#woke authoritarianism

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Colin Wright

Published: Dec 23, 2024

A new study from the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) has revealed an alarming surge in anti-civil activity online following the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The NCRI study, titled “Killing with Applause: Emergent Permission Structures for Murder in the Digital Age,” highlights the profound societal implications of this event, showcasing the disturbing normalization of violence against corporate figures and the role of social media in amplifying such narratives.

While the specifics of Thompson’s murder are shocking, the NCRI warns that the broader cultural shift it appears to be facilitating may be even more worrisome. The data reveals an evolving “permission structure” online—a system in which social media platforms amplify narratives, and susceptible individuals provide justification—resulting in the normalization of violence on a scale previously confined to small extremist communities.

The murder, which occurred outside a Manhattan hotel during an investors’ conference, has sparked a wave of online glorification, memes, and merchandise celebrating the shooter, Luigi Mangione. The NCRI’s findings expose an unsettling trend: mainstream social media platforms are becoming breeding grounds for rhetoric that not only justifies violence but also facilitates its transition from the digital realm to the real world.

Public Opinion Reflects Shifting Norms

The NCRI’s research reveals a major societal shift, highlighting how public opinion has veered dangerously toward accepting violence as a legitimate response to perceived systemic injustices. Nearly half of Americans surveyed (44 percent) believe that Thompson’s murder was at least somewhat justified, reflecting a growing openness to violent means of addressing grievances. This finding is particularly alarming as it indicates that support for such extreme measures is no longer confined to isolated groups but is increasingly mainstream.

The data shows that social media plays a critical role in shaping these attitudes. Among heavy social media users—those who spend more than 5.4 hours per day on these platforms—the justification rate surges to 64 percent, starkly contrasting with just 23 percent among low-use individuals (0-1.3 hours per day).

Even more concerning is the generational divide: a staggering 78.8 percent of respondents aged 18-27 expressed at least partial justification for the murder, signaling a profound shift among younger demographics toward endorsing “targeted violence.”

The younger generation’s overwhelming approval for violent actions suggests a troubling cultural normalization of aggression as a tool for addressing grievances.

Platforms of Concern: Bluesky and Beyond

One of the most striking revelations in the NCRI study is the role of mainstream platforms like Bluesky in fostering permissive attitudes toward violence. Bluesky, widely lauded by political progressives as a kinder and friendlier alternative to X/Twitter, now exhibits the highest justification rates for the UHC CEO’s murder (78 percent), surpassing even extremist platforms like Gab and 4chan.

Bluesky’s user base skews younger and more tech-savvy, demographics that the NCRI study identifies as particularly susceptible to violent rhetoric. The combination of algorithmic amplification of extreme views and a vulnerable audience creates an environment ripe for the proliferation of violent narratives. This grim reality was recently illustrated when Bluesky users called for the murder of journalist Jesse Singal, en masse, due to his fact-based reporting on pediatric “gender medicine.” Users even posted what they believed to be his address and photos of his apartment door online.

Across social media platforms, including X, Reddit, and TikTok, there has been an alarming increase in content justifying violence. Viral hashtags like #EatTheRich and “Free Luigi” dominate many online discussions, and moderation efforts often lag behind the pace of content creation and dissemination, allowing violent rhetoric to flourish.

From Memes to Real-World Impacts

The transition of violent rhetoric from online spaces to real-world actions is perhaps one of the most troubling revelations of the NCRI study. Viral memes, fancam edits, and merchandise such as “Free Luigi” t-shirts have commodified his image. Events like the “UHC Shooter Lookalike Contest,” held in Washington Square Park, reveals how online rhetoric is influencing real-world behaviors. Participants, many of whom were dressed to mimic Mangione, gathered to celebrate and parody the assassination, demonstrating an alarming erosion of societal norms.

On social media, fancam edits and viral videos glorify Mangione’s actions, framing him as an anti-establishment icon. According to the report:

These videos frequently feature romantic or hyperbolic captions, highlight niche cultural affinities, or focus on his physical appearance, further amplifying his image and fueling narratives that glamorize his actions. This glorification fuels permission structures that could inspire others to perceive violence as a legitimate form of activism.

