The Crisis in Modern Masculinity

Pankaj Mishra unveils the deep crisis of global masculinity in this penetrating analysis, tracing a disturbing pattern that connects Hindu nationalist Godse to contemporary leaders like Trump, Putin, and Duterte. Modern political culture, he argues, is saturated with a pathological pursuit of the “strong man” image—a masculine fantasy that not only oppresses women but also traps men themselves in a suffocating cage of expectations and performance.

The politicization of masculinity has deep historical roots. Since the 19th century, industrialization and imperialism have shaped the ideal of the “strong man” and bound it inextricably to notions of nation, race, and power. This fantasy reached its horrifying peak in fascism and has been dramatically revived in contemporary right-wing populism across the globe. Mishra demonstrates how Western modernity established a global order through the rigid division of gender and race, systematically excluding women from political and economic power while simultaneously forcing men to assume the performative role of the “strong” protector and provider.

The contemporary anti-feminist backlash, from Godse to Jordan Peterson, reveals a deep-seated fear psychology among many male thinkers and political figures who view feminism as an existential threat. They attempt to restore lost privileges through what they frame as “reshaping masculinity,” but what is actually a desperate clinging to outdated hierarchies. Yet Mishra emphasizes a crucial point often overlooked in these debates: men themselves are victims of these gender norms. They suffer disproportionately from alcoholism, suicide, and psychological trauma, yet cannot express vulnerability due to crushing social expectations. This enforced repression leads directly to violence, hatred, and political extremism—a toxic cycle that harms everyone.

Cultural representation plays a central role in perpetuating these damaging ideals. From Hollywood to Bollywood, male body images have been politicized, transformed into symbols of nationalism and male power. Muscles, violence, and exaggerated sexual characteristics are deployed to mask profound social anxiety and identity crisis. These images create impossible standards that leave men feeling perpetually inadequate while simultaneously reinforcing the very structures that oppress them.

Mishra calls for us to abandon the fantasy of “masculinity” as currently constructed and face its historical origins and real consequences with unflinching honesty. He invokes Simone de Beauvoir’s famous insight—“One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”—and extends it to men. Masculinity, like femininity, is a social construction, not a biological destiny. Only by acknowledging male fragility and complexity, by creating space for men to be fully human rather than merely “strong,” can we truly break out of the cycle of gender oppression that diminishes us all. The crisis in modern masculinity is not a crisis of men losing power, but a crisis of humanity struggling to emerge from the ruins of patriarchy.