A recent article in the New York Times explored a cultural shift in how we perceive so-called "toxic masculinity." Instead of outright condemnation, there's a growing fascination, even a dark sexual fantasy, surrounding this archetype.

Compact Magazine editor Matthew Schmitz argues that "toxic males" hold an increasing sexual sway over our culture. Modern Hollywood, he suggests, is more inclined to explore this dynamic than to portray such characters as purely repulsive.

Despite movements like #MeToo and efforts to stigmatize problematic male behavior, Schmitz sees a lingering uncertainty about society's willingness to fully reject this archetype. He cites the re-emergence of "canceled" figures and other political trends as evidence of this ambivalence.

Schmitz points to films like "Babygirl," "Fair Play," and "Cat Person" as examples of this cultural shift. While these movies don't condone toxic behavior, they acknowledge a complex and often perverse attraction to it.

He draws a parallel to the 1940s fascination with the femme fatale, a figure both alluring and dangerous. This fascination, he argues, reflected societal anxieties about changing gender roles, much like the current interest in the "toxic male" reflects contemporary anxieties.

Schmitz contends that the "toxic male" is the contemporary equivalent of the femme fatale, a transgressive figure who embodies societal ambivalence. While most films ultimately punish these characters, their portrayal reveals a disconnect between expected desires and actual desires, highlighting the contradictions in our public morality.