The sexual market place has changed over the past decade or two, shifting the sexual market value for women but remaining the same for men. So men at the bottom of the scale are left without a woman on par with their own SMV. The obesity epidemic is the most likely cause. An average woman today is a 5 (out of 10) compared to her peers, but wears a size 14 or 16, and weighs in excess of 160lbs. Years ago this same average woman would have been a 3. Men who rank as a 3 today were still a 3 several years ago; surviving on tendies and Dew, living with mom, working a shitty job, no experiences, no adventures, no hobbies, friendless, nothing interesting about them, etc.

The value of men and women aren't judged using the same criteria. Women are judged almost solely on appearance, while men are judged on a wide array of criteria. This is why the obesity epidemic didn't effect the SMV of men like it did women. The partner for a really fat woman isn't a really fat man, but an unemployed, dorky loser. Since fat is average now, fat woman can expect average men.

I posted this over in r/incel when someone asked why incels are a thing. That's my take on it; bottom of the barrel men no longer have an analogous female counterpart due to the shifting sexual marketplace. Without improving themselves, are they destined for permavirginity and the wizard powers with which it comes?