What is the male sedation hypothesis?

The "male sedation hypothesis" suggests that modern technologies such as video games, social media, and pornography are effectively sedating men, reducing their natural drives for status-seeking and reproduction. This sedation is hypothesized to dampen behaviors that would traditionally be stimulated by these drives, including competitive and potentially disruptive actions. This hypothesis proposes that, while technologies provide men with some elements of satisfaction—such as a sense of accomplishment or virtual social interaction—they do so in a way that might inhibit engagement in the real world, potentially affecting their real-life ambitions and interactions.

Chris Williamson discusses how these phenomena might be linked to the observed reductions in certain types of male aggressive behavior and societal disruption, despite increasing rates of loneliness and sexlessness among men. These observations bring up questions about the broader implications of these technologies on men's roles and behaviors in society 1.