The observer | Wednesday, January 25, 2023 | ndsmcobserver.com
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The truth about Andrew Tate Oluwatoni Akintola Meditations
Top G. Cobra. The Professor. The man born as Emory Andrew Tate has many names and many cars. And many supporters, too. In fact, Tate has become something of a messiah to one of the most misunderstood demographics of people in the world, many of whom are angry at the world for one reason or another. I’m not talking about fans of Michigan football (though they do have a lot to be angry about). I’m talking about young men who have been rejected by society. In recent years, there have been many discussions about the hypocritical expectations that have been placed on women throughout human history (such as the pressure to live up to unrealistic standards of beauty, or to only pursue certain kinds of careers). An easy conclusion to come to then is that society has been structured to benefit men, but that’s not exactly true. While it’s true that 94% of CEOs are men, it’s also true that 93% of people in prison are men. Men are dramatically overrepresented at the top of society, but they’re also overrepresented at the bottom too. And these men at the bottom are perpetually haunted by their failure to be what the world expects a man should be. They’re told they should have everything together, even though their lives are a mess. They’re told they should be loved by the world, even though they don’t even love themselves. In 2022, I doubt there was a single day that I scrolled through YouTube Shorts without seeing a video of Andrew Tate preaching his alpha male gospel. At first, I thought it was all an act and that he was just a character, like Big Shaq
or The Substitute Teacher from the Key & Peele skits. But then, guys at my school began having very serious (and very intense) debates about Tate’s ideologies. It seemed then, that many people were taking him at face value, and over time I began to understand why. Young men often become products of their environment, but Tate was telling them that they could become so much more. He was empowering them with admonitions like “your mind must be stronger than your feelings,” and “the temporary satisfaction of quitting is outweighed by the eternal suffering of being a nobody.” The obvious reason for the success of Andrew Tate is that he proclaimed a message of self-accountability and rugged individualism to a world of young men desperate to take control of their own destinies. And while they took his advice, he took their money, promising them that if they enrolled in his questionable Hustler’s University course, they could change their lives. And some of them have. There are many stories about Andrew Tate fans who improved their physical health and started working out because of him, or who quit their jobs to take a chance at starting their own business because they were inspired by him. Tate has reminded many men to believe in themselves and to be confident in their abilities. But the truth about Andrew Tate is that he’s not just seeking to empower men. If that were the case, then he wouldn’t be so controversial. The truth about Andrew Tate is that he preaches male empowerment at the expense of women. The most convincing kinds of lies are the ones based on the truth. Similarly, a figure like Andrew Tate is so dangerous because sometimes, he does make a good point. But so much more often, his words show that he subscribes to an archaic understanding of gender, much of which has been
disproven by biology. I won’t dive into the allegations of human trafficking and sexual assault (and worse) against Tate, but in many of his “Tate Speeches,” he has made blatantly chauvinistic statements, such as declaring that a man’s girlfriend is “his property,” and that women in a relationship must be monogamous while a man should be able to sleep with whoever he wants. He speaks in absolutes and sweeping statements about what men “should be” and what women “should be,” ignoring nuance. It is noble for a man to be strong and capable, but he can be strong and capable without having a fleet of supercars and a girlfriend who does everything he says. It is noble for a woman to be a good mother, but she can be a good mother and still pursue a career. Still, many young men who feel the agony of being rejected by society are taking Andrew Tate’s advice. They’re hitting the gym. They’re wearing nice clothes and taking care of their personal hygiene. On the outside, they’re projecting an image of strength. But on the inside, they’ve yet to let go of their pain, and because of that, it still defines them. Using pain to power your progress is noble (in fact, it’s part of our biology). The problem is, if you never address what caused you that pain, then eventually you become like Tate. On the outside you’re strong, but deep down you’re still broken. Still insecure. Still angry at the world. That’s the truth about Andrew Tate. Oluwatoni (Toni) is a freshman majoring in Business Analytics at the University of Notre Dame. He can be reached at oakintol@nd.edu. The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Inside Column
A sophomoric farewell column to an unforgettable assignment Liam Price Associate News Editor
