Netflix and the Return of Conservative Values in Education

A few days ago, The Daily Mail published an intriguing article focusing on the perceived negative influence of Netflix – not on adolescents in general, but specifically on boys. The emphasis here is crucial: it is boys, not girls, who are said to be particularly susceptible to the platform’s so-called “toxic” effects. According to the report, schools across the United Kingdom are growing increasingly concerned that Netflix is amplifying what gender studies scholars term “masculinity” and that this surge is, in turn, encouraging a form of behaviour that is being labelled as misogynistic.

Today, The Sunday Times extended this discussion to the Maltese context, warning that our schools, too, must begin addressing the harmful messages being disseminated to adolescents through streaming services. Once again, Netflix is at the centre of the controversy. It shapes young minds – especially males – in directions that may prove detrimental to gender relations, personal development, and social cohesion.

Interestingly, this cultural moment is not occurring in isolation. A recent article in The Telegraph, written by a woman rather than a man, reflected the enduring merits of gender-based schooling. She revisited the values of educational systems where adolescent boys are educated separately from girls, arguing that such an approach might foster a more stable and focused learning environment. It appears that what were once dismissed as outdated conservative values are now finding their way back into mainstream educational discourse.

It is not my intention here to enter into the complexities of pedagogy. Instead, I am reflecting on a conversation gaining momentum that should not be ignored. What is clear is that developments in British educational thought and policy often serve as a blueprint for reforms in Malta. We should, therefore, pay close attention to the debates surrounding gender, media, and education abroad, for they may well shape our future direction.