The Find Out Podcast

Episode: Inside the Manosphere
Date: March 19, 2026
Host(s): Tim, Zach, Luke
Guest: Brenna Perez (Director and Content Creator)

Overview

This episode brings the Find Out crew and director Brenna Perez together for an unfiltered, witty, and incisive exploration of America under Trump’s second term. Starting with international conflict and political absurdities, the hosts zero in on the culture and fallout of the "manosphere"—a growing, hyper-masculinist online scene. The conversation covers the new Netflix documentary Manosphere, how right-wing grifters prey on insecurity, America's gendered political and social contradictions, and what progressives can do (or aren't doing) in response. The panel also dives deep into issues of messaging, shame, gender discourse, and Democratic strategy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of America: War Fatigue and International Isolation

• The group opens with grim riffs on the news cycle: Ongoing war with Iran, American casualties, lack of global support, and Trump’s strategic blunders.
• America’s waning influence:
  • “For the first time in history, no one has stepped up and helped us because of the ridiculous...” (Tim, 01:39)
  • Allies are increasingly hesitant to back US wars due to the costs already paid (Brenna shares Spain’s experience after they supported the US in Iraq, 04:10).
• Domestic backlash: Trump expected bombing Iran would boost his poll numbers, but instead, “48% of Americans not only don’t like the war but think it’s going poorly.” (Tim, 03:17)

2. Trump, MAGA, and The Culture of Projection

• Attacks on the “other” for political points: Trump’s mocking of Gavin Newsom for being dyslexic turns into a broader swipe at neurodivergent Americans (“apparently thinks if you’re dyslexic that you are not capable of holding a job” – Tim, 09:03; “I think if you’re a rapist, you shouldn’t be the president” – Luke, 09:05).
• Projection as MAGA’s core coping mechanism:
  • “Always with MAGA, right? It's always projection.” (Tim, 09:17)
  • The group highlights the relentless hypocrisy of MAGA messaging, from Trump’s inability to read to his own frequent missteps.
• The Viral Image Moment:
  • Discussion of Trump’s conspicuously caked makeup during a St. Patrick’s Day meeting, drawing Harry Potter comparisons (“It’s like book six of Harry Potter when Dumbledore gets his hand all up—That’s exactly what’s happening with the Horcrux.”—Luke & Tim, 09:58–10:03)

3. The Netflix “Manosphere” Documentary: Dangerous Masculinity

Brenna’s Core Take:

• “So much of it comes down to daddy issues...the biggest projection, I think, at its core, as so much of the hate is, you know, it all comes from some seed of insecurity.” (Brenna, 12:32–12:44)

How the grift works (Tim):

• The documentary profiles three right-wing creators leveraging “masculinity” as a sales pitch, promising money, fitness, and women—all to mask insecurity and scam young men (13:39).

The Appeal:

• “The message is essentially your lot in life is not your fault...and if you follow us, we will show you the path to glory.” (Tim, 15:48)
• “They are very good salesmen...They kind of hide in this place where like, ‘Hey, we’re not saying anything crazy. We just want you to have this cool shit.’ And it’s like, you’re saying the craziest shit.” (Zach, 15:00)

Why it spreads:

• “They add to that that they’re—the left doesn’t want you to have money. They don’t want you to be fit. They hate you if you’re attractive.” (Luke, 15:37)
• Harnesses “belonging” amid the "male loneliness epidemic," locking men into toxic communities shaming vulnerability and enforcing impossible standards (Brenna, 18:12–20:27).

4. How Should Progressives Respond?

Debate: Shame, Scamming, and Structure

• Luke’s proposal: “I don’t think scamming is the angle. I think shaming is the angle.” (17:06)
  • Prompted by infamous “clavicular,” a manosphere influencer who literally hammers his jaw to look more masculine—a parable for self-harming insecurity.
• Brenna’s insight: The manosphere mimics “frenemy” dynamics—belonging paired with constant put-downs and impossible performance (18:12). Unlike women, men often stay in toxic groups.
• Zach’s counterpoint: The discourse is failing due to overbroad generalizations, i.e., “men suck”—which he says alienates more than it attracts:
  • “What is the value tactically of saying ‘men suck’? What is the movement to try to make men suck less getting from that statement?” (Zach, 33:05)
• Brenna’s challenge: “We need men talking to fellow men...Maybe start, you know, speaking to your fellow men…help them develop these tools...to not take it so personally.” (Brenna, 33:34)

On the Power of Shame and Social Cues:

• “...The things that have stuck in my head through my life ... that worked was people being mean to me.” (Zach, 47:43)
• “If you’re really mean to them, that will live in their head for a long time. ... It’s a risk because it bifurcates two ways: you either push them further down the road that they were already going down, or it sits in there and festers and makes them change.” (Zach, 48:04)

5. Toxic Masculinity, Gendered Norms, and Democratic Politics

On Progress in Culture vs. Policy:

• Brenna: “Culture begets politics. Yes, sometimes politics then begets culture. But I think it’s important because, like, part of winning is a shift in culture...Part of the work has to be on the cultural side, you know, for those wins.” (Brenna, 37:34)

