Not All Dead White Men: Classics and Misogyny in the Digital Age

by Donna Zuckerberg

A disturbing exposé of how today's alt-right men's groups use ancient sources to promote a new brand of toxic masculinity online.

A virulent strain of antifeminism is thriving online that treats women's empowerment as a mortal threat to men and to the integrity of Western civilization. Its proponents cite ancient Greek and Latin texts to support their claims--arguing that they articulate a model of masculinity that sustained generations but is now under siege.

Donna Zuckerberg dives deep into the virtual communities of the far right, where men lament their loss of power and privilege, and strategize about how to reclaim them. She finds, mixed in with weightlifting tips and misogynistic vitriol, the words of the Stoics deployed to support an ideal vision of masculine life. On other sites, pickup artists quote Ovid's Ars Amatoria to justify ignoring women's boundaries. By appropriating the Classics, these men lend a veneer of intellectual authority and ancient wisdom to their project of patriarchal white supremacy. In defense or retaliation, feminists have also taken up the Classics online, to counter the sanctioning of violence against women.

Not All Dead White Men reveals that some of the most controversial and consequential debates about the legacy of the ancients are raging not in universities but online.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, History, Politics, Philosophy, Classics, Gender

288 pages, Hardcover

First published October 8, 2018

Reviews

[Myke Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

First class analysis of the “Red Pill” (alt-right misogynist) community and how it misappropriates the classics to achieve its propagandistic ends. Zuckerberg not only hits the topic dispassionately (which isn’t easy for a feminist to do. I was red-faced angry reading this book) and eviscerates with unimpeachable analysis, she also highlights the real danger of this kind of thinking - illustrating how it underpins the propagation of disregard for women's consent, promotes sexual violence, and is actively threatening to move our society backward in time. A critical contribution to any student of classics or ancient history living in the Age of Trump.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly disturbing read about white men who appropriate Classics - stoicism, Ovid, and the myth of Phaedra - to prove that we live in a gynocentric society biased against men and that autonomous women will be the downfall of Western civilization. These assertions justify their vitriolic attacks against women online and their manipulation or sexual assault of women in person. Although many feminists are aware of the Red Pill and Pick-up Artist communities, many may not be aware of the misuse of antiquities. Yet Zuckerberg suggests that the political left may inadvertently allow this abuse to occur insofar as the so-called "Western canon" is criticized for its overabundance of rape and gender inequity. Zuckerberg concludes that "Both sides of that debate agree that the study of ancient literature perpetuates white male supremacy; they differ only on the question of whether that is a consequence that should be celebrated" (p. 187). Her Conclusion also discusses how the Red Pill community lashed out at her and this raises many interesting questions about feminist engagement with the Classics, whether there is value in them and how we make sense of them from the present.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars -- This book earnestly tries to examine and document how alt-right men's movements (Red Pillers, MGTOWers, The Game followers, etc.) co-opt ancient texts to promote specific ideas about "the west," gender, and race, and I think insofar as that is the aim, this is an interesting book that meets that project's goals. That said, I wish this had grappled a little bit more with basically reader-response theory... there's a lot of energy devoted to determining how faithful or good of a reading of ancient texts these movements have, and to some degree, that's kind of besides the point. It more matters how these groups use the texts, rather than the author/philosopher's intent, which is acknowledged, but does make the overall arguments here a little less impactful. Still, a thought provoking look at both the modern and ancient movements in question

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited by the description of this book, which explores the relationship between some works in the classic canon and misogynists on the internet. Sadly, this book is a 200 page slog that simultaneously takes on too many topics, but doesn't pause enough at any of them to make compelling arguments.

There are 3 major ideas explored here. Zuckerberg links first the work of the stoics to the general Red Pill community. Then she examines Ovid's Ars Amatoria and how it connects to pick up artist manuals. Finally, she looks at the story of Phaedra and Hippolytus and examines how it relates to the way men's rights activists claim that false rape allegations are a major problem in society today.

