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It's telling from the responses that many people just don't get how radicalisation of marginalised groups works. They see it as funny.
There is humour, but it's a troubling tale.
A short thread on what seemed like a bizarre series of unrelated events from about a decade ago. /1 https://twitter.com/greg_jenner/status/1275574357889363973
There is humour, but it's a troubling tale.
A short thread on what seemed like a bizarre series of unrelated events from about a decade ago. /1 https://twitter.com/greg_jenner/status/1275574357889363973
I had a wide ranging, eclectic group of mates at uni and there was always some new fad.
It became apparent that a number of them got into My Little Pony, which wasn't surprising as it's like the Pingu student counter-culture that went before it etc. /2
It became apparent that a number of them got into My Little Pony, which wasn't surprising as it's like the Pingu student counter-culture that went before it etc. /2
Groups latching onto kid's TV shows is nothing new, loads of people rave about She-Ra etc right now.
The MLP fans were very, very vocal and insanely keen - frothing about it at *every* opportunity. It was pretty irksome to hear about it 24/7... /3
The MLP fans were very, very vocal and insanely keen - frothing about it at *every* opportunity. It was pretty irksome to hear about it 24/7... /3
then again they put up with my WW2 etc.
As time went on they became more insular and keenly turned to online communities, these became increasingly intense and a few 'Bronies' now stopped coming to social events as online trumped IRL. /4
As time went on they became more insular and keenly turned to online communities, these became increasingly intense and a few 'Bronies' now stopped coming to social events as online trumped IRL. /4
They were mostly bright, articulate, but fundamentally awkward characters and a bit vulnerable.
A few disappeared for a while and then reappeared months later looking noticeably more haggard, expressing more intense views than before. /5
A few disappeared for a while and then reappeared months later looking noticeably more haggard, expressing more intense views than before. /5
It turned out they'd been meeting up with large groups of young men and dived into hard-party culture, with tons of drugs, no limits, encouragement to be themselves and plenty of casual sex.
Bizarre and extreme comments did occasionally slip out but... /6
Bizarre and extreme comments did occasionally slip out but... /6
as a whole no one really cared as 'Bronies are weird'. Rumours of alt-right and hard-right involvement sloshed about, and were increasingly strongly hinted at as they slipped away from the social circle. /7
I don't know what happened to any of them, as we gradually lost touch but...
It's not a laughing matter.
It's a case study in extremists target keen, bright if vulnerable communities of misfits, create a community & easily recruit. /thread
It's not a laughing matter.
It's a case study in extremists target keen, bright if vulnerable communities of misfits, create a community & easily recruit. /thread
