Manosphere & Incel Culture

An 'alpha male' (or 'alpha') is a term used to describe a man who is at the top of a social hierarchy. The archetype is characterized by traits such as dominance, confidence, leadership, and success, particularly with women. The term is central to the 'manosphere' subculture, but is also widely used, often ironically or critically, in mainstream discourse to refer to stereotypical masculinity.

'Chad' is an archetype, primarily from incel and manosphere subcultures, for a stereotypically attractive, confident, and sexually successful 'alpha male.' In its original context, the term was used with resentment by incels to describe the men they believed were effortlessly successful with women. The term has since been co-opted by mainstream meme culture, where it is often used ironically to praise someone who is confident and unapologetic, as in the 'Virgin vs. Chad' meme format.

'Incel' is a portmanteau of 'involuntary celibate.' It describes a member of an online subculture of men who feel unable to find a romantic or sexual partner, despite desiring one. The term is now strongly associated with a specific online ideology characterized by misogyny, resentment, self-pity, and sometimes, the advocation of violence against women and sexually active people.

'Looksmaxxing' is a term for the practice of attempting to maximize one's physical attractiveness through various methods, including skincare, fitness, mewing (a jaw-posture technique), fashion (stylemaxxing), and sometimes plastic surgery. It is part of a broader self-improvement philosophy focused on aesthetic appeal. The term is heavily associated with online male-dominated communities, particularly the incel subculture, but has since spread to a wider audience.

In the online 'manosphere,' a 'sigma male' is an archetype of a man who is successful and popular like an 'alpha male,' but who operates outside of the normal social hierarchy by choice. He is the quintessential 'lone wolf'—introverted, self-reliant, and indifferent to the opinions of others. The term is often used both sincerely within its subculture and ironically in memes to parody the concept.