There was nothing funny about what happened yesterday, but I think it's consistent with @DouthatNYT's argument that a lot of today's extremist "activism" is LARPing in pursuit of social media points rather than serious efforts at social change.

Trump and the rioters really were trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of power to our next elected leader. But they didn't formulate anything like a coherent plan for how to do it. And I'm not sure any of them—maybe even Trump—cared that much if it succeeded.

The main threat isn't that a future neo-confederate mob led by a shirtless guy in a viking helmet actually takes control of the government. It's that misinformation and sporadic chaos and violence and continue destroying public trust.