just watching movies from the 80s and 90s is enough to see how incel-type behaviour not only existed, but was somewhat normalized as "romantic protagonist" behaviour
You could probably argue that what makes the incel is the rupture from the rest of society not accepting that behavior from all men. The friction between men who want the benefits of the patriarchy without the downsides, and the rest of everyone, including those who want the end of the patriarchy as well as those who are okay with the status quo, is what creates incels as a specific group.
just watching movies from the 80s and 90s is enough to see how incel-type behaviour not only existed, but was somewhat normalized as "romantic protagonist" behaviour
You could probably argue that what makes the incel is the rupture from the rest of society not accepting that behavior from all men. The friction between men who want the benefits of the patriarchy without the downsides, and the rest of everyone, including those who want the end of the patriarchy as well as those who are okay with the status quo, is what creates incels as a specific group.