Ressentiment in the Manosphere: Conceptions of Morality and Avenues for Resistance in the Incel Hatred Pipeline
Open accessAbstract
This article investigates conceptions of morality within the framework of ressentimentful victimhood in the manosphere, while also exploring avenues for resistance among young individuals encountering the “hatred pipeline”. In Study 1, we use the emotional mechanism of ressentiment to examine how incels construct narratives of victimhood rooted in the notion of sexual entitlement that remains owed and unfulfilled, alongside its “black pill” variant emphasising moral and epistemic superiority. Through a linguistic corpus analysis and content examination of 4chan and Incel.is blog posts, we find evidence of ressentiment morality permeating the language and communication within the incel community, characterised by blame directed at women, and the pervasive themes of victimhood, powerlessness, and injustice. In Study 2, we delve into young individuals’ reflections on incel morality and victimhood narratives as they engage with online networks of toxic masculinity in the manosphere. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with young participants who have accessed the manosphere, we explore their perceptions of risks, attribution of blame, and experiences of empathy towards individuals navigating the “hatred pipeline”. Our analysis underscores the significance of ressentiment in elucidating alternative conceptions of morality and victimhood, while shedding light on the potential for acceptance or resistance within online environments characterised by hatred.
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The use of TFSV to shame girls reflects a framework where controlling women's bodies and reputations is central to maintaining male dominance, including through dehumanizing language.
“The use of TFSV to shame girls reflects this framework, where controlling women's bodies and reputations is central to maintaining male dominance (Capelos et al. 2024), including through dehumanizing language, as highlighted in Zack's account.”
From Technology-facilitated sexual violence perpetration as a tool for gender policing in secondary schools (2026) · cites this paper as Capelos et al. 2024
The paper describes an incel belief in men's entitlement to dominate women, hostility to women's sexual autonomy, and the dehumanization of women (Additional information); its Results also document derogatory language about women. It does not examine TFSV used to shame girls or establish control of their reputations as a mechanism of male dominance. The application of that framework to TFSV therefore goes beyond what this source supports. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSlut-shaming predated the manosphere but is a particularly pervasive element of it and an important tool used to 'other' and dehumanize women.
“While slut-shaming predated the manosphere, it is a particularly pervasive element of it and is an important tool used to 'other' and dehumanize women (Capelos et al. 2024).”
From Technology-facilitated sexual violence perpetration as a tool for gender policing in secondary schools (2026) · cites this paper as Capelos et al. 2024
The Study 2 methods passage lists slut-shaming among the misogynistic content participants encountered online, and the Introduction and Results describe the othering and dehumanization of women in incel communities. The paper does not establish that slut-shaming predates the manosphere, is particularly pervasive within it, or is specifically an important tool of that dehumanization. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)
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- Authors
- Capelos, T., Salmela, M., Talalakina, A., & Cotena, O.
- Affiliations
- University of Southampton (GB)
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- University of Birmingham (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Capelos, Tereza
- Venue
- Philosophies
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2024-03-13
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 36
- ISSN
- 2409-9287 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4392745406
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 1
- FWCI
- 12.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Philosophies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (acceptedVersion, public-domain)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- European Union (101132560, 10108342, 832940)
- UK’s government Horizon Europe Funding Guarantee (101132560, 10108342, 832940)
- European Research Council (101132560, 10108342, 832940)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender and Feminist Studies
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Feminism, and Media
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime, Deviance, and Social Control
- Keywords
- ressentiment, manosphere, incels, victimhood, morality, toxic masculinity, sexual entitlement, blame attribution, online communities, 4chan, resistance, empathy, youth
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