Key Takeaways:
* NYU professor identifies Elon Musk as aspirational role model for young men.
* Trump’s campaign tactics hailed for connecting with this demographic.
* The 2020 election was more about ‘masculine aspiration’, argues the professor.
* Young men ignored by The Democratic National Convention, states NYU professor.
* Election results evidence of significant sway in favor of Trump among young men.
Elon Musk’s Aspirational Influence
New York University (NYU) marketing professor Scott Galloway praised tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, labeling him as a role model for young men worldwide. Musk’s significant wealth, inventive acumen in building electric cars, launching satellites and his entertaining and provocative nature, all seemingly contribute to an image young men aspire to model themselves on, according to Galloway.
The ‘Manosphere’ Election
The 2020 election was not entirely about economic or social justice issues but also presented itself as a ‘manosphere’ referendum, according to the marketing professor. Galloway commended former president Donald Trump’s wise decision to capitalize on this shift by focusing on appealing to male voters during his campaign run.
Engaging with the ‘Manosphere’
Trump, reliably perceptive in his campaign strategies, acknowledged and engaged with the ‘manosphere’. He made appearances on popular podcasts with heavy male audiences like Joe Rogan’s and Lex Fridman’s. Testament to this decision’s efficacy, Rogan’s interview with Trump received approximately 40 million views on YouTube and 15 million downloads.
Strategic Allure of Aggressive Messaging
Galloway conveyed that Trump’s shrewd policy of aggressive messaging had a deep resonance with young men. Appealing promises such as more money and the prospect of moving out of their parents’ homes seemed to have hit the right chord with the demographic.
The Democratic Party’s Oversight
Conversely, Galloway highlighted a significant oversight of the Democratic National Convention in its failure to acknowledge young men’s challenges. He cited the statistics revealing the struggles young men encounter today. For instance, more single women own homes than single men, and women out-earn men in urban centers under age 30.
Current Struggles of Young Men
Galloway further shared some disheartening statistics surrounding the dire situation young men find themselves in today. Young men are four times more likely to take their own lives, three times more prone to addiction, and twelve times more likely to be incarcerated. Just one in three young men seems to be in a relationship.
Demographic Shift in the Election
Galloway attributes the noticeable shift towards Trump among young men during the 2020 election to a simple economic principle. Highlighting that social justice issues and what’s going on in Ukraine might fall out of focus when a young man is unemployed and spends most of his time in the basement playing video games.
As we unpack this complex dialogue around masculinity, it’s clear that how politicians interact with these issues can undeniably influence electoral outcomes. Future campaigns would do well to recognize and address different aspects of society, especially those that seem left behind.