What do you think of the recent trend of female dating content types pushing the idea that mens dating woes are the result of "capitalism" and material inequality?

-mixedsignals · 2026-04-02T14:16:11+00:00

Blaming it on capitalism is very broad and vague

I think the main issue in dating is socialization. Social media and videogames isolate people while making you feel that everyone else is having fun except you. Both things give a dopamine rush that makes you think that's all you need. Social interactions are not as easy or fun as gaming or doom scrolling but they are more fulfilling. Is this thanks to capitalism? yes of course.

Also I will never understand why none blames the old algorithm. Old companies are just that, companies that try to earn money. They will give more visibility to hot guys who don't need old but act as bait for women. The average man has to pay, otherwise his profile is invisible. Yes, this is strictly related to capitalism.

All of these reasons make so much more sense than "it's women's fault"

I'd also like to say that I'm not sure it's a "male loneliness epidemic" but a "young people loneliness epidemic". Men suffer it more, sure, but I don't think all the women are having many sex parties and going out while men are lonely

Lysa_Bell · 2026-04-02T14:43:54+00:00

If you try to capitalise on every single thing and turn everything into a product then relationships and connection and social life will be some of it. So yeah. Capitalism is ruining human connection. If you have to pay for any basic need like human connection then that will result in material inequality. And only the rich can afford to socialise while the poor wont even have time to find connection because they are fighting to pay for the absolute survival needs like food and shelter.

Waschaos · 2026-04-02T14:38:05+00:00

I think it is because I think the gender wars are a psyop pushed by social media algorithms. Those algorithms are created by the rich to keep us arguing with each other and to ignore who the real enemy is- the uber rich. We are being Baron Zemo'd into fighting against each other.

Young people today face a helluva world in general. If just surviving takes all of your energy, when do you have time or energy for anything else? You don't- signed an old person who feels very sorry for all younger people.

KayRay1994 · 2026-04-02T13:37:30+00:00

I think this argument is largely correct.

The critique of capitalism at this stage is no linter about the economic system, but rather, about the social norms created by such a system. Capitalism economically rewards doing the selfish decision, and success is measured by exploitation. To add to this, the social view of what men and women do is also driven by this established norm as it justifies the existence of RP creators who exploit other men, and it reenforces the idea that success = who can display the most wealth, or the most ‘enteupenurial’ approach to life.

And let’s add to this the impact it has on working class men (and frankly, working class people as a whole) - community, social organization and so on are all systemically discouraged whether it be by soul/time crushing work requirements despite the higher ups seeing increased wealth, crushing living conditions due to a housing market that exists for competitive investment and a lack of easily accessible third places because flat out, them existing isn’t profitable.

Capitalism and lack of material equality absolutely impacts dating and is a cause of overall loneliness.

Talking_Tanuki · 2026-04-02T14:23:46+00:00

I think capitalism plays a role, but it’s not the main driver. Unless you count things like dating apps, social media, and endless at-home entertainment as outcomes of capitalism.

It definitely contributes to the problem. Our work-life balance is awful. People aren’t exactly into dating when they’re burned out, and money issues are a common divorce reason.

I think the biggest drivers are the rise of hyper-individualism, the decline of community, kids spending way less time socializing and building soft skills and far more time glued to screens, and the commodification of human connection.

nadirian · 2026-04-02T13:29:04+00:00

Just because you haven't encountered these ideas before does not mean they are new. I suggest Engels' The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State (1884) as a starting point for reading about how feminism and anti-capitalism have always been closely linked ideas.

MiddleZealousideal89 · 2026-04-02T16:02:38+00:00

They're not wrong. The current system is screwing everyone over, including men. However, I wouldn't chalk everything up to just capitalism. I would also blame outdated societal ideas of what men and women should do/are meant to be. If you live in a period of time when you're getting squeezed for everything you have by landlords and corporations, and the idea of what a man should be or should provide within a relationship is still tethered to the idea of "man the provider", you're gonna have a bad time. I think men were left behind, in a way. While there is still a lot of pressure on women to conform to the idea of "woman the nurturer", and we also have the added pressure of having to work full-time (if we can find it), we still had a bigger shake-up in terms of what we're "allowed" to do. Plenty of women decide to opt out of kids and family entirely, and find a different meaning in their lives, because we now have that option. For men, the "meaning" hasn't really shifted much. Guys who never wanted to marry still don't marry, but guys who would like a family are kind of left in a position where they don't know what other meaning they can find for themselves.

Obviously, on an individual or even group level, this will differ. Women from very conservative backgrounds won't have the same support and understanding when it comes to picking an alternative path for themselves, and men from very progressive backgrounds would have support to not follow the beaten path. I'm talking about things broadly (and without any coffee).