The hashtag #EatTheRich has surged by over 500 percent week-over-week, accompanying calls for violence against corporate figures and circulating “CEO Wanted” posters and executive “hit lists.” These posters, which feature “mocked-up mugshots of healthcare executives,” promote vigilante justice and represent “a deliberate attempt to provoke fear and destabilize corporate leadership.”

According to the NCRI report, “The murder of Brian Thompson appears to have catalyzed a dangerous feedback loop, where glorification, humor, conspiracy, and targeted harassment create an environment ripe for further violence.”

This blending of online rhetoric and offline action reflects what the NCRI describes as an “emergent permission structure,” which they describe as “a framework that justifies previously unacceptable beliefs or actions, with a clear division of labor: Social media platforms provide the amplification, while psychologically susceptible individuals provide the justification…” Taken in concert, these elements form a system that normalizes and even glamorizes acts of violence.

The Lionization of Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione’s transformation from an obscure figure to a symbol of anti-establishment resistance has been meteoric. Within days of his arrest, his social media following exploded from 5,000 to over 400,000. The slogan “Free Luigi” was posted 47,000 times in 48 hours, generating nearly 800,000 engagements across X and Reddit.

The commodification of Mangione’s image extends beyond social media. T-shirts, mugs, and other merchandise featuring his likeness are being sold on e-commerce platforms, trivializing his actions while profiting from the controversy. New cryptocurrency “memecoins” such as $LUIGI have also emerged, turning a deadly act into a speculative financial opportunity.

Psychological Drivers

The NCRI study identifies three key predictors of support for the murder: authoritarian tendencies, heavy social media use, and diminished personal agency. These factors interact in a synergistic way, with social media amplifying authoritarian predispositions and fostering the normalization of violence.

The combination of authoritarianism, an external locus of control, and social media’s amplifying effects appears to be a perfect storm for radicalization. These factors interact in a way that makes violence seem rational and even heroic to those who might otherwise feel marginalized or voiceless.

The interaction between these psychological drivers is particularly pronounced among younger demographics, who are both heavy social media users and more likely to experience anxiety or disillusionment with traditional systems. The NCRI study reveals that among users aged 18-27, those with high authoritarian tendencies and heavy social media use were the most likely to justify violence.

A Call to Action

The NCRI study concludes with a warning:

As digital platforms become arenas for ideological conflict, the consequences extend beyond individual incidents of violence to threaten broader public safety and societal cohesion. This transformation underscores the urgent need for strategies that address the root causes of digital radicalization and mitigate its impacts.

The challenges we face require a comprehensive and collaborative response. No single entity can address the complexities of digital radicalization alone. Policymakers, educators, platforms, and community leaders must work in unison to restore the moral boundaries against violent extremism.

The study concludes:

The spread and scope of justification for murder have significantly eroded what was once the monopoly of fringe communities in supporting violence and glorifying shooters online. This shift underscores the urgency of initiatives aimed at reinforcing the bonds of civic trust and restoring civility. Such efforts are essential not only in countering the tide of extremism but also in fostering a resilient society where dialogue and mutual respect prevail.

==

EDIT: Wow, this managed to attract the murderous psychopaths. I hope you'll be just as understanding when someone kills someone you care about and justifies it in the name of nebulous "systemic" somethingisms.

If there was ever any doubt about Colin's premise, it has been proven by the insanity of those cheering it on in the reblogs.

The death penalty is unfair, unjust, and evil, unless you walk up to a rich guy you don’t like on the sidewalk and shoot him in the back. The only form of the death penalty that’s okay is the form that doesn’t include a judge, jury, or court, and where the executed person has not been charged with, convicted, or even accused of any specific crime.

You don't get to call it "justice" when it's not just bypasses but is in direct violation of the law.

"Arbitrarily killing people I don't like is good akshully," is not the moral high-ground you think it is.

How many times do you think you would have been shot dead if it became acceptable for someone to simply arbitrarily execute you because they don't like you, what you do for a living, what you do with your free time, what you eat, what you stand for, or any other random disapproval?

