06 Nov The Trend and Impact of Young Men Falling into the Alt-Right Pipeline 

As we saw with the presidential election, young voters play a substantial role in swaying the election due to more involvement in voting in recent years. Historically, the candidates have not given this age group much consideration and attention, as young voters statistically lean towards the more liberal party. But recent trends have put that assumption on its head, with one of the most conservative voting blocs now being young men. A reason for this can be attributed to the rise of the so-called “Alt-Right Pipeline” in the new digital age. This post will explore the psychological and socio-political reasons why an increasing number of young men are engaging with alt-right ideologies, the systematic forces at play, and what tangible action can be taken to counteract the trend. 

The Alt-Right Pipeline

In recent years the phrase alt-right invokes images of horrific and bigoted actions, from neo-nazis in Charlottesville or the Proud Boys on January 6th. It is considered radical political action, but to better understand it, it’s essential to see its nuances and how it pushes people to that said radical action. That is where the term  ‘alt-right pipeline’ comes into play, as it is the process of taking relatively politically neutral and impressionable people and indoctrinating them with alt-right philosophy and beliefs. The digital age has played an extensive role in fueling and facilitating this network, where social media services such as YouTube and Facebook drive people into these dangerous political echo chambers. Although unintentional, these services’ algorithms often push content-promoting beliefs about “facts over feelings,” “challenging cancel culture,” and many others.

An example of the pipeline can be seen in this: One user can see a video from a popular figure like Ben Shapiro on YouTube. Even if they have no deposition towards his content and simply consume it out of sheer curiosity, that user will soon find themselves being promoted with more and more aggressive videos centered around alt-right beliefs. That person can then be pushed to different modems in the pipeline, seen in online forums like Reddit or 4Chan. These are echo chambers where individuals can find a community of like-minded individuals with similar fiery rhetoric.  Young men often find belonging in these viewpoints and can join forums like Reddit or 4Chan and see communities of like-minded individuals with similar rhetoric. This can be a process that can last weeks to months to years of being indoctrinated and trapped into prejudiced, hateful ideas. Entire communities of young men have grown up in this age where their political socialization was not by their upbringing or critical events in their time but by dangerous, persuasive online ideas. 

This has had a severe impact on the current state of political affairs, where the vast gender gap between young women and men has shattered the traditional ideas of political voting trends by age bloc. For the 2024 election, in particular, the candidate for the Republican Party has been seeking endorsements, interviews, or any collaboration with male influencers with a sizable following. This is a shake-up of colossal proportions when trying to predict future trends. Combining this with the radicalization of the political climate with fascist, xenophobic, and other radical rhetoric, swaying an entire generation will have long-lasting impacts on any chance of real progress. 

The Sway of the Pipeline 

Upon hearing how this network of indoctrination came to be, the question is why so many young men are often willing to fall into it. People within the circles commonly attribute it to the fact that the mainstream culture is disregarding the troubles and not meeting the needs of white, straight men. They project themselves as outcasts of the ever-growing, diverse society. This is often supported through lies, such as fears of being falsely accused of sexual assault or conspiracy about there being an effort to replace them entirely. While some fears about losing jobs, undergoing trauma, mental health, and addiction crisis can be genuine, they are often overstated to fit an all-encompassing narrative to convince young men to join these networks. For example, the statistic of men taking their lives by suicide at an extremely high rate (up to 4x higher than women) is accurate, but the way these communities present it to young men is different than the reality. The reality is that the social system of patriarchy men find themselves in them affects them as it does everyone else. However, it is essential not to enter into a game of comparison of the effects of patriarchy,  as the violence it has done to feminine-identifying, non-white, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities cannot be understated. This does not mean the suffering these young men find themselves in isn’t authentic or severe, but it is essential to place it in context. Young men are often unable to express themselves and forced to present themselves in a rigid gender stereotype that pushes feelings aside and embraces toughness and strength over empathy and forgiveness. When men are told not to cry, or they aren’t “acting like a man”, that creates a dissonance that can often lead to latching too hard onto the stereotype. These impressionable young men can reach for the content that provides toughness, all for the sake of everything else. Popular ideas of an alpha male in these alt-right communities are examples of the protection of the stereotype. Instead of challenging the system that led to their suffering at its core, these communities instead try to be the perfect embodiment of their gender role.

Counteracting the Alt-Right Pipeline

However, this does not mean that every young man is destined to fall into the alt-right pipeline or that every person in it is stuck forever. People are not predestined for an inevitable fate or cannot change, and tangible solutions can be taken to promote change and stop others from falling into the trap. 

The first step that can be taken is to encourage critical thinking and promote positive masculinity. Viewpoints that are racist, sexist, and overall bigoted must be challenged at their onset, and there must be a collective understanding of what they are so that when people engage with them, they are challenged and understood. A common occurrence can be that an individual can engage with one slightly alienated idea and then slowly continue to engage with more and more harmful ideas. If people are simply taught to think critically about these messages, primarily online, many individuals will know to avoid falling into rabbit holes of radicalization. 

In addition, another solution that can be done by society to prevent people from falling into the pipeline is to challenge ideas of toxic masculinity with positive masculinity. This is by no means a systematic solution, as it still, in a way, reinforces gender norms, but it can prevent the worst actors from developing. By creating characters or promoting figures who embody positive masculinity, young men can avoid idolizing toxic individuals who can leave lasting impressions on them. This can also be outside of the digital space, as action promoting community engagement is also important. By developing programs and initiatives that foster connections and understanding, young men can be lured away from the online forums where prejudice spreads—cultivating ways for young men to express themselves in communities without feeling ostracized while also having the capacity to deal with their trauma. 

As can be seen, the alt-right pipeline is a dangerous thing that, if left unchecked, will have widespread and disastrous outcomes for the current political landscape and the future to come. Only by seeking a true understanding of why people fall for its snare can progress be realized. There must be an increase in critical thinking, positive role models, and overall community engagement if there is any way that people can be pulled out from it, as well as stopping others from falling. 

By Toby Keeler

If you haven’t yet had the opportunity, make sure to order a copy of Elmer Dixon’s powerful memoir DIE STANDING: From Black Panther Revolutionary to Global Diversity Consultant and check out what others have been saying about Elmer and his story. 

Check out these other opportunities to see what folks are saying about Elmer and his continued work. 

• See Elmer speak at Stories from the Revolutions’ Front Lines at his keynote at TEDxUTulsa
• Listen to Elmer talk on NPR’s The Jefferson Exchange
• Read about Elmer’s story in a piece featured in The Seattle Times
• Listen to Elmer on The Medium