I think this is really important - rather than going with the easy answer that MRAs just suck as human beings, it’s important to understand why someone would be attracted to an ideology that creates division and makes them miserable. It seems to be a symptom of a wider problem and assumptions that men should be happier because they have a larger share of the pie don’t really seem to be well informed. Happiness has very little to do with the amount of stuff we have or the control we have over other people. Often the response to MRA-type attitudes seems to be to ridicule the man-child, but this can exacerbate the problem. If we actually try to understand MRAs and treat it almost as a public health issue, we can help people to recognise mental health issues in themselves and get help rather than projecting it onto others. People who are comfortable with themselves are more prepared to show support for others, and I think many modern societies are far too individualistic and lack empathy or community - MRAs are one symptom of this. Fostering gratitude, mutual support, belonging etc. are important components of happiness and are often better supported by community rather than just therapy.
Religion is an interesting component of this - I mentioned in another comment that I had received a lot of benefit from my religious community before and even after I left the church. While there are lots of problems with existing religions, it doesn’t surprise me that a disproportionate number of MRAs are atheists. Where so much of society is controlled by the church, people who leave it are less likely to find a strong and diverse community to be part of. Societies where the church is not at the centre of life seem to be better at resisting this influence (although they often show plenty of other xenophobic traits).
It sounds kind of communist (I bought a tape of Chinese/English communist anthems the first time I went to Shanghai. My brother has it now, but some of the songs were catchy. “The brightest is the sun, the dearest is Chairman Mao.” “Open fire on the fascists!”). Some of the 1000 yard stares on the kids though - it reminds me of Ken Ham’s comments about forcing babies to like vegemite (and by analogy, fundamentalism) so they’d see it as natural when they were older. This was a positive thing, in his view.
