What does sigma mean? A parent’s guide to sigma, mewing, and looksmaxxing

An investment banker-slash-serial killer might sound like an unlikely inspirational figure, but thanks to the power of TikTok, this has become a reality for many boys.

In 2023, #sigma gained over 46 billion views on TikTok, and Patrick Bateman, the fictional character from American Psycho, is the star of many of these memes and videos. 

“Sigma”, the “sigma male”, and terms such as “mewing” and “looksmaxxing” are straight from the “manosphere”, the name given to a network of websites, blogs, and forums that promote masculinity and men’s rights – with a side of misogyny.

For many, sigma and similar memes are sources of humor and nothing more. But for some, it can be a gateway into potentially dangerous ideology.  

Sigma comes from the “sigma male”, the newest pseudoscientific, male archetype based on a Greek letter; like alpha and beta. The sigma emerged from the manosphere in the early 2010s to describe a man who’s just too unconventional to be considered an alpha or beta male. 

For those unfamiliar, the concept of alpha and beta males comes from the animal kingdom, particularly within social species like wolves. An alpha shows traits like confidence, dominance, strength, and leadership; while a beta is roughly the opposite: submissive, supportive, and passive. 

According to Know Your Meme, a website dedicated to documenting internet phenomena, the sigma male is successful and popular, but also silent and rebellious, a type of man who likes to “play by his own rules.” In most analyses, they are considered “equal” to Alphas on the hierarchy but live outside of the hierarchy by choice.

Role models for the sigma include John Wick, Han Solo, and the infamous Patrick Bateman. Users of Urban Dictionary may have got it right when they describe the sigma as “what all 10 year olds think they are.” 

The sigma has become a basis for countless memes found across Reddit, X, and other platforms. Originally, sigma memes were sincere attempts to spread the word of this new male archetype, telling the world that the person behind the post was definitely the cool, mysterious type – at least on social media.  

The sigma meme evolved to become ironic and satirical, taking a swipe at anyone who identifies as a sigma male and at the manosphere in general. Sigma memes often include an image of Patrick Bateman or Gus Fring from Breaking Bad with an overconfident quote the characters never actually said – usually to explain how much richer/better/sexier the poster is than the person reading it.

Mewing is a technique whereby one can, allegedly, permanently improve the appearance of the jawline by resting the tongue against the roof of the mouth. 

The practice was popularised by, and named after, a British orthodontist called John Mew back in the 1970s. Mew believes that modern jaws are weaker than our ancestors due to diets that include softer foods and an increase in mouth breathing. The technique, he claims, helps force the jaw to grow larger, teeth to become straighter and better aligned, and facial proportions to become more aesthetically pleasing.

Despite there being absolutely no scientific evidence that mewing changes the shape of the jaw, it’s gained a lot of traction on social media, especially on TikTok where #mewing brings up over 400k posts. Like many crazes, it has made its way into the classroom, where kids are annoying teachers by using mewing as an excuse not to respond to questions.

Mewing is an example of “looksmaxxing”, an umbrella term for lengths that young men go to to improve their physical appearance – usually to up their chances on dating apps where they believe a chiseled jawline or a six-pack can turn a left swipe into a right. 

While facial gymnastics are harmless enough, looksmaxxing, and its cousin, gymmaxxing, has led to teenage boys having cosmetic surgery, experimenting with steroids, and even fracturing their own jaws in the vain hope they’ll look more chad-like when they’ve healed. 

While most of it is a source of humor, sigma, mewing, and looksmaxxing content can potentially lead young boys down problematic paths. This could be to the dark regions of the manosphere where misogyny is rife, or toward extreme and dangerous measures to improve physical appearances.  

This is another reminder of how important it is for parents to play an active role in their kids’ online lives. Here are just a few ways you can help:

• Have open conversations about what your child encounters online and how it makes them feel.

• Encourage them to use social media more positively. Healthy social media use can give teens valuable opportunities for socialization, learning, and support.

• Monitor their online activity. A parental control tool like Qustodio allows you to keep an eye on the content your child is viewing and searching for, as well as block or limit access to apps and websites.

• Help boost their confidence. Social media’s lofty ideals often pressure boys into the world of looksmaxxing and the manosphere. Read child psychologist Dr Beurkens’ article Ways to boost your child’s self-esteem for some useful strategies for nurturing confidence. 

• Promote positive role models. The manosphere is home to several controversial influencers with big followings and toxic opinions. But, it’s not all bad. There are plenty of positive role models out there that inspire young men to be better – without the dangerous ideologies. 

Online trends like sigma, mewing, and looksmaxxing are popular among young boys, and although most of the content is created as a joke, it can sometimes be a gateway to the darker aspects of the manosphere.

Parents need to play an active role in their children’s digital lives to help them navigate the online world safely and confidently, steering clear of potentially dangerous influences.