What is triggering the alt-right outbreak? Is it racism, sexism, or both? Chris, Teen, and Jess use Angela Nagle’s book Kill All Normies and Kristen Roupenian’s short story Cat Person as launchpads for discussing this social development that has much relevance for Asian Americans as well.

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The following are edited excerpts from “The Fall of White Masculinity”, the 17th episode of Plan A’s podcast, Escape From Plan A.

One way I look at the alt-right is as guys who were a little too slow-footed. They couldn’t anticipate and adjust to the coming social changes fast enough to stay on top. If you look at the progressive white guys, a lot of them are just shit, right? The male feminists or the ones who fetishize minority women and try to look good doing that. Those guys turned the corner better than the alt-right guys.

— Chris

It boils down to pick a lane. Pick a fucking lane, right? You want to be a traditional provider and a man? Do that. But don’t come back and bitch about how your stay-at-home wife is asking for money for support after you walk out on her. That was the trade you made. On the other hand, if you don’t want to uphold that image of masculinity, then go your own way. But don’t demand that you be treated with the exact same privileges and benefits that were societally allotted to that group of men that were willing to take on that risk and responsibility in “being a man.”

— Jess

I think Asian masculinity is defined by a much longer process than white American masculinity. It’s less aberrational. That may be changing in some places, but the conception of it that I have has been subject to the same dissing that European masculinity had. But it’s actually the product of a much longer and less aberrational negotiation between the gender.

— Teen