Photo source: Adolescence TV Mini Series (2025)
It DOES take a village to raise a child.
By Desiree Menezes, Staff Writer
Adolescence—the transitional phase from childhood to adulthood—is a turbulent time, often marked by a search for belonging and validation. Netflix’s four-part limited series, Adolescence, introduced us to 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who finds himself accused of the unthinkable: the murder of his classmate, Katie Leonard. Though fictional, the underlying causes of Jamie’s transgression is eerily relevant—a phenomenon of young men being entranced into extremist online subcultures. With the normalization of hateful rhetoric on social media, it is evident that adolescence today is not just about navigating the intricacies of high school, but also about negotiating a digital minefield.
The term “red-pill” originates from the 1999 movie The Matrix and has been used as a metaphor for individuals to describe their newfound awareness to some previously hidden reality. In online movements today, the term has been overtaken by male supremacist groups—who believe these “hidden truths” reveal a world dominated by women, where men are at the mercy of the feminist agenda. This skewed narrative thrives in the “manosphere,” a loose collection of online communities that has bolstered this deeply flawed, misogynistic narrative.
The manosphere—a network of men united by frustration and resentment towards the societal erosion of traditional gender roles in the private and public sphere. For many, the manosphere offers solace, especially to those feeling alienated and are searching for scapegoats to blame for their grievances. Feminism, in this context, becomes the convenient scapegoat, so that women empowerment is seen as an assassination of the male identity. This narrative provides a sense of validation to men in crisis, but it also fuels a space where hate is normalized. Nuanced issues, like men’s mental health, are often oversimplified into reductive, misogynistic rhetoric.
Even more alarming is the rise of “involuntary celibate” (incel) culture, an increasingly popular group on the Internet known for harbouring violent and misogynistic ideas. At the heart of their ideology is a gross sense of entitlement. Incels often express frustration over their perceived exclusion from sex and relationships. Rather than reflect or pursue personal growth, they place blame on women—and on society at large—for their perceived failures. Take Elliot Roger, a self-proclaimed incel who in 2014 committed mass murder . Roger published a manifesto featuring a vile stream of vitriol against women and society, and he rationalized his murderous spree as retribution for his denied romantic experiences. Yet he was idolized by countless fans online who saw him as a martyr standing up for their cause. Tragically, this case is not an isolated one. The growing casualties tied to this movement, including the 2018 van attack in Toronto that killed 10, underscores the urgent need to address this dangerous culture. The insidious nature of this movement is its ability to prey on vulnerable, disillusioned young men, offering a distorted sense of belonging where misogyny is not just normalized but celebrated.
The proverb “it takes a village to raise a child” highlights the importance of community involvement in the development of adolescence. A village today encompasses far more than the parents, teachers, and other senior mentors that we often think of—the increased connectedness in society as a whole means that every public figure has a profound influence on each and every child.
This is precisely what Adolescence captures so powerfully—the subtle yet dangerous ways in which ordinary teenage boys like Jamie are recruited into these online subcultures. The TV series does an excellent job at showcasing just how ordinary Jamie’s upbringing was. His actions were not a product of parental influence or a broken home; they were a product of the digital rabbit hole he’s led down by algorithms that fed him harmful content. His father talks about how seamlessly this pipeline works—how a simple search for gym content on YouTube quickly leads to suggestions for videos of people like Andrew Tate. It’s a warning—a few innocent clicks can corrupt an impressionable mind, thrusting them into a world where their entire self-image is contingent upon the validation of others.
In addressing the rise of online misogyny as demonstrated in Adolescence, we must recognize that the solution does not lie in simply policing or censoring problematic content online. We have seen time and time again that such an approach is counterproductive, often pushing harmful narratives further underground that only amplifies their appeal. Instead, we should shift our focus towards education and awareness. The UK Prime Minister has suggested that the series be broadcasted in secondary schools across the UK to draw attention to the prevalence of this issue, and to equip the youth with the skills to engage critically with content online. By integrating media literacy into education, students can learn to question sources, recognize manipulative rhetoric, and understand the broader social dynamics at play. This approach empowers students to resist harmful ideologies through informed engagement and independent thought.
Adolescence is a formative era, where values are formed and honed. We must create a culture where open-dialogue is encouraged, especially among young boys, to help them feel supported rather than isolated. Raising boys in a nurturing and involved environment to connect emotionally, rather than internalizing resentment or viewing women as adversaries, is the key to breaking the cycle.