Kaleidoscopetide · 2026-04-02T17:30:54+00:00

I think it’s mostly right, for these reasons specifically:

Dating apps. The male loneliness epidemic seems to have started right about when dating apps became one of the primary modes of dating. Because, you know, dating apps are used by a larger number of men than women, have features that allow people to sort by specific attributes (height etc) before even meeting the person, and therefore get a lot of money from men trying and failing to be seen by the minority of women using them.
Corporate culture. (At least in the US; idk how this is elsewhere) I am actually of the opinion that the whole “no dating in the workplace” thing is completely unnecessary for preventing sexual harassment and is just another way for companies to overreach into their employees personal lives for their own profit. Sexual harassment is very bad; there should be rules against that specific thing.
Algorithmic social media. Men and women are not seeing the same content, getting the same information, reading the same news. Everyone’s getting fed gender wars bullshit, and men and women have increasingly divergent values and understandings of the world.

Potential-Item5629 · 2026-04-03T04:56:47+00:00

I think they have made the correct analysis. Throughout history, most common men have had dating problems. Matrimony have been reserved for those who can afford it. Men died as canon fodder in unnecessary wars and women died in childbirth giving heirs to those who could afford them.

The only historical exception to this was the relatively socialist and collectivist society envisioned by the missionary generation, realized by the greatest generation and squandered by the boomer generation.

Like so many other great endeavors, it’s rags-rags in three generations. Now the fourth generation, the Millennials, could be the restoring generation. Bringing back the original vision and structure from the missionary generation and the greatest generation. But it doesn’t seem like the Millennials have it in them. People are only now starting to understand the problem and nobody is building the organizational structure needed to reconstruct what is lost.

Lemon_gecko · 2026-04-02T13:10:45+00:00

I don't know, i think it's a common argument because many liberals now are neo-communists or something of the sort. I personally don't think that male dating struggles are because of capitalism and wealth inequality. I think it's because we live in the new era of globalization and at the same time personal isolation. Add that to feminism that allowed women to make their choices including to stay single or childfree, and we have what we have. If someone thinks that capitalism to blame - i want to hear the arguments

Demasii · 2026-04-02T13:54:30+00:00

If that is their stance than I disagree.

We live in an attention economy with an abundance of entertainment. Human connection like friendships are even down because we are too busy consuming.

ivegotcharisma · 2026-04-02T14:17:33+00:00

I think the argument makes sense, but it's not the only reason for it. It's common because it's easy to point to when you consider women not needing men anymore, financially.

ChicNoir · 2026-04-02T17:43:47+00:00

I think there is a lot of truth to the argument TBH. Most young men can’t afford to spend 100.00 to take a girl out for dinner.

cb8585b · 2026-04-02T15:15:24+00:00

Argument has its merits but can be vague. But it is an accurate response to men who can’t afford shit, can’t afford to live alone, maintain a social life, complain there’s no third spaces blah blah blah and then the conclusion they come to is all my life’s problems boil down to the fact no one will fuck me.

Dependent-Tailor7366 · 2026-04-02T14:22:23+00:00

If their major concern is being expected to be the primary bread winner then yes, capitalism and income inequality are the biggest issues.

No_Project_4738 · 2026-04-02T17:47:05+00:00

When you are survival mode, it’s much harder to date the modern way or with modern women. Capitalism can play a part in that but it’s not fully to blame. Usually if someone is having problems in dating it’s because there are multiple issues at play. When an issue stems from one source it’s much more obvious. It’s definitely also the rise of social media, online dating culture, covid lockdown ramifications, the rise of next generation/how men/women were raised (genZ)and so on and so forth. But that is all the systemic, then you have to factor in the individual and their personal circumstances.

There’s not much you can do about systemic issues, all you can do is focus on improving yourself and your circumstances; that is always the area to place your focus.

jorts-enthusiast · 2026-04-02T22:43:16+00:00

Social isolation, part of the cause of men’s dating woes, is caused by capitalism. It’s not a direct causal relationship but it doesn’t help.

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ThatBitchA · 2026-04-02T17:50:38+00:00

It's not a recent trend.

And yes, I agree with the theory.

Theawkwardmochi · 2026-04-03T13:49:21+00:00

I noticed that most of the female commentators end all of their videos with statements that boil down to "men are angry at women, but really they should be angry at the capitalist system, that is oppressing them. It is capitalism and wealth inequality (and therefore the wealthy elite) that is standing in their way of dating success, not womens choices." What do you think of this argument?

It's nonsensical and ignorant. There hasn't been a system in human history where the majority of wealth and power didn't belong to a privileged elite. It's only the criteria of belonging to said elite that kept changing - or, more accurately, evolved into modern day capitalism, with the slight slip up of the communist dictatorships of the 20th century and whatever North Korea is (sticking to the biological lingo, it might be a mutation). The funniest part is that these ladies, being influencers, oftentimes directly benefit from capitalism to a much greater extent than others, while having a very bizarre socialist fixation - that arguably is the most unfair system of all.

Why do you think this is a common argument?

Because capitalism is a very convenient boogeyman. If you don't want to actually look into an issue, as it could potentially undermine your narrative, blame capitalism, job done. It also gets you brownie points and applause from your echo chamber, which, ironically, translates into higher earnings, because capitalism.

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