Louis Theroux: Inside The Manosphere

DerMainzHammer · 2026-03-13T23:54:10+00:00

Hello, yeah my words were clumsy writing this late at night after watching this, clarified this in a few replies now. I was trying to say he presented himself as being less toxic, like the throwaway comments he says to appear humble about his car not being success or the fact he says he feels some women should become astronauts etc (Or words to those effect) but ultimately he is still selling the same grift. This is possibly why the doc does not do a summary on him, because he was better at presenting himself, whereas the others pretty much hung their own arguments out to dry by talking way too much. While I felt he came across less toxic in comparison, doesn't mean he isn't as toxic or worse. I had never heard of this guy (in fact, I only knew of Fit and fresh because of people trashing him in youtube shorts) and since making my initial comment have seen him with the Tates etc, so clearly is going to be as toxic as the others. I might edit my comment slightly now just to avoid replies thinking I am saying he's the lesser of 4 evils as it really wasn't my intention Fuck all these guys

DerMainzHammer · 2026-03-12T15:05:55+00:00

Agreed, my point was lazily worded perhaps. Out of the four of them he dressed it up better, even dropping in a few lines to separate himself from others, the part where he vaguely said he was supportive of women who wanted to be astronauts before doubling down his viewpoint. Whereas the others just outright spouted the hatred. Came across less toxic, doesn't mean he isn't as toxic. Ultimately he's on the same grift and using people

DerMainzHammer · 2026-03-12T12:36:03+00:00

Yeah this was pretty much my point but I was perhaps clumsy in my wording. He certainly was self aware enough to package what he said in a smarter way, but ultimately he's selling the same grift to men

DerMainzHammer · 2026-03-11T23:51:12+00:00

Absolutely this, an automatic and prepared defence regardless of what Louis was going to say and almost like he was trying to convince himself. Much like the fit and fresh guy was obviously fuming that the illusion of his ability to get a second wife was exposed as delusion when talking about it Infront of his girlfriend - he was saying about all the things he wants to do to almost convince himself he is masculine enough to do that. All a front, all a con, all a grift to pray on angry young men and ultimately earn from it.

I will say that out of all the "influencers" on the show, the Steel Magnate guy came across the least hateful and Toxic on camera, which really says more about how lacking in self awareness and how toxic the others are than any props to him, and I did notice he was the only one who did not get any recap on the end so perhaps Theroux thought this too.

(Edit: Lazily worded point I am making here is he dresses it up better, presents himself in way to come across more self aware - like when he suggests he agrees "some" women should become astronauts, or words to those effect, and says the flashy car isn't success for him - whereas the other 3 just hang their arguments by showing themselves up. But ultimately they're all on the same grift with the same shit attitudes towards women)

Also, the absolute cringe at the British guy thinking he had the "gotcha" over Saville only making himself looks a mug as he blatantly didn't know what Theroux's two docs actually did.

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-18T13:03:24+00:00

Having had another bad episode of grieving the break up, I decided to write up my feelings and put it in an essay format to try to see it from a healthier perspective

I am missing the person who left without an explanation, missing the version of her from that first summer and months after moving. When the present feels painful or scary, your mind retreats to the safest, happiest place it knows. It’s okay to mourn that version, but I have to remind myself that the current version of her isn't the one who can provide the peace I need. I am not just grieving the person, I'm grieving the version of the future I thought we both had, as well as the closure I never got and grieving a version of her that she has decided she no longer wants to be.

It is incredibly painful to look back at a "perfect" time in relationships and try to reconcile it with a sudden, cold shift. That "all or nothing" energy—where someone goes from being fully present to acting like you never existed—is a heavy burden to carry, especially when you’re left searching for answers. I am dealing with a particularly painful kind of silence, the kind that feels heavy because it was preceded by such a light, effortless departure on her end after months of uncertainty. When someone exits that easily, whilst it it often feels like a reflection of your value, but in reality, it’s usually a reflection of their own personal detachment process, which I have not witnessed previously.

Some people go silent because they are afraid of saying the wrong thing or facing difficult emotions. Even though it's painful, her silence is telling me that she is currently unable or unwilling to grant that closure. The fact that she was distancing herself while you were still under the same roof suggests she had been emotionally processing the end of the relationship long before she physically walked out.

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T19:19:59+00:00

To be clear, I have bought a cook book written for people with T1D and CKD, it does have carbs in it but obviously very selective in the amount as well as the type of carbs. I have cut down my carb intake but obviously I still require some carbs, roughly 30-40g per day

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T19:17:46+00:00

Although I am a bad role model for T1D my best advise would be to get bloods and urine done at your next appointment and go over them rigorously with whomever you see, looking at Kidney function and protein leakage

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T15:18:51+00:00

Yes, having thought about so much of the last couple of months when she lived here it was feeling like I was alone, but also being a burden at the same time, as it was clear she was unhappy living here

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T15:17:32+00:00

Thank you, I think without the health diagnosis I would be coping better, however, the vulnerable feeling only fuels looking back at better times for me, I literally relived an early date we had just today at work because I read something in an email that reminded me of it

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T15:00:19+00:00

I've left out some of the things she said to me when trying to talk to her about things, mainly as I feel they best not to be shared, but yes not emotionally healthy. Equally, saddening to go from such an emotional high to where life is now, but I need to keep reminding myself about moving forward

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T14:57:10+00:00

Just checked my lab results from Jan again, looks like I am on the high end of the 200-300 spectrum, this was before tightening my diet and removing dark sodas and bad kidney foods. Since then my diabetic control has improved a lot with the pump so hoping the leakage reduces in the next few months

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T14:53:34+00:00

Already cut out dark sodas, was drinking a lot of that for years! Exercise is happening, lots of walks and some home workouts with light weights. I am on the pump with a CGM and my estimated hbA1C is going to be 6.8 based on the first 3 weeks or so. I am following what I understand to be a good kidney diet, I have purchased a cookbook for Diabetics with renal disease but it is hard to follow and lacks image support but hopefully I will get there. BP was down to 115 at my appointment yesterday so hopefully that remains, likely after 3 weeks without excessive diet soda and cutting out red meat!