My biggest problem with these sections is that Zuckerberg picked living human strawmen to frame her debate. Sadly, I can't say these men represent the worst of the the Red Pill community, since I, too, have been on reddit and know there are far stupider men out there. But instead of jousting against semi-legitimate scholars, she liberally quotes bloggers who clearly have very little context for the work that they are claiming is a screed for men's rights and pick up artists. It's infuriating to read about this section of the internet, but it's like shooting fish in a barrel for a scholar of her caliber to point out the flaws in their analysis of Ovid. I was never going to agree with bloggers who post about how they should be in charge of making decisions for all of their female relatives, or who claim that they already raped the author with their mind. They are terrible people and you can read anything they write with no critical analysis surrounding it and come to the same conclusion. I would have found this book more interesting if she had engaged with slightly less idiotic misogynists. Maybe a dissection of a Jordan Peterson type would have done it for me a little more.

In addition, the author glancingly refers to far too many topics, but does few of them justice, all while managing to be pretty repetitive for such a short book. Someone interested in her arguments could probably get a lot out of mining the endnotes for further reading.

To be clear, I really wanted to like this book, and I am closely aligned with the author's politics. It just wasn't enjoyable to read. It did make me want to read some of the (classic) books mentioned though.

[isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

[warning: nerdy classicist review comin up]
highly recommend this for my classicist and non classicist friends alike! it’s a great study of how to (and why we should!) navigate feminism in classical studies & actually, for those who are interested in the classical world but don’t know where to start, i think this is more worth a read than a mary beard book or an ‘introduction to the ancient greeks’ type of book because it’s politically relevant to today and is a perfect example of how we can use the greek & roman worlds to further our understanding of the modern world !!! recommend if you have the stomach to read 200 pages of analysis about misogynists (some of the views of the men that zuckerberg quotes are really disturbing).
(also sidenote how is this woman the sister of mark zuckerberg i cannot comprehend this)

[Ryan Denson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of a larger movement among classicists in recent years to combat the misappropriation of classics and ancient works by the alt-right. It catalogs and responds to some of the ways that the misogynistic ‘red pill’ online forums misinterpret and twist ancient concepts and ideas to try to legitimize their own ideas. Zuckerberg particularly focuses on the way the different factions of the alt-right has appealed to Stoicism and Ovid’s Ars Amatoria. She convincingly shows that what these groups are actually appealing to are merely shallow imitations of classical ideas, which bear only a tenous connection, especially with Stoicism, to actual beliefs in the ancient world. Zuckerberg also argues for a more inclusive and progressive form of classics that departs from the traditionally conservative nature of the field.

Overall, it is an interesting read that highlights some of the ways classics has been abused to justify hateful ideologies and, more generally, some of the ways that ancient texts are occasionally misread by those without a thorough background in classics. Zuckerberg’s book also shows the need to respond and denounce other types of misuse of classics, such as being used in an attempt to support xenophobic, white nationalist, or Eurocentric ideologies.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Donna Zuckerberg has provided us with a succinct look at the ways the Red Pill community uses the works of Stoic philosophers to justify their worldview. The book is accessible - I had no issue understanding anything, and I came to the book without any knowledge of Stoic philosophy - and Zuckerberg is an insightful guide. She skillfully illustrates the contradictions of Red Pill arguments, that they use little more than the intellectual brand-name recognition of Marcus Aurelius, Ovid, and others to provide cover for their concepts of masculinity and gender roles.

Long enough to be academically rigorous and informative, but short enough that the relatively dry subject matter and writing don't get wearing.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I have little interest in Greek or Roman authors, thought, history, and only a passing knowledge of their myths. That said, I was way into this book as she lifts up the internet rock these toxic grubs have been hiding under and exposes not only their venality and misogyny, but their misuse of ancient texts and schools of thought to justify their loathsome beliefs and behavior.

