Manosphere: Teach Kids About Money Before Influencers Do
- Will Rainey
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Why are so many young men drawn to influencers who promise wealth, status and success?
My wife and I recently watched the Netflix documentary: Louis Theroux, Inside the Manosphere.
It follows a number of male influencers who promote lavish lifestyles, money and attention, then claim they can help other men achieve the same thing, for a fee of course. The figures featured were not Andrew Tate himself, but they promoted a similar type of message and business model that many parents will recognise.
What stood out most to me was hearing from some of the followers. A few young men said that men are not valued in society anymore. They felt these influencers were helping them believe they mattered and could achieve more.
That part is important.
Many people assume these influencers are only selling courses. In reality, they are often selling something much deeper: identity, confidence and a sense of belonging.
Whilst I did not make my daughters watch the documentary as it is not age appropriate, I did speak to them about it. We talked about how these influencers make money, why people follow them, and why these messages can be so appealing.
I strongly recommend parents watch the documentary and use it as a conversation starter with their children, even if they have daughters.
How the influencers in the Manosphere make money
These influencers make money through social media views, endorsements and paid memberships. Many sell access to programs that promise to help followers build the same lifestyle they appear to have. Some also promote questionable investment opportunities or financial products, earning commission when followers sign up or invest.
Sadly, these influencers (and scammers at large) are often some of the best salespeople around. They use many of the strongest sales tactics. This is something I touched on in my previous blog about teaching kids sales skills (How to Teach Kids the Most Important Sales Skills)
They do not simply say, “Buy my course”. They first create or amplify a problem. They tell young men that society does not value them and that they are being left behind. Then they present themselves as the solution.
They also make the rewards look clear and desirable: money, confidence, status and attention.
That combination can be very persuasive. If someone feels overlooked or uncertain, the message becomes: solve this problem, follow me, and your life can improve.
They often add stories of people who supposedly changed their lives after joining. Whether common or not, these examples help create fear of missing out.
In many cases, it is a modern version of the get rich quick model. The people most likely to get rich are often the ones selling the dream.
Helping children understand how these business models work can make them less likely to fall for false promises.
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The bigger issue: feeling valuable
Many poor financial decisions are linked to people feeling like they are not enough. That can make false promises more attractive. It can also lead to overspending on clothes, chasing status, or using debt to buy things they cannot afford.
This is why self-esteem matters so much.
You can teach a child how savings accounts, budgeting and investing work, but if they believe their worth comes from impressing others, they may still make poor money choices.
One of the best things parents can do is talk openly about this and look to find ways to raise their self-esteem.
Children should know that self-worth can influence decision making. They should understand that advertisers, influencers and companies often profit when people feel insecure.
I often speak to my daughters about not judging people by what they own.
A person’s value is not determined by:
expensive clothes
the car they drive
how many followers they have
A person’s value is better measured by:
how they treat others
how they respond to challenges
their attitude
whether they try to make a positive difference
I believe that if children admire kindness, effort and good character, they are less likely to become obsessed with appearances or follow the crowd, i.e., less likely to be influenced by those who are looking to get wealthy off other people's insecurities.
Money knowledge can increase self-esteem
Just as low self-esteem can lead to poor money choices, learning useful money skills can build confidence.
When children learn to save, delay gratification, understand spending and make thoughtful choices, they often feel more capable and in control.
Real confidence is not built through showing off. It is built through learning, growing and handling responsibility.
That is one of the reasons I wrote Grandpa’s Fortune Fables. It is also why I would love to see financial education taught in every school. I believe we need to teach kids about money before (bad) influencers do.
Final thought
Children, not just boys, who understand their worth are harder to manipulate.
If we can help them build confidence, think critically and see value beyond status, they will be in a far stronger position to navigate the online world and make better decisions with money.
👉 What to read next to help kids learn about money:
The Titanic Money Lesson (Interesting)
How to teach your kids the most important sales skill (Popular)
Age-by-age guide to teaching kids about money (Essential)
Thanks for reading!
Will
P.S., I really appreciate all the reviews of my book Grandpa’s Fortune Fables. If you have read it, it would mean a lot if you could leave an online review. It really does help the book reach more families.
