Within the first 10 pages of Rejection, a new book by Tony Tulathimutte about incels, a 25-year-old named Craig masturbates so much, and so forcefully, he permanently dulls the nerve endings in his penis.

By this point, he’s been politely turned down by pretty much every woman in his life. He parrots feminist talking points and therapyspeak, thinking they’ll make him seem more attractive and approachable. He drops the words “trauma” and “folx” into the group chat. On his dating profile, he’s “Unshakably serious about consent” and “Abortion’s #1 fan.” He hasn’t adopted his robotically leftist personality cynically—instead, the author makes clear, Craig’s been conditioned to earnestly believe that stock progressive values are the most ethically righteous on offer.