Rowan Hamilton (’26) said she has seen Tate’s influence on the men in her community and his ideals are distorting perceptions of masculinity as a result.
“A lot of teenage boys or men believe that the way he’s operating is the truest way to be masculine and that’s what they should aim for,” Hamilton said.
Designated Safeguarding Lead Belinda Nicholson said Tate’s popularity could stem from his content that caters to a demographic of young men who may feel unheard in discussions surrounding mental health.
“We’ve done a good job in sort of acknowledging mental health for young girls and the pressure that young women are under, and young men are under that same pressure,” Nicholson said.
Joseph Lindner (’23) said a common belief is that Tate’s following is due to the persona of wealth and privilege that he projects.
“A lot of what he does is around having more money than knowing what to do with it,” Lindner said. “People look up to being able to have that amount of wealth, that type of lifestyle, that you can do anything you want, whenever you want it. A lot of young adults and children will look at that and all aspire to be in that position where there’s no consequences for your actions.”
In addition, Lindner said he attributes much of Tate’s widespread influence to his Hustler’s University program. On their website, Hustler’s University describes itself as “an online money-focused community providing education and coaching.”
“He’s a very smart businessman and a very smart marketing agent,” Lindner said. “So, what he’s done with the program is one of the ways to make money is by taking a percentage cut of the joining fee to Hustler’s University if you’re the one who refers people.”
Many of Tate’s fans have stood by his side throughout his legal issues as supporters rallied in Greece to chant in support, according to Insider.
Hamilton said that his followers continue to support him because positive impacts of Tate on their own lives.
“I know that people who are defending him purely because of the ideas introduced, not the ways he personally acted,” Hamilton said. “But I think if someone’s been arrested for something and they end up being prosecuted for it, there’s not much room for doubt.”
Nicholson said much of the issue surrounding Tate results from the constant promotion of his content.
“It’s bite-sized, it’s short, it’s flashy,” Nicholson said. “The algorithm drives you into a real echo chamber.”
Nicholson said Tate is merely a symptom of a larger issue concerning negative online influence.
“He’s not the first one, he won’t be the last,” Nicholson said. “So, how do we help young people? How do we give them the tools to navigate some of that? And how do we give young people the tools to engage with one another with humility and empathy in order to unpack some of this?”
