Why Are So Many Incels Former Pickup Artists? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

A network analysis reveals that many men who started in PUA communities migrated to incel communities, possibly due to lack of success and resilience in forming lasting romantic relationships.

Key Insights

• 💅 Many men migrated from PUA forums to incel forums, suggesting a shift in focus from self-improvement to disillusionment.
• 🖤 Lack of success in forming lasting romantic relationships and negative experiences with partners may contribute to the transition to incel communities.
• 💁 Promiscuous behavior associated with PUA tactics may hinder individuals' ability to form long-term relationships.
• 😘 Low resilience is a common trait among individuals who join incel communities, making them more susceptible to negative experiences and rejection.
• 🥺 The online nature of these communities amplifies and reinforces negative narratives and stories, leading to a distorted perception of relationships.
• 🤕 Young age and lack of relationship experience influence the decision to join incel communities prematurely.
• ❓ Not all individuals who join incel communities have legitimate reasons for their disillusionment, as some may be influenced by exaggerated stories online.

Transcript

what about pick up to Intel so there was a cool paper from a few years back called uh I don't I don't think the title was the insa P rated in cell pipeline but that's basically what it described it might have been called mapping the manosphere or something like that so this used network analysis and it looked at something like 52 forums that were r... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why do many men who start in PUA communities end up in incel communities?

The decline of PUA forums and the rise of incel forums suggest that PUA techniques may not have been effective in forming lasting romantic relationships. This can lead to disillusionment and a search for alternative communities where men can share grievances and frustrations.

Q: Is there a correlation between promiscuity and the transition from PUA to incel communities?

PUA tactics are often associated with promiscuity, which is linked to personality traits like high risk-taking and dark triad traits. Men who engage in promiscuous behavior may struggle to form long-term relationships, leading them to become disillusioned and join incel communities.

Q: How does resilience play a role in the trajectory from PUA to incel communities?

Individuals with high resilience can handle rejection and setbacks in relationships without being deeply affected. However, those with low resilience may struggle to cope with rejection, leading to a negative perception of PUA techniques and a transition to incel communities.

Q: Are negative experiences with previous partners a factor in joining incel communities?

Some individuals who experienced repeated instances of cheating or negative behavior from partners may become distrustful of romantic relationships. Their negative experiences with partners may contribute to their decision to join incel communities.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A network analysis study examined the migration of users from PUA forums to incel forums, indicating a shift in discourse over time.

• PUA and red pill forums declined, while incel forums gained traction, suggesting a transition from self-improvement to disillusionment with dating.

• Low resilience and negative relationship experiences may contribute to the trajectory of men moving from PUA to incel communities.