Whew! That was a long sentence. You should go read this.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book examines the Red Pill communities online (with a helpful chapter distinguishing differences in the numerous factions of antifeminists) and their use of classics to justify their opinions. The three major sections of the book deal with different issues -- broadly: rationality and emotions, the objectification of women, and sexual assault -- which are each connected to different classic texts by Red Pill members. Definitely worth a read to understand what arguments and tactics these communities make and to contemplate how we confront classic texts given our modern culture. A word of note: it was very well researched and cited, so there is a lot of despicable and disturbing rhetoric from Red Pill writers included in the book -- it can get tough to read at some points.

[Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved and sorely needed this book. As a woman classicist, I've seen first-hand the disgusting misogyny Zuckerberg documents in the field. It was so helpful to understand what the online conversations look like and how ancient authors are weaponized to affirm white supremacists online. Yuck! It's a book to read with your nose pinched, but so well written and essential reading for anyone in the field. My only concern with it is that it's too awful to be believed, so I worry people will dismiss it. I can honestly say, having been trolled for running a women's Latin reading group (horror of horrors), it is all too true.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

New review: Everyday it becomes more egregious that she did not and still has not commented on Facebook. That silence destroys most of her credibility. It’s bad as long as it’s not where the family money comes from I guess.


Old review: Great book. But my major criticism is that Zuckerberg critiques several digital platforms but leaves Facebook mostly untouched. Although its absence was expected for obvious reasons.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Critical analysis of [the Red Pill's] use of the ancient world exposes how their classical references work as a powerful rhetoric tool; it also reveals how nuanced, feminist interpretation of the Classics can counteract Red Pill distortions. That is what I hope I have achieved in this book."

Terrifying. Incredible. I wish I had the words with me right now to review this! I will definitely be re-reading this in the future, perhaps then I will.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cogent, readable defense of the field of Classics from those who would appropriate, or rather, misappropriate, our studies for the promotion of foul agendas in service of white nationalism and the "Alt-Right" . . . a must-read for anyone in the field of Greek, Latin, and Classical Humanities!

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prescient and thorough exploration of how the alt right / MRA movements co-opt and reduce classics to serve their own warped ideas about gender and sexuality.

[Kitty Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, with a title like that, who could resist?

Not All Dead White Men takes a look at how the manosphere, particularly the Red Pill-ers use classic philosophy and literature rhetorically to legitimize their claims. The book is divided into distinct parts: a bastardized version of Stoic philosophy meant to establish men as the more rational, logical gender; Ovid's Ars Amatoria being praised as the original pick-up artist; and finally, how these groups view the heavily patriarchal society of the Greeks and Romans as an aspirational ideal, rather than antiquated - literally and figuratively - civilizations that are interesting to study.

Zuckerberg's work is extensive and fluidly written; I have read some criticism regarding her translations, so that's something to keep in mind when reading, but I really don't think her argument rests enough on the translations to spoil her entire thesis. Instead, it's more analyzing the rhetorical sophistry of these groups in relation to the classics. And that she does exceedingly well. (As an aside, I once read an article about how the use of the (sic) tag was inherently classist; that might be so, but it's a privilege to witness when it is used to its full effect, against those who so richly deserve it).

The only problem I can note is that while Zuckerberg does a devastating job of showing the interplay between the manosphere and the classics, she falters a bit when making explicit some of the strategies they use to legitimize and bolster their claims. There were a few instances when she pointed them out, certainly, but didn't go into detail in how exactly those strategies worked, or how to combat those, or indeed, if we should try to combat them at all.

And while she explicitly mentions that she won't be pointing out the "howlers", as one cited professor said, I can't help but think that would have added something to the book. She does take some look at the misinterpretations - particularly in the Stoic chapter, and partially in the Phaedra section - but more would have been appreciated. For instance, I can't help but think it would have added a richness to her argument when considering how many of these men would react to the full picture of Greek and Roman society. Of course, the point is that these men do not want the actual society, they only want the control they perceive comes with it, whether that's to the benefit of males and/or whites, but it still would have helped to hold a candle to their arguments and let the light shining through the holes speak for themselves.

