An exploration of how Vox Day could improve his ministry to men.

Readership: All, especially Christians
Theme: Community / Free Speech / Problems with The Red Pill / Infighting / Sectarianism / Metacognitions
Length: 1,100 words
Reading Time: 6 minutes

Leadership is Greatly Needed

One takeaway from our study of Problems with The Red Pill was the importance of leadership and that men are desperately needing leaders. (See sections “The Vacancy of Authority”, “A Failure of Imagination”, and “Infighting”.) The reasons for this were discussed in Vectors of Conflict (2024/6/17), and are here summarized as…

  • To mediate conflict.
  • To offer encouragement.
  • To explain areas of confusion.
  • To provoke greater self-awareness.
  • To foster and guide critical thinking.
  • To illuminate meaning and purpose.
  • To inspire introspection and self-analysis.
  • To set a positive example of masculinity for other men to emulate and/or learn from.

Case Study — Vox’s Sociosexual Hierarchy

In response to Provoking a Perfunctory Parapet of Puppets (2024/8/7), Determined Omega wrote an excellent description of one such example of how and why men need guidance [emphasis mine].

“…there is however a problem with your overall analysis [of Vox’s SSH]. A lot of the listed problems are not inherent or otherwise necessitated by the SSH itself. We can be critical of the SSH as a tool but the main question should always be “Is it accurately and usefully describing reality?” and nothing else. Every other question is a matter of how people interpret the model. It is meant for social strategy and tactics. The fact that people misconstrue or import meaning onto the SSH is a problem of cultural lenses, personal baggage, and how the SSH is explained in biased or loaded terms by others. If you approach the SSH like Vox would, in a dispassionate and Machiavellian way, all of these problems cease to exist.

All of that is to say that the real problem is people’s inability to properly utilize the SSH in a constructive way. Most people are not socially strategic and are quite literally not capable of just picking it up and using it as intended without lots of practice. Like any skill, using the SSH takes time and effort. It is possible the Manosphere at large simply is not yet ready to use it without abusing it.”

All of that is to say that men need a mentor and/or are looking for a leader.  We can never take our eyes off of that purpose — supporting the men within our domain of influence. The problem is that Vox won’t touch that role even though he’s already wearing the mantle and has a very large following, and has been for ~18 years.

img-1783680540-6a50ce1c141186.33936579.jpg

Conduct

I proposed a standard of conduct for communications in the previous post.

“While the Bible warns against getting entangled in futile arguments, it also encourages us to share the hope that lies within us with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).  Many verses in the Bible instruct us to always be prepared to give a defense for what we believe and why.  It also says to deal with unbelievers with patience and grace (Colossians 4:5-6), and I think that also includes apologetics, debate, polemics, discussions on blogs, etc.”

“[Through our interactions] the stumbling stone may be transformed into a whetstone — and bear much fruit for the glory of God.”

“Let your words be helpful for the edification of other Christian Men (Ephesians 4:29).”

In my review of Vox’s Socio-Sexual Hierarchy, one of my chief criticisms was that Vox is NOT this way towards many of his commenters whom he calls ‘Gammas’.

img-1783680541-6a50ce1d7b94d7.83726192.jpg

Denying the Role of Leadership is Abandoning One’s Disciples

In response to Gammas – The Manosphere’s Untouchables (2024/7/26), Determined Omega wrote in defense of Vox’s style [emphasis mine].

“As for VD’s ego, I think what people are actually picking up is extreme disagreeableness. He has said time and time again that he does not desire or try to cultivate a cult of personality and that the ideas are more important than he is. People often conflate confidence and low-warmth with self-conceit.”

No matter how much Vox may want to emphasize that his ideas are greater than himself, or strive to avoid creating a “cult of personality” (a term that is disrespectful when used to refer to a true authority and his followers, which Vox is and has, respectively), Vox cannot deny his role of being a leader of men.  The fact is that he is teaching ideas and setting an example that many other men are following, whether he likes this or wants this or not.  Vox cannot escape The Law of Sowing and Reaping and The Law of Responsibility.

Under the same post, Info left a tweet from Adam Lane Smith that said,

“True leadership in a relationship is about guiding, not dictating”

To which Determined Omega responded [emphasis mine],

“This making of distinctions without differences and trying to soften the objectively harsh world of leadership is another example of how uncomfortable men have gotten with authority. Dictating is just another way of guiding. Sometimes people need to be told exactly what to do with no room for questions.”

Seeing how Vox Day is hesitant to insert himself into his writings, apparently, he is also ‘uncomfortable’ with his authority.

img-1783680542-6a50ce1ebe72b8.26404411.jpg

Conclusions

Concerning the Christian blogosphere (of which Vox Day is a part), I think it matters not so much that the commenters fall in line with the foundational beliefs and/or the spirit of the blog, but that the host demonstrates a good example for other men to follow, and that the grace of God is demonstrated through the host.  This creates an environment that attracts like thinkers and sets the tone of interaction.  This is how blog hosts ‘guide’ / ‘dictate’ the atmosphere of their blogs. Ask me how I know.

Vox Day may very well be the most brilliant thinker in the Christian Manosphere, but he is unwilling or unable to take responsibility for how his SSH is received and interpreted by men who are seeking community, leaders / examples of leadership, fellowship, and ‘meaning’. He’ll never go ‘meta’, and this is his greatest incompetency in the eyes of God.

We can never escape ‘meaning’, as troublesome as it may be, and ‘meaning’ is only found through fellowship and purpose.  IMPO, I think Vox won’t step up to that calling because he is unable to do so.  He’s good with ideas, but NOT with shepherding men (and I’m being generous in this assessment of him). I’ve written this post in the hope that this might change.

Related