I remember a panic over steroids being the subject of an episode of ‘The Cook Report’ in the early 90s. Everything old is new again.

And once again, there is no such thing as ‘toxic masculinity’. There are only toxic people – of both sexes.

To see young men objectifying themselves in order to feel better is to see what young women have been doing since forever.

It is tragic for all of us, driven by the ever growing visual nature of our screen based culture and the lack of meaning and belonging this generates.

Lack of access to status drives the size of trucks young men drive, the size of their muscles, the size of their resentment and bewilderment.

I’d say we’ve let them down, but I won’t bear responsibility for the technology driven hypercapitalists and their project of making us all into products that have personal branding, rather than humans who have belonging and secure purpose.

The Author doesn’t mention ‘Roid Rage’ – the tendency for anabolic steroids in some to increase aggression and potential threatening behaviour – and where that can have behaviour implications for the others too. It’s at that point perhaps this crosses a line of concern from free choice to a wider concern? Would have been interesting to hear Author touch on this.

Oliver Bateman has a real problem – with other guys. My guess is one too many atomic wedgies.

Zyzz was probably over-compensating for being the last name in the phonebook.

I disagree with the characterization of bodybuilders as “athletes”. They are no more “athletes” than Sly Stallone or Dwayne Johnson is an “athlete” when they steroid themselves to bulk up for a role. Achieving a look that is judged subjectively is very different than pursuing a sporting goal (higher, faster, stronger).
To me, this toxic use of steroids is just another part of “transhumanism”. Like the transgender issue, it’s about feeling that we can be born in a body that we don’t want. And transhumanism promises we can “fix” it.
“You can never get enough of what you weren’t really looking for in the first place”

People are (or should be) free to do whatever they want to their “meat bag.”
Certainly women, in varying degrees, have been doing it from time immemorial.
It’s not the job of the government to restrict self modification.
Controls to prevent danger to minors and exploitation by illicit organisations are reasonable but impingement on individual freedoms is not acceptable.

I go to the gym because I like being reasonably big, strong, and fit, but would hate to look like a body-builder.

‘The similarity is that Zane was a professional show-pony, training his body to win aesthetic approval in exactly the same way as Zyzz but in the medium of public show because social media wasn’t invented then’ – corrected it for you. If youtube was around in Zane’s heyday who’s to say he wouldn’t have used it in the same way? The author seems to demonise one person for doing the exact same thing as another.

The interesting thing just hinted at in this article is the idea that weaker men may well have been the primary beneficiaries of modern, industrial capitalism. In a world where physical strength was necessary for more jobs, such men (and women) would suffer.

What the industrial revolution did for physical work in the 20th century, the computing and AI revolution is doing for mental work in the 21st. I wonder if history will repeat itself? Will AI allow the less talented to compete the way powered machinery allowed the less physically talented to do so?

Is the description of the disorder akin to muscle and body dysmorphia?

Slender toff with charm and manners beats butch oik bodybuilder to the eye of the lovely maiden every time…

Since the late 1960s, many young men have been given the choice of either being effete ineffectual office worker, body builders or coarse crude oiks like Andrew Tate. Swearing has become a sign of toughness. Jeremy Clarkson’s ” The Greatest Raid of of All ” interviewed Commandos who survived on the St Nazaire Raid. Officers such as Corran Purdon MC, Dr Tiger Watson.MC and Micky Burn MC were very tough, fit and not over muscled. Watson became a doctor and Burn a poet.
Jeremy Clarkson’s the Greatest Raid of All – the FULL documentary | North One – YouTube
Ian Woolridge’s documentary on the training of the RMC ” Arctic and Mountaineering Warfare Cadre ” shows instructors are very articulate, skilled fit and agile, not coarse crude oiks.
Royal Marines: Behind the Lines: Episode 1 – Fain Would I Climb – YouTube
Nowadays, reality for most young is whatever comes out of a screen. Most in the media only associate with other middle class types.Are there any writers/media types on cultural issues and/or media types who have served in elite British and Commonwealth military units or have friends /family who have done so? Perhaps a modern day Micky Burn MC or Patrick Leigh Fermour DSO, OBE ?