A thoroughly enjoyable read, with plenty to offer for any lover of classics who hate to see them used and abused.

(As a note: two of my old professors were cited in this book, which I found amusing, particularly as one of them was rumored to be a raging misogynist, and I can imagine that being cited in a feminist tome would be anathema to him).

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a carefully written, thoroughly researched look into how ideas are disseminated (and around them communities formed) on social media. Zuckerberg discusses a specific—though hardly harmonious—community: the manosphere. Many subgroups fall under this umbrella: men’s rights activists (MRAs), pickup artists (PUAs), Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW), incels, the Alt-Right, etc.

Within in the manosphere there is much overlap, but also much conflict. Zuckerberg argues that the strongest commonality is antifeminism. Not All Dead White Men looks at how members of the manosphere invoke ancient Greece and Rome to justify their worldview.

The contradictions fracturing the manosphere really interested me. The manosphere men hate women and especially feminism, but sometimes they get in their own way trying to do both at once.
For example, most adopt an essentialist view of gender. They argue women have certain innate traits, and those traits cause societal ills. But they also argue that social progressivism and especially feminism are responsible for societal ills. Which is it? Does feminism turn women bad, or are women irrevocably bad?

In a sense, it doesn’t really matter, because their solution in either case is to disempower women. And I think that's a central takeaway: the manosphere can fiddle with framing and cherry pick ancient texts all they want, but ultimately, they aspire and feel entitled to control women.

When they don't get to control women (for example, if a woman rejects their advances), they get angry. But they draw on warped Stoicism to reclassify that anger as rationality, and in fact, rationality of a caliber exclusive to their demographic. It's a horrifying cocktail.

As a whole, Not All Dead White Men is equal parts fascinating and disturbing. Zuckerberg draws attention to a salient contemporary issue, and does so with a lot of context and nuance. However, it’s pretty dense, so getting through it wasn’t exactly a blast. I would read this if you have prior interest in and knowledge about the topic. It’s not an accessible primer on feminism, antifeminism, communication in the digital age, or any combination of the three.

[Brigid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is pure brilliance. Zuckerberg tears down misconceptions of the classics by the alt-right manosphere. The author tears down their supposed intelligible interpretations of the classics by providing the evidence all the while humiliating them in the process. I'll be honest. This is a hard one to read, especially if you're a woman. Be prepared for discussions about rape and discrimination against women and POC. She really gets deep into the alt-right. It's a necessary read, though. I learned a lot about how the minds of the alt-right works and how important it is to understand how their interpretations of the classics don't match up to the reality. She makes it known that it is important to learn the classics. That doesn't mean the classics don't have racism and sexism. Those things should still be learned because it is important to understand the past, especially when the alt-right chooses these texts as aspirational. What makes this book so brilliant is Zuckerberg places importance on stripping the alt-right of their self-professed superior interpretations of classics by helping us understand what is so laughably wrong with their interpretations. In the midst of all this, she doesn't hide from the problems within scholarship. Scholars and the general public need to face the Classics from a feminist perspective. This includes facing the romanticism the alt-right forces onto the classics. The impact of that is the very real influence the alt-right has on men, and the stereotypes they feed off of.

[Alena · Rating 4 out of 5]

So… I wasn’t planning on reviewing this, but then I realized the author is Mark Zuckerberg’s sister. The irony was too much to resist, so here we are.

To be fair, this book has its strengths. It’s well-researched and does a fantastic job dismantling the many ways the alt-right misogynistic community attempts to justify their disturbing beliefs and actions. It highlights the systemic nature of online radicalization and the harmful rhetoric that fuels gendered violence.

