Credit: George Hodan/public domain As the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, the social media posts by some US national security agencies took a particular turn. With missiles and bombs raining down, Pentagon accounts began using strange turns of phrase to describe the AI-guided violence unleashed against child and soldier alike. The destruction was described as " lethalitymaxxing ." Its perpetrators were said to be "locked in" with "low cortisol." This lingo finds much of its origins in the manosphere: a set of defined online communities centered on male grievance and empowerment. The fact the highest political institutions are now using the language and concepts of the manosphere suggests this community and beliefs have become far more extensive than many like to think. An online phenomenon? Mainstream awareness of the manosphere emerged following its rapid expansion during the COVID pandemic through influencers such as Andrew Tate .…