Classics and Humanities in a Modern World

Tweets and blog posts stating “All women are like that” and sexual comments uncomfortable for
most to read, covered the slide projected wall in the Dudley-Bailey Library on the second floor
of Andrews Hall.

Classics and religious studies majors sat as they learned about the ideals and views of the men
that make up the not-so-new, but ever growing online world, labeled as the “manosphere”.

The manosphere is a group of men using the ideas, texts and figures of classical antiquity to say
some pretty awful things. This group suggests that their misogyny is enlightening to those
reading their blogs and posts on the internet.

Dr. Donna Zuckerberg, Editor-in-Chief of ​Eidolon​, studies just this. She focuses on the use of
Classics in the manosphere or sometimes referred to as Red Pill communities and the Alt-Right
movement.

On March 9, Dr. Zuckerberg gave a presentation to the Classics and Religious Studies
department at UNL. She spoke on the manosphere and how these groups are normalizing
classical literature’s wit and views from 2000 years ago into today’s culture.

Zuckerberg wrote an article for ​Eidolon​, an online journal, entitled “How to Be a Good Classicist
Under a Bad Emperor”. After this article was published she received large amounts of hate mail
and some alarming tweets.

But that didn’t stop her. Zuckerberg followed this article with others where she explained how
people could battle the words of these men and their “trolling” on social media. She continues to
make her argument, that the discipline of Classics is needed.

“Classics has continued to be relevant because, throughout history, it’s become this imaginative
discursive space that people look to in order to try and figure out who they are,” Zuckerberg said.
“The Italian Renaissance, the Founding Fathers, the Nazis- all of them used the Classics in their
self-definition.”

Because of how this is occasionally taken, the discipline gets wrinkled. To understand the
classical world it must be studied so that the truth can be seen separate from the distortion.

Eidolon​ focuses on stories that can teach the reader something about classical antiquity and the
classics discipline as a whole. Zuckerberg finds the ties between the modern world and the past,
as a main reason for the rise of the online journal.

“The fact that ​Eidolon​ has flourished is proof,” Zuckerberg said. “That rich, fascinating, feminist
approaches to the classics can be incredibly rewarding.”

With so many groups popping up in the manosphere, the more Zuckerberg tends to run into their
hateful words which are normalizing behavior that is harmful and disrespectful.

Dr. Anne Duncan, a classics and religious studies professor at UNL said, “This is yet another
group that wants to claim Classical antiquity as its intellectual underpinning, or really, as a
cultural reference that they think legitimizes and adds an aura of “classiness” to their agenda.”

Some of the Alt-Right movement’s concerns are white nationalism, islamophobia, anti-Semitism
and many of their concerns lineup with President Donald Trump’s ideals.

“If I could sum up the manosphere in one adjective it would be, angry,” Zuckerberg said. “It’s
the ease of communication that makes these things spread more virally.”

Zuckerberg explained how one of the largest subgroups of the manosphere, the pick-up artists,
are turning one classical author’s work into a “How-To Pick up Girls” manual.

Ovid wrote ​Art of Love ​in 2 A.D. and is often taught in classical antiquity courses. Most do not
view this poetry the way the manosphere does. Dr. Matthew Loar, a classics professor at UNL,
took the information Zuckerberg shared about the use of Ovid in this online world, as a way to
prove why studying this discipline is important.

“Frankly, the very fact that certain individuals are incapable of detecting the humor in Ovid’s
lines,” Loar said, “Really drives home the point for me that the humanities- and critical reading,
thinking and writing skills they are impart-are desperately important in today’s society.”

The manosphere says they are fighting for men’s rights and that white men are being written off
by those studying classics but in reality they are covering their main concerns with the very
ideals that are making them be scrutinized by Zuckerberg and others against their ideals.

Dorothy Elsken, a senior veterinary science and classical & religious studies major, was shocked
to hear how these men are condoning such inappropriate behavior with the use of literature.

“So many individuals look for a way to twist classical texts as a way to promote sexual assault
and that the people who have legitimate men’s rights concerns, such as circumcision, suicide and
child support,” said Elsken, “Are passed over or lumped in with truly deplorable mindsets.”

Zuckerberg continues to take on the challenge of searching through these types of posts where
these men are using classical information to fuel their arguments. With each article revolving
around the subject of the manosphere, she receives more hate mail, heinous words and personal
attacks on her religion, family and profession.

“My identity informs my approach to my work, of course, but attacking me doesn’t prove I’m
wrong. Actually, it proves that my argument was right” Zuckerberg said.
 Sources

Dr. Donna Zuckerberg

Editor-in-Chief, Eidolon
The Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study
zuckerberg@paideia-institute.org

Dr. Matthew Loar

Classics Professor, UNL
Classics Advisor, UNL
Mloar2@unl.edu

Dr. Anne Duncan

Classics and Religious studies professor, UNL
aduncan4@unl.edu

Dorothy Elsken
Senior Veterinary Science Major
Senior Classics and Religious Studies Major
Elsken.dorie@yahoo.com