It feels like power, but it's not really. It drives suicide, depression, substance abuse, domestic abuse, and other dysfunctions for men. I understand that it's seductive, but it's also supremely toxic and problematic - harming men as much as it privileges them.

"I emphasized that patriarchal ideology brainwashes men to believe that their domination of women is beneficial when it is not:

Often feminist activists affirm this logic when we should be constantly naming these acts as expressions of perverted power relations, general lack of control of one’s actions, emotional powerlessness, extreme irrationality, and in many cases, outright insanity. Passive male absorption of sexist ideology enables men to falsely interpret this disturbed behavior positively. As long as men are brainwashed to equate violent domination and abuse of women with privilege, they will have no understanding of the damage done to themselves or to others, and no motivation to change.

Patriarchy demands of men that they become and remain emotional cripples. Since it is a system that denies men full access to their freedom of will, it is difficult for any man of any class to rebel against patriarchy, to be disloyal to the patriarchal parent, be that parent female or male."

Hooks, Bell. The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love (p. 27). Atria Books. Kindle Edition.