Men's Liberation

Just want to say, the fact that the right capitalizes on those topics makes me automatically cautious when I come across those discussions. Even reading through this community, I had to be defensive about getting hooked into something that is good on the surface but not so much underneath. My point is, its hard to talk about these topics now that its essentially associated with the manipulation tactics used by those influencers. Not sure how we can reclaim the positive while separating it from the negative.

I am very depressed and never feel like my feelings are valid. I can’t point to a boogeyman and say “that’s the reason my life sucks” cause I’m the boogeyman and the only reason my life sucks is because I suck.

At least that's the better attitude. If you are depressed and you cope by hating on whatever minority you get told to hate, it won't really cure your depression.

The only thing that helps is learning to love yourself and doing things, however small, to love yourself a bit more. It's very hard to do, and it wont reward you as instantaneously as drugs or cash. I hope you find that and wish you luck.

Alas the internet thrives on rage funneling. Hard to avoid, but very toxic. There's also an extreme left flavor of funnel, though.

First, man hating feminists aren't feminists, they're just assholes who use acceptable rhetoric (feminism) as a cover for spreading hate and bigotry. Feminism is about equality and taking down patriarchal systems that harm everyone. Although it is female centric and tends to deal with aspects of the patriarchy that affect women and gender minorities. Feminism is VERY effective, and we're now in a situation where the harmful effects on men of patriarchal ideology are becoming more and more obvious. I believe men's lib is a GREAT banner for men to take down the patriarchy where they're the most affected. Working with feminism, LGBT+ and anti-racism we can ensure all harmful aspects of patriarchy are dismantled.

Second you're not To blame. You're not the patriarchy and you're certainly being hurt by it in meaningful ways. If you're not reinforcing the patriarchal systems that are harming you, you had nothing to do with the pain you feel.

You do have places to point the finger. The patriarchy and right wing ideology harms young men. Fiscal conservatives who gut education budgets, and force a focus on STEM at the expense of physical education, cooperative group sports, and recess time. Librarian educators who put all the physical activity budget into competitive sports so that "the strong rise and the weak perish". Pearl clutching conservatives who accuse male teachers of homosexuality, grooming, and pedophilia when they try to connect with students or introduce acceptance of LGBT+ ideology ruining the careers of male teachers and robbing boys of positive role models. Men and women who spread toxic masculinity and ridicule young boys who express their feelings or emotional needs. I could go on to show the ways right wing ideology robs boys and young men of their life satisfaction and societal prospects.

Therapy is great for personal growth. For growth within your friend group and family, you can also start looking at how toxic masculinity and regressive gender norms harm you and those around you. Most young men and women parrot these views but don't understand them. Occasional calm, polite, assertive explanations about the ideology they're spreading is enough for most people to realise what they're doing. You can improve your friend group over time, as well as help you encourage good supportive friendships and trim harmful ones. That will also help your emotional and mental well-being.