Patriarchy rebrands itself through AI power

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Patriarchy rebrands itself through AI power

A new class of tech patriarchs promises working men purpose and protection while tightening systems of control, surveillance and dependency

By Janet Marugg | FāVS News Columnist

The views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FāVS News. 

Beloved men: 

There is a man who fancies himself a god, says he has answers to all the mysteries of the universe, and he has an all-seeing eye — a “Palantir” — but most of all, he has a plan for you. 

This man-god told CNBC that he plans to use AI to “disrupt humanities-trained — largely democratic — voters and make their economics useless while increasing the economic power of vocationally trained, working-class, often mail, voters.” 

But what, exactly, is being offered to those working-class men but a baited cage? This man-god does not promise men autonomy. He does not promise ownership. He does not promise them dignity on their own terms. He promises them jobs — jobs created, defined, monitored and controlled by the god-man. He promises to be a man’s new patriarch. 

The new patriarch is the same as the old patriarch. Patriarchy is a cage requiring men’s constant submission to other male authority figures. Patriarchy is misandry, plain and simple. It subjugates men and prevents male development. The god-man himself acknowledges the stakes, that his plan for men is “dangerous to society.” 

This new patriarch’s company published a scripture-manifesto urging the United States to reinstate the military draft. His scripture neglects an important disclaimer: this man-god profits from weapons of war. 

We’ve seen this before: This authoritative plan to draft surplus men for male dehumanization. We are nowhere if we can’t look back at men forced to kill each other. One way or another, a man must submit to another man or die. Patriarchy is a cage indistinguishable from male human trafficking. 

The last thing we need to do for the sake of men is to throw more patriarchy at them. To save men from themselves, we must be anti-patriarchy. 

Best fight against patriarchy is to study humanities

We can start by humanizing things up around here. The man-god exposed the ghost in his machine. The best resistance to this maniacal man-god is to study humanities. 

Humanities — the study of human beings — is most certainly for us. Humanities is our story, where we are the author-ity. Men can learn from the humanities what they can do with their freedom outside the cage of patriarchy. 

Advocate for boys becoming uncaged men through gender studies in K-12 public education. It cannot hurt human children to learn about human experience and how to make and maintain healthy social relationships. Healthy, uncaged men are a worthy aspiration. 

Center human beings. Bring some humanism into everything you do — work, church, neighborhood, family and self. All humans are responsible for honing humanity by acting in ways that reduce human harm and maximize human well-being.

Men are better without patriarchy. Patriarchy makes for diminished partners, and diminished partners are a liability. Mature, healthy men have mature, healthy relationships. Families benefit, peers and co-workers benefit, and whole communities benefit from healthy men. 

Men are the ones with the power to open the cage of patriarchy to secure the role of a free man. And it is happening. Post-patriarchy men are bringing about men’s liberation. 

Resources to help keep men free from patriarchy

For the benefit of healthy men, religious institutions now recognize the failings of patriarchy. 

Resources for religious permission to dismantle Christian patriarchy include the Junia Project and Christians for Social Action.

Islamic movements for equality and social justice offer resources through Musawah and the Islamic Network Group. 

Hindu-based anti-patriarchy groups include Hindus for Human Rights and Savera. 

Buddhist-centered, anti-patriarchy resources can be found at decolonial dharma and the Brooklyn Zen Center’s Undoing Patriarchy programs. 

People of Jewish faith can find anti-patriarchy resources at the National Council of Jewish Women, Women of Reform Judaism, and Jewish Social Justice. 

There are too many to list, but two non-sectarian anti-patriarchy resources for men (yes, men!) are here: National Organization for Men Against Sexism and A Call to Men. 

None are free until all are free. It is time we recognize that men are not the problem; patriarchy is. The male performance for other men, the constant submission to patriarchs, is a tiring, diminishing and unhealthy life. But the dehumanizing patriarchal system men arrived in doesn’t have to be the system they leave behind. 

Clarkston, WA 

April 30, 2026

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