Women in Politics and Double Standards:

• The team discusses a persistent gender bias facing women seeking leadership, the pitfall of electability narratives (“I think a man is going to be more likable, naturally. I think he’s going to have to do less to be seen as more likable.” - Brenna, 63:20).
• Unpacks why “I don’t like her” (re: Hillary Clinton) is often loaded with unexamined gendered cues (“The idea that she's not someone you'd want to hang out with...men and women can't be friends...this propagation of this idea...puts us at odds in a way where men can never...imagine having a beer with a woman who's running for president, because they just don't do that with any women in their life.” - Brenna, 57:54)
• Turns the critique back on left-wing men: even progressive guys are often performative (56:41).

Electoral Messaging:

• The left fails by not fighting back hard enough against right-wing messaging like “woke,” and by playing defense instead of affirming empathy and equality (Tim/Zach, 41:34).
• “We just need more men modeling a better version of that...when I hear this, this is what I'm going to understand it as...when I feel this way, this is how I'm going to process it.” (Brenna, 43:15)

6. The Manosphere, Dating, and Modern Masculinity

• The group jokes about creating a progressive dating app to “force” men to treat women well—only to realize right-wingers are already pretending to be left-wing to get dates (53:06).
• Brenna notes: “As men, the reason all these men on the right have to pretend to be more progressive...is because that's what women want. ... But obviously in a way that's not like you should fake it.” (53:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You are not less than others. You are, you know, you are just as good as anybody else.” —Gavin Newsom’s response to Trump’s dyslexia attack (paraphrased by Tim, 08:55)
• “If you’re a rapist, you shouldn’t be the president.” —Luke, 09:05
• "Allies even stay on our side with Trump doing all this is because of ... leverage we have economically and militarily. ... that balance is starting to get real wonky…” — Zach, 04:59
• “Your lot in life is not your fault. ... if you follow us, we will show you the path to glory.” —Tim, 15:48
• “I think shaming is the angle” —Luke, 17:06
• “You gotta admit that the WOKE stuff went too far.” —Channeling moderate liberals, Brenna, 24:26
• “Maybe instead of asking women to stop saying stuff like that...maybe start speaking to your fellow men and be like, listen, this is how we can hear this in a way that's not gonna have us react this way.” —Brenna, 33:34
• “Make rapists afraid again.” —Luke (joking, 36:55)
• “If you’re an unintelligent young man, what are the odds ... you’re going to be able to even grasp the concept of these tools? ... that’s why the manosphere works.” —Zach, 44:43
• “It’s literally the red pill or the blue pill, but they're not taking the pill. They think they are.” —Luke, 44:52

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening banter/cultural context: [00:08–03:17]
• Trump’s polling/culture of isolation: [03:17–06:43]
• Manosphere documentary discussion starts: [12:32]
• Deconstructing manosphere appeal: [14:51–17:48]
• How should progressives respond? [17:06–21:37, 33:05–37:34]
• Messaging, language, and shaming: [33:05–44:52, 46:45–50:33]
• Women in politics, likability, and bias: [57:14–65:49]
• Favorite female Dem candidates for president: [66:27–71:49]

Takeaways

• The manosphere is a toxic response to economic, social, and gendered insecurity, expertly weaponized by right-wing influencers.
• Projection is a defining MAGA tool: demonizing others for their own weaknesses.
• Progressives are at a crossroads—needing better, more tactical messaging and internal accountability among men.
• Culture and politics are inseparable; wins in one drive shifts in the other.
• Despite progress, gender bias in American life and politics remains deeply entrenched, and the left is often hamstrung by its own internal performances and miscommunication.
• Real change will require not just outrage, but consistent modeling, in-group accountability, and more targeted, empathetic engagement especially around young men vulnerable to online grifters.

Panel’s Democratic “Dream Team” for 2028 (and why...)

• Gretchen Whitmer: Universally liked for being relatable, fun, and effective. (Zach)
• AOC: Inspires the left, but challenges with moderates and centrist fears of “not ready” for commander-in-chief role. (Luke, Brenna)
• Elizabeth Warren: The panel’s policy powerhouse, though age is a concern. (Tim, Brenna)
• Kamala Harris: Mixed reviews; respected, but seen as uninspiring to base and swing voters.
• Honorable mentions: Michelle Obama, though “likability” can be illusory until tested as a candidate.

Final Thoughts

The fight for America’s soul—politically, socially, and culturally—runs straight through the thick of misogyny, grievance, and changing norms. As the Manosphere narrative grows, it’s never been more urgent for progressives, especially men, to confront internalized bias, up their messaging, challenge their peers, and above all, practice what they preach. As Brenna Perez notes, modeling a “better version of masculinity” might just be the only real antidote the left has.

For more:

• Follow guest Brenna Perez on all apps (except “the Nazi one”): @PerezBrenna
• Stay tuned for more Find Out Podcast episodes and spin-offs like Get Angry (warning: may spike your blood pressure)