That being said, it all feels incredibly disingenuous. The book critiques the very same extremist communities that have flourished under the policies of Facebook and other social media platforms—platforms that the author’s own brother has profited from while turning a blind eye to their role in amplifying hate speech, misinformation, and far-right extremism. Mark Zuckerberg isn’t just complicit in the rise of fascism; he’s one of its biggest enablers.

In my research to see if Donna has spoken out against her brother, I found that she is indeed aware of how Facebook has provided a platform for these groups. But she also speaks quite a bit about people calling him "Mark Cuckerberg." Priorities, I guess?

She also has a Twitter account, which is a statement in itself these days. There are a few posts that could be interpreted as not being politically aligned with her brother, but nothing definitive—and certainly not a word against him. She can’t help who she’s related to, but the silence here is deafening.

Peak white feminism: condemning misogyny while remaining complicit as your privilege and connections uphold other systems of oppression. But don’t worry, Donna’s an ally! (On some things.)

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather difficult four stars. Certainly I wish more than most--as a young AFAB classicist, and a reception theorist, at that--that I could give this important and groundbreaking work five stars. It is undeniable that the recently-resurgent fascist far right, and the misogynist hangers-on that typically share the same online spaces and the same ideologies, find authority and validation in classical texts and the classical world. That is a dangerous situation indeed. In Not All Dead White Men, Zuckerberg explores the latter group's received images of the classics.

Classics as a field has been slow to mobilize against the threat these factions present; what Zuckerberg does here is lay the necessary groundwork for the battle ahead. This is a foundational text, and I suspect classicists will view it as such. But in laying these foundations, and in seeking to make the work accessible both to the layperson and the professional classicist--who has, perhaps, operated unaware of the wider 'culture wars'--Zuckerberg must sacrifice some academic rigour on the altar of readability.

It is a fair enough decision to make. I do not envy her; it must also have been a difficult decision. She is a talented and engaging writer who has written an absolutely critical text. Yet it is an introductory text. More work must be done on this, the cutting edge of reception theory: and without that work, I cannot grant five stars.

[Edvald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not All Dead White Men is an interesting, well written, and most of all, accessible book about classics and the Red Pill community. Zuckerberg always gives the reader enough information to follow her argument without overwhelming the reader with details, while at the same time elaborating in the footnotes for those who want to go more in-depth. She manages to present the diversity of opinion in Classics and feminist scholarship without giving the reader a sense that the uncertainty is too great in a way few writers I’ve read are able to do. Zuckerberg is at her best when she draws together her observations to suggest where Classics should head from now on – the conclusion to her chapter on Stoicism, when she talks about the potential Stoicism has in our time, is one of the book’s highlights.

Something I would like to point out is that the book is very much centered on America. This is not really a drawback – Zuckerberg never claims that it isn’t – but I do find it striking how hegemonic America is in academia. This is not something I’m altogether happy about, but I warmly recommend this book regardless!

[kirabobeera · Rating 3 out of 5]

An in-depth examination of how members of the "Red Pill" (also termed "meninist") community appropriate and misinterpret classical ancient literature (namely of Greek and Roman origin) to support their own misogynistic beliefs.

Pointing out various logical errors and rhetorical tactics, Donna Zuckerberg dismantles the ideology and belief system of these Alt-Right communities through rational, insightful investigation. It's honestly a horrifying read in the sense that it includes some of the most disgusting comments made by leaders of these "manosphere" sects.

From so-called "seduction guides" to facing ancient society onto our own modern one, Zuckerberg illustrates how the men of the community have misunderstood and misrepresented classical literature.

This is a very text-heavy book and it reads like an academic thesis. It can be a bit of a chore to push through lengthy paragraph after lengthy paragraph (especially when the topic is about whether or not women should have any rights, as question posed by the Red Pill,) but it's worthwhile in understanding how these texts are being misused and abused for selfish (and restrictive) purposes.