This column mentions issues relating to sexual violence. Last year, two of the most powerful inside columns I read were farewell letters from editor-in-chief Adri Perez and the iconic photography editor — who is an even better water pong partner — Allison Thornton. It’s absolutely ridiculous, considering that I’m probably the most sophomoric sophomore on this newspaper’s staff, but I have my own farewell letter. Recently, I switched from Saint Mary’s associate news editor to the same position in the Notre Dame news department. I think my experience working at Saint Mary’s is worth sharing. But buckle up, because the ride will get rough. As a Gateway student at Holy Cross, I became good friends with then-Saint Mary’s editors Gen Coleman and Crystal Ramirez. I took a Chinese course at Saint Mary’s that fall semester, and the editors kindly took me under their wing. I say “kindly” because, though I’m still sophomoric, my freshman self was a full-on menace working at The Observer. Loud, obnoxious and quite inefficient while working at production shifts, I lacked any trace of professionalism. But, thanks to their kindness, the newspaper was nothing but fun for me. When I applied for Notre Dame associate news editor, I didn’t land the job. Isa Sheikh, who I’m now besties with, got it over me. For that, Isa, you suck, but I still love you, obviously (with a heart-eyes emoji). In a turn of fate, the Saint Mary’s department needed help to keep the ship sailing last spring. The department’s new editor, Meg Lange, then turned — for the first time in The Observer’s history — to a man, me. Some may have thought a male Saint Mary’s associate
news editor was kind of weird, but I loved it. Out of the 50-something stories I’ve written for The Observer, Saint Mary’s stories make up by far the most important and heavy-hitting reporting I have done since joining the Observer. I reported on enviable assignments. For one story, I cleared up confusion about an error on customers’ bank statements at the Saint Mary’s Shaheen Bookstore. It required nonstop communication with public relations director Lisa Knox as well as countless interviews with students to get to the bottom of the matter. In another story, I covered the College’s updated COVID-19 policies and its students’ reactions to them. The stories felt important to report on, something we reporters thirst for while covering news. There was, however, another aspect of the job that changed my life: the assignments I covered about sexual violence issues and events around the tri-campus, often led by Saint Mary’s organizations. Being a Notre Dame guy, I can admit that it is easy to forget how real sexual assault issues are. It sounds ridiculous, but we live with a bunch of good, genuine guys. Despite quiet rumors which circulate about some specific men in our halls, we generally feel good about the rest. But at Saint Mary’s, I encountered a very different reality. Sexual assault issues aren’t forgotten about; they are felt in a very painful and genuine way. Last April, I attended Take Back the Night as a reporter and held back tears as I wrote the story. It sounds dramatic, but I surely wasn’t alone. The night was necessary but incredibly scarring. Seeing survivors and supporters gather, hearing those dark stories and witnessing them raise each other back up with prayer, chants, hugs and tears were some of the most intense, most powerful moments of humanity I’ve ever observed. I also covered several lectures and open-discussion
events on the topic of sexual assault. The events included alumni authors, student researchers and Saint Mary’s leadership, who all dove into the topic of sexual violence with unforgettable courage and care for their audiences. On one hand, the events and stories I wrote left me feeling empty. The utter lack of respect displayed by perpetrators of this heinous type of violence was discouraging for my general worldview. Simultaneously, however, I witnessed some of the strongest, most powerful voices I’ve ever heard through the survivors’ responses. They all struggle in unique ways but for these events, they fought back. I got to see them build each other back up and battle, literally fighting with their whole hearts, against the unfortunate realities of sexual violence in our society. The pain is felt at Saint Mary’s; we must not forget. I know this column took a dark turn of subject, but I am genuinely grateful for everyone in the Saint Mary’s News Department, from former Saint Mary’s news editor and journalism icon Maria Leontaras, to Gen, Meg, Katelyn, Cathy, Cora, Rose and the rest. Working for less than a year in the department with them, I can say that Saint Mary’s News is among the most important and sensitive work this paper produces. Now, my position is simply as an associate news editor in the Notre Dame department. It’s easier for me as a student here, and not at Saint Mary’s, so my lazy self enjoys it. But one thing is for certain: I’m lucky to have been given the chance to work across the street. So, as an over-passionate writer of this newspaper, take one piece of advice from me: follow their work; or, at least, please don’t disregard them any more than you disregard the rest of this newspaper and print journalism as a whole. You can contact Liam Price at lprice3@nd.edu. The views expressed in this Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.