"Recently, the culprit has often been the federal government. The Department of Homeland Security is putting out white-nationalist dog whistles on X. President Trump posted a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. The subtext of every egregious shitpost from the administration is the same: These people are in charge now, and the old rules don't matter. A great deal of what I find myself scrolling past exudes a threatening, almost anarchical aura."
"He hits his face with a hammer to strengthen his jawline and pals around with the white-supremacist streamer Nick Fuentes. Last month, the men were recorded in a club-with other charming manosphere personalities, such as the alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate-enjoying Ye's song "Heil Hitler." (Tate has denied the allegations against him.) Read: Why MAGA likes Andrew Tate This was trolling, but it also sent a message:"
Social feeds increasingly display shocking, norm-defying content from both political institutions and online influencers. Government accounts and prominent figures amplify racist imagery and white-nationalist signals, eroding conventional norms. Influencers and manosphere personalities perform brazen stunts—mimicking violence, self-harm for aesthetic ends, and associating with extremist figures—to gain attention and status. These displays serve to mobilize sympathetic audiences and assert that conventional rules no longer apply. The convergence of state actors and online subcultures normalizes transgressive behavior, amplifies disinformation and intimidation, and creates an aura of threat and anarchy across public platforms.
Read at The Atlantic
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