🤔

[doux-amer]

[undergroundusa]

"When juxtaposing the scorecard on political violence, the evidence is overwhelming that activists, anarchists, special interests, and Deep State operatives from the far-Left are much more likely to engage in violence than any group from the Right…"

ORIGINAL CONTENT: https://www.undergroundusa.com/p/the-far-left-hitler-narrative-is

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it.

- Mark Twain

[jensorensen]

I can't believe I'm still drawing cartoons about the word "woke," but its idiotic usage just won't go away. 

George Orwell's 1984 gets invoked a lot these days, but what happened to the word "woke" is exactly what was intended with Newspeak. Per Wikipedia, "Orwell explains that Newspeak follows most rules of English grammar, yet is a language characterised by a continually diminishing vocabulary; complete thoughts are reduced to simple terms of simplistic meaning." With "woke" we see the entire project of humanism reduced to a stupid insult. Shamefully, many political commentators not on the authoritarian right still use this lazy shorthand to belittle activists or anything vaguely socially conscious, invoking the right's pejorative framing.

Help keep this work sustainable by joining the Sorensen Subscription Service! Also on Patreon.

[half-life-crisis]

We are less than a #week before the #most #crucial #Presidential #election of our #lifetimes. I #wish it was #hyperbole. #Believe it or not, many are still #unaware of it.

https://halflifecrisis.com/hlc-articles/t-minus-6-to-november-5th-are-we-ready…

#Vote #wisely by truly understanding #Trump's and #Kamala's #policies thoroughly.

[thenewdemocratus]

Michael Shermer: Why I'm No Longer Woke

Source:Skeptic publisher & blogger Michael Shermer. Source:The New Democrat “Before the transmogrification of the word woke into the pejorative slur against far-left politics it represents today, I would have called myself woke—and even a social justice warrior—inasmuch as I believe in civil liberties, civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, animal rights, and the continued expansion of the…

[isawthismeme]

Authoritarian regimes take guns away.

If that’s what you want, vote Cheeto.

[penguinlover27]

I predict that DeSantis’ authoritarian ways are going to backfire on him and the GOP spectacularly. This may serve the short-term interests of getting MAGA behind his campaign for POTUS, but these antics are not going to win him a lot of support nationally and outside of that narrow base.

DeSantis and his enablers in FL are also running the risk of a serious brain-drain, with college professors choosing to work for institutions elsewhere without such an authoritarian grip. The threat to the status of tenured professors is definitely going to cause a stir.

Add to that the decimation of AP courses for high school students in the name of ideological purity. These moves are hardly based on the needs of students and are instead purely the product of authoritarian, right wing ideology. 

DeSantis likes to say that Florida is “where woke goes to die”, but I think that the push for greater inclusion and diversity in our society is not going to end there or anywhere else just by fiat.

The rage against “woke” by conservatives is nothing more than the ravings of the white-supremacist movement in its death throes. They define “woke” as being anything that threatens their hold on power over our politics and our culture, rather than the definition that those who initiated the term used.

In a sense, the anti-woke reaction can potentially be killed in the crib by destroying it in Florida before other GOP governors attempt to follow DeSantis’ playbook. Just as by stopping Putin in Ukraine we can prevent further Russian invasions of other European nations, we can stop DeSantis and his regressive agenda in Florida before it spreads. Frankly, the importance of stopping both men cannot be overstated.

[whilewewereyetsinners]

Some openly call for a “new founding” to replace the Constitution, which it claims has enabled everything from communism to secularism. It praises authoritarian fascistic regimes of the past as models of what an American Christian state should look like. The irony is rich: a movement that claims to defend America wants to discard its most defining principles, from individual rights to the equitable rule of law, in favor of a centralized authority that mirrors the very Marxism it claims to oppose.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because the woke right is merely flipping the script on leftist identity politics. It’s Critical Theory for white guys. Like the left, it prioritizes collective grievances over individual responsibility and treat dissent as treason. The difference lies in who it villainizes. For the woke right, anyone who opposes its authoritarian vision — including fellow conservatives — is an enemy to be crushed, mirroring the political philosophy of Nazi Carl Schmitt.

[spockeye-fierce]

Take a chill pill? I'll take two!

Reminding my moots and followers to take your meds and hydrate

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Yes, let's talk about "your" pronouns for a moment, because I have some thoughts on the matter...

