health
Behind the rise of Clavicular and ‘looksmaxxing’ there are insecure young men who feel they don’t measure up
What is a very private struggle – coming to terms with one’s own appearance – is being reshaped into a site of competition and ridicule
TL;DR
- Actor Barry Keoghan faces online abuse about his appearance, highlighting the difficulty men often have in expressing insecurities.
- The author reflects on his own adolescent struggles with body image, a common experience for boys.
- The rise of 'looksmaxxing,' promoted by influencers like Clavicular, reframes physical self-improvement as a solvable mathematical problem using extreme methods.
- Looksmaxxing has turned appearance into a competitive arena for men, potentially driven by deeper anxieties than just impressing others.
- Adolescence and puberty present varied and often stressful outcomes for boys, leading to self-criticism and social competition.
- Social media amplifies casual cruelty regarding male appearance, exacerbating insecurities.
- Technological advancements allow teenagers to access and implement appearance 'solutions' far more readily than in the past.
- The extremity of looksmaxxing reflects an unheard anxiety in young boys, necessitating open dialogue about their self-perception.