[Jonathon McKenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the subject matter, at times felt more like a collection of long-form essays versus a book, but overall enjoyable. Entire book could be boiled down into a Long Read article, that individual use the ancient Greco-Roman world to claim legitimacy for their ideas and to claim a long and storied past, but most NF books in my experience could be boiled down to a long form essay so this isn't a knock against Donna Zuckerberg directly.

She spends a great deal of time in the first chapter designating different wings of the darker corner of the internet (Pickup Artists, Alt-Righters, etc.) and illustrating the differences in their outlooks, before treating them fairly monolithically throughout the book. I had some further quibbles with phrasings, or comparisons she drew, but overall I think the message was important and timely. Unfortunately, she does not offer many solutions, but, at the risk of a too on the nose metaphor, I guess Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

My one criticism of this book is that it struggles to find the middle ground between scholarly and popular tone, so that it is, perhaps, a hair too intellectually-structured for a general audience and, most certainly, too pitched to a general audience for academic purposes. That said, it is a book that everyone working in premodern studies and modern receptions of the classics, and every woman in America regardless of their political affiliations, ought to read, if only to be aware of the pseudo-intellectual underpinnings of modern misogyny and the at-times genuinely bizarre philosophies extrapolated from Classical literature that guide a not-insignificant number of men's beliefs concerning the place of women in their lives.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

read for *uni* for cl4668 - classics and the left - specifically for an essay on the modern perception of classics and how we can change that through leftist receptions
i've read this before, and i can remember now why i found it so interesting. zuckerberg (yes, mark zuckerberg's sister) explores with ease the way in which incels / the red pill community / men going their own way / etc. utilise the classics and the classical world in order to justify their behaviours - and often get this wrong. it focuses particularly on the doctrine of stoicism, ovid's ars amatoria, and the myth of phaedra and hippolytus. while a lot of what we read in here is abhorrent, it is sorely needed.
'these men fear that a sophisticated, liberal version of classical studies will undermine their self-presentation as the inheritors and protectors of the classical tradition. to them, the classics need to be protected from everyone with progressive politics, because progressive politics and appreciation of the ancient world cannot coexist. the idea of a vibrant, radical, intersectional feminist classics - one that uses the ancient world to enrich conversations about race, gender, and social justice - is anathema to them. and that is why feminist classics today is more exciting and necessary than ever.'

[Lucy Wragg]

the more i read the more i couldn’t believe this was written by mark zuckerberg’s sister

[Nienke · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely incredible book about the red pill mentality. (The classics are also interesting to learn about)

On the one hand it’s amazing to discover how superficial and dumb their arguments are, but on the other it’s extremely worrying that such a large amount of men genuinely believe the horrible things they’re saying, that they act on it, and the most worrisome: that they can vote. Some of the things said in this book by men are so genuinely awful that all my comments are “what the fuck”, but it is also incredibly eye opening for anyone who never realised how rotten and popular the red pill community is.

[Eavan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a wholly unneeded book, but one that was still somehow pretty disappointing. I don't know why I keep reading books on contemporary politics and then getting surprised that the authors come across as weird, myopic liberal elites (yes, I said it), but this one was more grating than most.

This short book (80 pages are dedicated to notes and a bibliography) engages specifically with the "Manosphere's" interpretations of Classical texts and their ideological goals. The book is split into four hefty chapters, and each reads a bit like an academic article pieced together for publication. It weaves together examples of specific Manosphere texts with original Classical texts, explaining and arguing how these texts are used my these men as well as the academics who study them.

This book was interesting in parts (I particularly enjoyed the feminist readings of myths), and I absolutely loved when the author added a good ol' "[sic]" to some poor dude's sexist rant. Unfortunately, many of the points Zuckerberg was trying to impart felt meandering. The author does not have a stronger thesis than that Classicists (and those interested in the study) should engage with the alt-right's co-opting of Classical civilization. Without a deeper reason for this small exploration of such a political topic, I was left asking "so... why?" again and again. What's worth arguing with these people? Additionally, the book doesn't go deep enough into the Manosphere to be worth recommending to others as a way to learn about them either; we are only told about the relevant areas for sexist critique, which in a world of tradwives and pick-me's, felt very limited.

