Philosophy as Compensatory Self‑Help

Some canonical philosophers (here Nietzsche) function like self‑help for young men who feel personally deficient: their texts supply a dignity script, rhetorical tools to rebuke weakness, and a status vocabulary that can be repurposed into political identifications (e.g., manosphere, reactionary politics). That dynamic helps convert private insecurity into durable cultural and political commitments. — Recognizing philosophy’s compensatory role explains a pathway from personal grievance to political radicalization and suggests interventions (mental‑health, civic education, mentoring) rather than only counter‑argument.