Looksmaxxing exploits young men's insecurities, and doesn't lead to true connection or happiness.

Positive real-life social connections, not online advice, boost young men's confidence and well-being.

Overcoming anxiety and seeking real-world growth is key to fighting isolation among young men.

To paraphrase an internet meme, “Men used to go to war; now they livestream.” Sadly, some of those streamers are actively undermining positive images of what it means to be a man today. For instance, spectacularly popular “looksmaxxers” like Clavicular and Androgenic encourage young men to pursue any means necessary to look good: Their advice to look better and attract women has included taking meth to lose weight and hitting their jaws with hammers to reshape their jawline. It’s easy to dismiss their advice and behavior as extremism meant to attract clicks and make them money. But their popularity also suggests that young men today are desperately seeking ways to feel confident and connected in a fragmented world.

Unfortunately, this current focus on looksmaxxing is not going to make young men happy, connected, and successful. Instead, young men need better guidance in finding social acceptance and self-confidence.

I’ve researched body image and its impact on well-being for decades. In some ways, the looksmaxxing trend is the logical extension of pressures women have felt. In the 1980s and earlier, women’s fashion featured rail-thin models and pushed women toward eating disorders to try to........

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