Beyond this structural weakness in the text then, I think this may be a player error on my part: why the hell do I care about weirdo men on the internet? I've come to find a lot of peace from knowing that my true feminist "enemy" are the mundane, routine sexism embodied in social expectations, law, and the body. Not a fucking Redpill loser.

So, I've said it before and I'll say it again: I most likely agree on a lot with authors like these on progressive topics, but this breed of white wealthy liberal that so eternally grace our academic and cultural spheres always show the most gaping lack of understanding of their opponents and of the actual present dangers that oppressed communities face. The alt-right and the Manosphere is a threat to many people, but books like these can rarely engage with the root cause of their opponent's anger and only seek to make their readers feel vindicated in how brilliant and enlightened they are. Really, the "enemies" we have as feminists are assuredly more mundane and pernicious than the alt-right—But I know it's hard to see from that ivory tower.

[LT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this book! At roughly 190 pages, this is a pretty short book. However, it took me more than a month to get through (though I have been reading other books). Zuckerberg’s writing reads between blog post and PhD thesis; it is a compelling mixture of analytical and accessible.

In her book, Zuckerberg talks about the Red Pill community’s alarming appropriation of the Classics as justification for their belief that society is unfair to men, particularly heterosexual white men, and is designed to favor women. Zuckerberg dissects Stoic ideas, Roman epic poetry, and myths. Through this against-the-grain analysis, she reveals not only the patriarchal misogyny that is often prevalent in, but also the extent to which they have been falsely distorted by the Red Pill community.

Even though I am a feminist, there were some moments in the book where I felt that Zuckerberg went too far in her critique of ancient texts. Yet, what I loved the most about this book was that it forced me to be more critical than I had been before. It is easy to enjoy Ovid’s poetry without thinking about the problematic implications it has (esp. the grotesque and violent portrayal of Daphne and Apollo). Our past remains an integral part of the present. Indeed, classical texts remain the bulwark of the cultural legacy of Western civilization. As problematic as their narratives of misogyny, abuse, and sexual assault may have been, it is our duty to reconcile and grapple with them.

Zuckerberg ends the book on an optimistic note: “The idea of a vibrant, radical, intersectional feminist Classics - one that uses the ancient roles to enrich conversations about race, gender, and social justice - is anathema to [the Red Pill community]. And that is why feminist Classics today is more exciting and necessary than ever.”

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A flawed but enlightening peek into contemporary American right-wing online bigotry, Classical Greek and Roman texts and thinkers, and the intersection between these themes.

The text was a little bothersome to read at times: there are awkward segues, sections that repeat or drag, and there is often the feeling that the balance between lay accessibility and academic rigor is a little off-kilter. I came away with the feeling, too, that the content is more sparse than the (hardback) book's heft suggested. In the end, the book could have benefited from being more deliberately engaging, and/or more information-dense.

It was still worth the read! A decent introduction to the Stoics and Ovid, and to the right-wing trollosphere, combined with notes from the world of the world of classical studies, made this an informative read, and it's easy to get caught up in Zuckerberg's interest in, and vast store of knowledge about, her subject matter. There was a lot here that helped me draw connections between little bits and pieces of knowledge and gain a better birds-eye view of the issues at stake.

Also worth noting: this book is definitely a conversation-starter, for better or for worse. The title and the author's name are both attention-grabbers, so if you carry this book in public I recommend having a little introductory spiel worked out beforehand.

[Mirjam]

Picked up this book on a whim, saw the author's surname, though "huh... no way, probably just a crazy coincidence," but lo and behold: 'twasn't.