What's that? Oh, silly me. By "let's talk about," what you actually mean is "unquestioningly comply with my demands."

Be that as it may, "we" - which is to say, "I" - am going to talk about it regardless.

Let's analyze this for a moment.

She gives the game away right up front: blue heart is for boys, pink heart is for girls. This ideology is based on stereotypes. If you still doubt this, I don't know what else to show you to convince you.

Secondly, her "gender" isn't a profound knowledge of personal identity, because it changes faster than the weather. I'm not even sure it's her personality, because anyone whose personality changes that rapidly and that wildly has some kind of severe disorder. What she's calling "gender" seems to be nothing but her mood.

Thirdly, and I keep having to repeat this, if your "gender" requires others to participate, then it's not a "deeply personal sense of self." Just like your faith cannot be "a personal relationship with Jesus" if everybody else has to pray or refrain from pointing out the flaws in the bible. "Gender is a social construct" means that your "gender" only "exists" to the extent people play along. People are sick of being bullied into pretending for narcissists.

More importantly, you don't get to make others participate and then deny them any say or input. You can't give people an obligation with no authority, because if you think you can, then others can give you an obligation with no authority.

And you don't get to make others responsible for your mental wellbeing, to carry the burden you cannot or will not, and then get angry when they don't meet your standards or decline the obligation at all. You are responsible for you. Trying to make other people responsible for your emotions or mental state is psychotic. Xians insist that humans - and particularly children - are responsible for keeping their god happy, evidently because he cannot do it himself. You're just as much of an immature psychopath. We are not responsible for keeping you from bursting like a fragile soap bubble.

You can have a personal, unquestionable conviction, or you can have a matter of public interest and discussion. As soon as you insist others participate, you forfeit the right to cordon your beliefs off from scrutiny. If you want your beliefs to go unmolested, then keep them to yourself.

If it's nobody else's business, don't make it other people's business. You can't claim your "gender" is nobody else's business, nobody else gets a say, and then insist it is their business to comply with these demands and prop the whole delusion up.

Private concern or public interest. Choose one.

Fourthly, anyone who comes up with rules like this is a sociopath who is trying to control, manipulate and trap others. Since third-person pronouns are used primarily when someone is not present, when referring to an individual when talking to others, this is a form of authoritarian thought-control. You do not get to dictate how others must see you or think of you. They get to decide for themselves what they think of you, regardless of whether or not you like it, and it's none of your business. And if your sense of self is so flimsy that you must coerce them to conform their view of you to your own view of yourself, then you have bigger problems than "your" pronouns.

When she walks into room, people stiffen because they have to talk like idiots around her - and that's part of the appeal. She wants to be "misgendered," because who is she if she's not a marginalized victim and the center of attention? That's the trick: either you comply, and she wins, or you refuse, and she gets to pretend to be a victim and she wins. Nobody's obliged to pay attention to these insane, imaginary rules, much less play along. When she's already gamed it to win no matter what, the only way for you to win is to retain your integrity and self-respect and tell the truth.

And finally, you do not have pronouns. The pronouns belong to the language, in this case, English. The English language has pronouns for you. You don't have your own pronouns any more than you have your own conjugations or your own adjectives. Other languages, such as German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese, have their own structures, and they're not for you to "fix" with your stupid activism.

And yes, languages change. They evolve through common usage and common acceptance, not through narcissists performing blunt-force creationism enforced with emotional manipulation and vilification.

She's an average, unremarkable girl who's found a socially acceptable way to control other people and pretend to be interesting.

My adjectives are amazing/brilliant/impressive.

Misadjectiving is hate. #BeKind

P.S. I miss the days when pink, green or blue dyed hair was a sign of rebellion and uniqueness, rather than a predictable trope and red flag that warns the world about all your views and opinions before you ever open your mouth. #MakeDyedHairCoolAgain

[themistressofdolls]

Was watching this video the other day and its a good one please see it

Got me thinking about in groups and we've seen a massive cottege industry of "Anti woke" videos around films, tv, games and more and I've been thinking.

Say you met these people half way, had a sit down and asked "What is that you want? What would make you happy? Why do the stories you see right now bother you? What would you do differently? If minorities in roles feel forced or its the writing you don't like then what is the right way to write them in your eyes? The right way to do representation?"

