Historically, unpartnered young men caused societal disruption. This is less prevalent today because digital media provides titrated doses of sexual satisfaction (porn), status-seeking (video games), and community (screens), pacifying them out of real-world disruptive action. This creates men who are "useless" rather than "dangerous."
High real estate costs prevent young men from accessing urban centers for opportunities and social connection. They substitute the rich, real-world interactions of city life with a cheaper, algorithm-driven digital existence on their smartphones, a dynamic from which tech companies profit.
Beyond economic disruption, AI's most immediate danger is social. By providing synthetic relationships and on-demand companionship, AI companies have an economic incentive to evolve an “asocial species of young male.” This could lead to a generation sequestered from society, unwilling to engage in the effort of real-world relationships.
Historically, cultures used rituals to push men beyond natural laziness. Today's anti-masculine narratives dismantle these social incentives, allowing many men to withdraw and not strive for traditional ideals of productivity and courage.
Extreme online subcultures, however small, function as 'existence proofs.' They demonstrate what is possible when a generation is severed from historical context and tradition, connected only by algorithms and pornography. They are a warning sign of the potential outcomes of our current digital environment.
The sharp rise in teens feeling their lives are useless correlates directly with the smartphone era. Technology pulls them from productive activities into passive consumption, preventing the development of skills and a sense of purpose derived from contribution.
While utilitarian AI like ChatGPT sees brief engagement, synthetic relationship apps like Character.AI are far more consuming, with users spending 5x more time on them. These apps create frictionless, ever-affirming companionships that risk stunting the development of real-world social skills and resilience, particularly in young men.
Social media's fundamental structure is inherently feminizing. It encourages endless verbal discourse and moral policing while completely foreclosing the possibility of physical confrontation or cooperative action—hallmarks of traditional masculine social resolution. This forces all participants, regardless of gender, to engage in communication styles that are historically more feminine.
Frictionless AI relationships and erotica provide a low-risk alternative to real dating. This could stunt the emotional growth of young men by removing the necessary experiences of rejection and resilience, which are crucial for developing motivation, confidence, and social skills.
The core business model of dominant tech and AI companies is not just about engagement; it's about monetizing division and isolation. Trillions in shareholder value are now directly tied to separating young people from each other and their families, creating an "asocial, asexual youth," which is an existential threat.
A primary danger of AI is its ability to offer young men 'low friction' relationships with AI characters. This circumvents the messy, difficult, but necessary process of real-world interaction, stunting the development of social skills and resilience that are forged through the friction of human connection.