Our political climate feels fraught with right-wing populist and authoritarian leaders and what underlines the rhetoric of their movements, is a traditional, 'luridly retro' idea of masculinity. This phenomenon is part of the wider resistance against social change and progression. The modest gains of feminism, shifting definitions of gender and sex, and economic instability have meant that many men have reverted to conservativist ideas of manhood and identity. I also look at the role of social media and digital echo chambers.