Not to appease people and I feel those channels are grifters anyway but also I feel not alienating the in group would be one of many steps to try and stop democratic backsliding along with hyperpolarization, lets not kid ourselves we have a huge crisis of loneliness, alienation and being condasending or smug to people isn't going to make that better.

I think we still need to have stories that don't make the in group feel they are being pushed out "In their mind" while still trying to increase represention for members of out groups.

Of course other steps are regulating social media, dealing with wealth inequality and building of more social spaces and third places etc.

[calvincell]

This week, lawyers for Trump went into the Supreme Court & argued in order to protect their client, that a president explicitly could assassinate a political opponent & in turn any dissenting or opposed senators, judges or even average citizens and be immune from prosecution and in the face of that lunacy multiple conservative justices (who once again make up the majority) on the SC signaled their open support of that argument without any hesitation or doubt & with zero reference to actual case law. Multiple supposed icons in the practice of law in this country openly signaled their support for a rewinding of our country back to monarchical rule with collective straight faces.

This is what we have to look forward to if Trump is allowed into office again. Justice Jackson, one of the few competent & progressive justices was as usual also one of the few rational actors in this farce & pointed out explicitly that all the granting of presidential immunity would do is make the presidency a desired office for out & out criminality. Whether conservatives want to acknowledge it or not by supporting Trump’s claim, there is nothing stopping a president from not just being a dictator who jails & slaughters all opposition but could also just become a drug lord, using the apparatuses & authority granted by our country to make the US a golden state of the drug trade. There is nothing stopping a president from trading away government & military intel to every last one of our enemies dooming soldiers we’ve sent abroad & leaking prime targets for attacks that would kill citizens & cripple infrastructure. Conservatives claiming to be outraged about the acts of scumbag predators like Epstein have done nothing through their support for Trump’s argument than assure that if you are an abuser & an outright predator who explicitly targets children, there is no better protection than becoming president where you can openly assault anyone of any age & be immune from prosecution. Said president could literally hunt for their prey amongst the children of White House tourists or those amongst the staff in their administration & by declaring the acts a “duty of office” victims & their families would have ZERO recourse for justice.

Like I wish this were exaggeration or hyperbole but it’s explicitly the type of country that conservatives want to usher in for the explicit & soul purpose of granting their messiah Donald Trump the chance to avoid accountability for his actions. People embedded in political & legal scholarship are clear about the realities:

Like I’ve said before, I wish this was all a big joke but we are only at this point because of how deeply & willingly the right has embraced not just Trump but fascist, inhumane & anti-citizen/anti-democratic ideals over the past decade. The response to this though is not cowardice or apathy but action. If you can register to vote, then vote. If someone you know needs help to register and/or to get to their polling place in November & you have the ability to help them, then help. Nothing is gained by watching these travesties of government & justice and despairing & sitting on your hands saying that nothing will change. If people were able to win their freedoms & rights generations ago, then we can do it again today. Fascism, bigotry, cruelty & hate only succeed when good people do nothing in response. If you’re breathing, you’re still alive & you have a voice & you can fight & make change. If there was a time when giving up was on the table it is absolutely NOT NOW

[ivygorgon]

When we have major employers pulling development and events out of the state in response to DeSantis’ embrace of right-wing authoritarianism, that hurts all of us (my own fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, dropped its national convention in Orlando due to this administration's “harmful, racist and insensitive” policies). To cite just a few examples, DeSantis signed his latest “Don’t Say Gay” expansion bills into law on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, which aims to increase awareness of violence, discrimination and repression against LGBTQ communities. Last year, DeSantis championed the (currently blocked) “Stop WOKE Act,” which would effectively ban any efforts to teach the truth about systemic racism and racial injustices in this country.

Dictator and political terrorist.

[half-life-crisis]

In the #USA, despite their many #brawls the #Right’s messengers are #united like an #ocean, while the #Left are like little #independent #puddles which tend to #evaporate.

https://halflifecrisis.com/hlc-articles/the-left-well-meaning-but-not-united…

Learn about self-#sabotage occurring when #people #ignore their own team's #wisdom.