Sigma male (or simply Sigma) is an internet slang and pseudoscientific term used most often to describe archetype of a male who is a "lone wolf".[1][2] . The name is a product of the manosphere message boards in the 2010s, the term has gained widespread prominence within internet culture, and since the early 2020s, has become an internet meme.[3] Commonly regarded as the "rarest" type of male[citation needed], a sigma male is typically denoted as an archetype of a male who is similar to the alpha male of the dual strategies theory[citation needed]. Unlike an alpha male, Sigma males are more introverted and seek to dominate themselves, in other words "self mastery". On social media, the term is often used to describe the idolization of masculine characters from films and TV shows, or celebrities.[4]
Alternatively, the term has taken on an ironic and satirical meaning, mocking the concept of the manosphere and the sigma grindset.[5]
In 2023, #sigma gained over 46 billion views on the social media platform TikTok.[6]
Etymology
The term first originated in a 2010 blog post by American writer Vox Day.[7] In 2014, California plastic surgeon John T. Alexander published the book The Sigma Male: What Women Really Want,[8] and advertised it on social networking sites Twitter and Tumblr.[9] Between 2017 and 2018, the term began to gain popularity on YouTube,[9] and has since included titles such as "Why Sigma Males are Highly Attractive to Women", "5 Habits of the Sigma Male", and "10 Signs You’re a Sigma Male". The term went viral in 2021 following a tweet by YouTuber Lily Simpson, stating "What the f**k is going on with men" alongside infographics of sigma-related content.[10] According to Google Trends, the "sigma male" search term first appeared in 2021.[6]
Usage
The term is often used to describe film characters. Actor Christian Bale's portrayal of the character Patrick Bateman from the 2000 film American Psycho is most often cited as an ideal representation of a sigma male, both through memes and unironic discussion.[11] This includes Tommy Shelby, the protagonist of the crime drama Peaky Blinders,[6] and Canadian actor Ryan Gosling.[12] It is also used to describe celebrities, for instance, journalist Robert Crampton, who writes the Beta Male column of the The Times Saturday magazine, describes the controversial social media personality Andrew Tate as a sigma male.[13] The term is also used to describe other notable figures, including politicians and businesspeople, such as Russian president Vladimir Putin and Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs.[14]
Many brands on social media such as Nestlé's Drumstick also use the trend as a form of advertising.[14]
"Literally me"
"Literally me" is an internet phenomenon that arose as a byproduct of the sigma male term.[12] As described by The Hoya, it "refers to a subset of films that depict male characters acting out of resentment and alienation in negative, hyper-masculine ways — that is, often with aggression, misogyny and violence."[15] A lack of emotional security has been attributed as a root cause of the trend.[16]
Criticism
Apart from its use as a harmless trend, the term has been adopted by groups that promote philosophies such as isolation and going rogue. This has been explained as part of Generation Z's psychological growth having been stunted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] Beth Skwarecki, health editor of the weblog Lifehacker, describe the sigma male as a "bullshit concept from the incel world."[17] Some psychologists and psychotherapists have attributed the term as a subsidiary of toxic masculinity.[6] Due to the term's attribution to fictional film characters, it has been highlighted as promoting unrealistic personality and beauty standards.[12]
See also
References
- ^ Dazed (January 13, 2022). "Rise and grind: how 'sigma males' are upturning the internet". Dazed. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Bharti, Bianca (February 3, 2021). "What is a sigma male — the so-called rarest man?". National Post. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Placido, Dani Di (2021-01-26). "The Pseudoscience Behind The 'Sigma Male,' Explained". Forbes. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Hoghaug, James (September 13, 2022). "Sigma or Killer? The Truth Behind American Psycho's Patrick Bateman". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Yalcinkaya, Günseli (February 18, 2022). "Interview with A Sigma Male". The Oxford Student. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Reix, Justine (April 28, 2023). "The Rise of the 'Sigma Male', a New Kind of Toxic Masculinity". Vice News. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ Day, Vox (2010-05-26). "Explaining sigma. Again". Vox Popoli. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ Bulger, Adam (2022-07-20). "What Is A Sigma Male? Unpacking The Latest In Male Archetypes". Fatherly. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ a b Klee, Miles (2021-01-27). "Everything You Never Wanted to Know About the 'Sigma Male'". MEL Magazine. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ Joseph, Jisha (2021-01-29). "Twitter tears into emergence of the 'sigma male' because being the 'alpha' is so yesterday". Upworthy. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ John Bautista, Kimberly (2023-08-04). "Patrick Bateman: The Sigma Man's False Idol". Esquire. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c Webb, Armando Quesada (2023-11-03). "'Literally me': Why do so many straight guys love Ryan Gosling?". El País. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ Crampton, Robert (2024-03-02). "I'll never be an alpha male. These days that's a good thing". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ a b c Press-Reynolds, Kieran. "How the 'lone alpha wolves' meme took over the internet and became an unofficial Gen Z mascot". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ McMahan, Luke (2023-09-27). "PHILM AND FILOSOPHY | The Fundamental Misunderstandings of 'Literally Me' Cinema". The Hoya. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ Chowdhury, Azneef (2023-03-07). "The distressing reality of "literally me" characters". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
- ^ Skwarecki, Beth (2021-09-03). "'Sigma Male' Is Not a Personality". Lifehacker. Retrieved 2024-03-02.