‘Toxic’: Viral man debate kicks off and divides

There’s a question floating around the internet right now that has the men in a chokehold.

Could 100 men defeat one gorilla in a fight? That question has men in a chokehold right now, and yes, I’m being serious.

YouTube personality James Donaldson, 26, known as Mr Beast, has more than 32 million followers on X and has caused a stir by claiming he wants to test the theory.

It’s unclear who the original thinker behind such a random question was, but it has been asked on Facebook, TikTok, and Reddit, and now, YouTubers are weighing in.

Mr Beast, who is known for creating viral challenges, and giving away cash prizes, entered the gorilla chat.

He tweeted on X, “Need 100 men to test this. Any volunteers?” That tweet amassed more than 17 million views.

To add some facts to the equation, Gorillas are known for their incredible strength, which is way more than that typically possessed by human men.

They can weigh over 220kg, lift up to 10 times their body weight, and are estimated to be at least 10 times stronger than the average human.

Mr Beast added to the debate online. Picture: Rich Storry/Getty Images/AFP

Could 100 men defeat one gorilla in a fight? Is the wild question being posed. Source: Cincinnati Zoo

It prompted a major cultural insight into modern masculinity because thousands of men claimed they were keen to test the theory.

Even if you’re prepared to set aside the animal abuse, there were thousands of replies that highlighted how much men, even hypothetically, just wanted to prove or brag about their physical strength.

“How much? I’m ready,” one wrote.

“I can do it,” another claimed.

“Please I’ll do it,” someone else wrote.

“I’m in!” one man declared.

“I volunteer as the first one to sprint to the gorilla,” someone offered.

“I’m down I don’t care about anything anymore,” another confessed.

“Every man has a price,” one wrote.

“Toss me in. You’ll need three less man,” someone bragged.

Even Elon Musk weighed in. Picture: Odd ANDERSEN / AFP

Mr Beast who has previously shared his fitness journey online is going viral. Picture: Instagram/MrBeast

Among the volunteers, people were also trying to apply reason to the challenge.

“This is why men don’t live as long,” one joked.

“100 idiots would be easy to find,” another remarked.

“I think people really underestimate the true power of what a silverback gorilla can do,” someone else said.

“You can call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think it would be very chivalrous for 100 men to fight Gorilla,” one said.

Someone else argued that this ongoing discourse about the gorilla is a prime example of the “arrogance” embedded in toxic masculinity.

“Women ruin everything I swear. I can’t even talk about 100 men vs1 Gorilla in peace without them doing think pieces calling it ‘toxic masculinity,” one complained.

The thread went so viral that billionaire Elon Musk weighed in and joked, “Sure. What could go wrong?”

Originally published as ‘Toxic’: Viral man debate kicks off and divides