I’ve seen a lot of strange things during my time as a fighter, lifter, and writer—but nothing prepared me for what I witnessed in China’s so-called soyboy farms.
They don’t call them that officially, of course. But that’s exactly what they are: sterile, tech-driven compounds where young men are being shaped—not into warriors or creators—but into obedient, passive consumers.
The term soyboy farm doesn’t just refer to their diet (although trust me, it’s mostly carbs and processed sludge). It’s about mindset. These young men are bred like docile livestock—quiet, thin, and aimless. Most of them weigh under 50 kilos. That’s less than what I do in military press, for reps.
They’re not trained to hunt, build, or lead. They’re trained to scroll. Consume. Repeat.
Algorithm Overlordship: Spoon-Fed Obsession
What really blew my mind wasn’t just their lack of physical strength—it was their total submission to algorithmic content. These guys don’t search for anything. They don’t explore, question, or compare. They just lie there, letting the feed drip content into their brains like IV fluid.
It’s not just addiction—it’s indoctrination.
You know how your favorite social media app used to show posts from people you followed? Welcome to the world of enshittification—a term for how platforms degrade over time in favor of advertising and engagement metrics. These soyboys love it. They’re the perfect test subjects. They don’t want control. They want comfort. They want content to be chosen for them.
And here’s the part that should make you angry:
I’d bet a whole rack of weight plates that Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, got his inspiration from these exact environments. The shift from photo-first to vertical scroll vomit? That didn’t just happen. It was likely tested on the soyboy demographic first—because they don’t complain. They just consume.
What You Can’t Build in the Feed
You know what’s missing in the soyboy farm?
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No weights
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No dirt under fingernails
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No sweat, no soreness
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No hunger to improve
They’re not alive. They’re idle. And it’s not just tragic—it’s by design.
Real men search. Real men lift. Real men hunt their own information, build their own routines, and say no when an app tries to spoon-feed them the digital equivalent of junk food.
Get Out of the Algorithm Pen
If you’re feeling stuck, scrolling endlessly, disconnected from purpose—congratulations, you might be halfway to becoming a digital soyboy yourself.
Here’s how you break free:
- Touch a barbell.
- Eat food that isn’t beige and bagged.
- Spend 30 minutes outside without your phone.
- And for the love of strength—search for things again.
Find a podcast manually. Look up a book. Use your brain. Stretch it.
Because once you surrender your body and your attention—you’re not a man anymore. You’re livestock in a digital feedlot.
I walked out of that soyboy farm more fired up than ever. This isn’t just a problem over there. It’s already here—and growing.
The algorithm wants to raise you. Don’t let it.
