The Tate Phenomenon: Examining Social Media Influencers through the Lens of Weber and Freud
Level of Education of Students Involved
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Agnes Howard
College
Christ College (CC)
Discipline(s)
Sociology
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-24-2025
Abstract
Though a social media influencer’s overnight success is a new phenomenon, its theoretical foundation is not and is explainable by Max Weber and Sigmund Freud. The case of Andrew Tate, a kickboxer turned social media influencer, is illustrative. Despite his misogynistic and discriminatory claims, Tate’s radical statements and cult-like following echo Weber’s nineteenth-century description of charismatic authorities and their followers. While the label of charismatic authority is a start, Weber’s theories alone do not sufficiently explain some questions of why anyone would adhere to Tate’s claims and how he gained popularity. Fortunately, Sigmund Freud’s pleasure principle describes an instinctive desire that is in contention with the reality principle of societal rules. Tate’s countercultural statements create a space for people to freely engage under the pleasure principle, making his behavior attractive to many. Further interpretation of the Tate phenomenon can be built through what Verena Wieser, a Weberian sociologist, calls charismatic entrainment. Charismatic entrainment argues that the interaction between a brand leader, consumer-followers, and consumer-critics creates prominent charismatic authorities. Through an online platform, Hustler’s University, Tate, the brand leader, allows his immediate fans, the consumer-followers, to spread his message and engage in discourse with others. This discourse often invites those who disagree with Tate, the consumer-critics, to bash Tate for his statements, but these protests produce only more publicity for Tate. Andrew Tate will not be the last influencer to engage in this process. Thus, society must understand these processes to halt a more detrimental influencer in the future.
Recommended Citation
Attinger, Andrew, "The Tate Phenomenon: Examining Social Media Influencers through the Lens of Weber and Freud" (2025). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1353.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1353
