.php
I didn’t watch the video but I did read some of the papers. I’m not sure if the video gives a different vibe, but the papers make it clear that incels need mental health intervention and their goal is to find the best way to provide it.
Our data suggest that incels represent a newly identified hard-to-reach and potentially at-risk group, suitable for targeted mental health interventions.
The papers mention anyone doing this intervention shouldn’t put too much weight on incels being violent, misogynistic, or ultra right wing since it’s a very small portion of incels that have those characteristics. As well, care should be taken to not dismiss an incels perceived problems with society. The major finding is that incels are their own worst enemy and need to improve themselves instead of playing a victim
A significant finding in this study was the extent to which incels reported to be NEET (not in education employment or training), lower-educated, or still living with their parents. Roughly 17% of incels (compared to only 9% of non-incels) reported to be NEET. Given the premium that women do indeed place on status, education and economic success when selecting a mate, improving the material-conditions of men’s lives through education, housing and employment, might help them to form romantic relationships, and thus improve their mental wellbeing
Any potential mental health interventions should also take into consideration our findings around the tendency for interpersonal victimhood
The Tendency for Interpersonal Victimhood (TIV) describes an ongoing feeling that the self is a victim, a feeling that becomes central to one’s identity. Those with a perpetual victimhood-mindset tend to have "external locus of control” and believe one’s life is entirely under the control of forces outside of oneself.
The major finding is that incels are their own worst enemy and need to improve themselves instead of playing a victim
That’s not sympathy, sadly that’s what I’ve come to expect in this conversation.
A significant finding in this study was the extent to which incels reported to be NEET (not in education employment or training), lower-educated, or still living with their parents. Roughly 17% of incels (compared to only 9% of non-incels) reported to be NEET. Given the premium that women do indeed place on status, education and economic success when selecting a mate, improving the material-conditions of men’s lives through education, housing and employment, might help them to form romantic relationships, and thus improve their mental wellbeing
Communities are a spectrum of individuals with different situations. I feel like this comment is putting the cart (result) before the horse (cause) for a significant portion of this particular self identified community. To what extent is the lack of education/employment/training the result of individuals who can’t function (mentally, physically, emotionally) at that level instead of refusing to? To what extent are these individuals excluded from opportunities or help because of their sex?
Is there a significant different between how society sees lower functioning men vs lower functioning women? I think there is, and I think ignoring it and telling lonely men to boot strap themselves to success is a perilous message for many of the individuals. The large (and largely ignored) numbers of male suicide and homelessness is everything a struggling guy needs to know about how he fits into society.
I’m not sure if the video gives a different vibe, but the papers make it clear that incels need mental health intervention and their goal is to find the best way to provide it.
Yes, that’s what he says in the video as well.