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How extremists weaponize irony to spread hate

Phys251

Purge evil with Justice
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Domestic extremist have weaponized a unique blend of surrealism, humor, and bullying, into a mix that they call "irony" as part of their recruitment strategies. And it's working.
 
In this case, from the April 22 edition of Fuentes' show, America First, a viewer wrote in to ask Fuentes for advice on how to "punish" his wife for "getting out of line."

Fuentes responded, "Why don't you smack her across the face?"

The rant continued for minutes.

"Why don't you give her a vicious and forceful backhanded slap with your knuckles right across her face — disrespectfully — and make it hurt?" Fuentes went on. At one point, he pantomimed punching a woman in the face.

He then added, "No, I'm kidding, of course. Just kidding. Just a joke."

Fuentes was following a playbook popular among domestic extremists: using irony and claims of "just joking" to spread their message, while deflecting criticism.

ONLY the sickest human being would think it is funny or irony to suggest slapping someone's wife across her face:

IT IS NOT JOKING, it is NOT funny, because there ARE men out there who WOULD slap their wives, and the rules here won't let me say what kind of man would even think let alone say such a thing, but any decent human being will know what kind of man thinks or says this kind of thing.
 
Daily chuckle

Be careful boys and girls . Don't let those jokesters rope you in!
Before you join any group- make the sure SPLC approves.
LAFF
 
Sarcasm is the protest of the weak.
 

Domestic extremist have weaponized a unique blend of surrealism, humor, and bullying, into a mix that they call "irony" as part of their recruitment strategies. And it's working.

This came up a lot in the book Antisocial: How Online Extremists Broke America which I highly recommend. One of the characters outlined in the book has a podcast called “The Daily Shoah." But, he will tell you, its all in good fun. Just to shock.

This sort of irony works because it appeals to people, mostly young white males who are described as "enraged, resentful and — when it comes to the non-internet parts of their lives — profoundly mediocre."

The irony allows them to feel like they are in on the joke. That they "get it", giving them a sense of being included and being witty. When mostly, its just sad.
 
This came up a lot in the book Antisocial: How Online Extremists Broke America which I highly recommend. One of the characters outlined in the book has a podcast called “The Daily Shoah." But, he will tell you, its all in good fun. Just to shock.

This sort of irony works because it appeals to people, mostly young white males who are described as "enraged, resentful and — when it comes to the non-internet parts of their lives — profoundly mediocre."

The irony allows them to feel like they are in on the joke. That they "get it", giving them a sense of being included and being witty. When mostly, its just sad.
you are too kind, I would have used the word "pathetic."
 
Since it's relevant to the overall point, huffpo did publish the Daily Stormer's playbook for posting/recruiting online:


If you read all 17 pages of the playbook (it's at the bottom of the article), you may think of a number of DP poster.
 
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