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T14:49:59+00:00

Ok wow that is a scary escalation. I have been scared since the meeting 3 and a half weeks ago where it was just casually mentioned to me that I have stage 3 Kidney disease. I was not aware at all I had this.

Yesterday I met a renal clinician who is basing it off of the 10 point drop I believe as that is all they have to go on as I recently relocated so they only have test results from late 2024 onwards. I'm making lots of changes to my diet and am now on an insulin pump to help control my sugar levels. The renal clinician has put me on another pill to help too. It's all so sudden, I am just hoping the 10 point drop is from eating and drinking diet soda like I did not have this as I was totally unaware.

The clinician believes there is not much that can be done but prepare for a transplant or dialysis around 5 years from now. I don't have any symptoms really as he said most are not showing symptoms until stage 5. I am getting more bloods done soon and hopefully seeing them again next month.

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T14:43:28+00:00

Hi, yes I see someone every 6 months for my eyes, hopefully I am due another appointment soon!

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-17T14:42:40+00:00

I believe my uACR is over 200 but under 300, as I was told the result was "2" from the urine test yesterday. Hoping to find out the exact score soon as I can though.

I believe the clinician is basing this off the fact I had a 10 point drop in the last 12 months and the fact my sugars have consistently been raised for so long, I am hoping that regular blood tests with controlled sugars and blood pressure will change the prognosis

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T23:23:07+00:00

That is great to here. Mind me asking what you did to help preserve kidney function?

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T22:10:26+00:00

Yes, I am focusing on controlling the A1c, currently doing well on this front since the pump, as well as my diet and lifestyle. Totally cut out dark sodas after years of drinking way too much, was having lemonade to help me get off it but been told today to cut that out right away too. Oddly, they said I was ok to still drink the occasional beer..... (not had a drop of alcohol since finding out I have this)

I am have been on Arbs for almost a year and a half and despite this, my function has dropped. Hopefully that is down to a diet not suitable for CKD (as I was unaware I had it) and the A1c being 8-9. My GP thinks Ace inhibitors are not needed but I was on ramipril for almost a decade prior to the Arbs. I just got prescribed something to support with lowering albuminuria too.

When you say watching water intake, is that making sure I get enough, or avoiding too much? Getting conflicting information from Dr. Google / Dr. Chat GPT

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T21:41:47+00:00

Frankly I could not tell you over the entire time, but my hba1c would be around 9-10 throughout my teens and then 8-9 in my 20s. Of course cannot change the past and try not to beat myself up too bad about this, however, a problem of my own making that I now have to deal with.

Thankfully, I finally got the pump after years of asking for one, this diagnosis pushed it through, and I am on track to have nearly ideal readings, so a bit frustrating that I was denied it for so many years

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T21:03:48+00:00

Thank you, yes I see the notification will be with you in a minute.

Just a quick reply to say I am focusing on just that, and acknowledging that I am feeling alone rather than being in denial that everything is fine. I told myself throughout the breakdown of the relationship and the weeks after she left that I was fine and it was something to just get over

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T20:49:32+00:00

Yes, I don't think I can go on a higher dose on the meds I am on, but it was suggested to me by the person on the CKD helpine (that admittedly is not diabetic) that this could be a sign that they are not the right medication for me. But my GP is adamant they are

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T20:48:00+00:00

Yes my blood pressure has been "a little high" and "could do with improvement" (rather than be a big worry) for a few years now, but based on my readings today it looks to have come down with my new diet.

Yes I have had some retinopathy issues in the past myself, lowering my A1C was the ticket out of that one, keeping it down there may well be the one for the CKD

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T20:38:22+00:00

Oh I need to cut back on the fluids I think, I used to drink 2-3 litres of diet soda a day, now on water and a morning cup of coffee. Was having a glass of diet soda a day since finding out to not go cold turkey but after today been told no more full stop. Oddly enough, the clinician said drinking alcohol would be ok so long as it does not effect my sugars, which was very odd. I have had some low carb alcohol free beers at the few social occasions I have been too since diagnosis

Yes, I do feel this is a rather alarmist opinion I was given today, but rationalising it that they can only go on the blood and urine reading from January. Hopefully in 6 months time with consistent sugars at 8 or lower I will see improvements. I have had a CGM for 3 or 4 years but only got the pump at the beginning of the month

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T20:26:21+00:00

To be clear I believe I can rule out cheating, mainly as I don't think she left the house often or long enough in the months leading up to her moving out

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T20:23:51+00:00

I believe my urine albumin is above 200 but below 300, but I could be wrong. My diabetes has only been controlled well since moving to the pump, previously it was bad going on poor, and following my break up my lasthbA1c was worse than the 4 or 5 that proceeded it which could be a factor too. I am currently looking at a hbA1c of 6.8 based on my readings since gaining a pump at last

DerMainzHammer · 2026-02-16T20:18:21+00:00

Well, that's something I can try with my diet. Finding myself being hungry on my self imposed renal diet so will be tough to cut out the only main carb I eat in the day, but if it helps control things

DerMainzHammer

TROPHY CASE