By weka

Copyright thestandard

I’m putting this post up for two reasons. One is the US is at a sociopolitical tipping point, and appears to be rapidly tipping further into the very bad reality.

A tipping point is a point in time when a group—or many group members—rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice

A key thing about tipping points is it’s possible to influence where they go, but we’re generally not prepared for that.

There are any number of examples that could illustrate the chaos unfolding in the US (or the UK) from the past week, but probably the most important is the US and the UK right’s shift from free speech warriors to outright cancel culture. Only against the left and liberals of course.

The other reason is New Zealand isn’t at that point yet, and we should be preparing for when we reach our own version so we can have some influence in pushing us the good direction. Or better yet, prevent going there in the first place.

The following two videos are on the context of the shooting of US religious conservative Charlie Kirk. It’s almost impossible to know the truth of alleged shooter Tyler Robinson’s motives at the moment, but as you will see, the impossibility of knowing is part of the point. We can however better understand the milieu it happened in.The first is from Cy Canterel, media theorist and technologist who focuses on decoding systems of power and meaning, gives an eight minute exposition of the culture Robinson was living in, beyond left/right. If there’s one thing you watch/read on the shooting and what has followed, this is it (hattip Jane Clare Jones)

The second is Aiden Walker, internet culture researcher, talking more specifically about Robinson but also about the nihilistic subculture he most likely came from (hattip Joe90).

There’s a lot in both of those, I’m just going to highlight the centrality of belonging. Not just in black pill culture, but across the political spectrum, people increasingly want to feel safe and are moving towards those that offer a sense of belonging, often at the expense of values and policy positions. This is the most urgent thing for the left to get its head around.

Why the black pill is sticky. It packages three things people crave when they feel powerless.: certainty, community, and a role.

I think that’s true for many people who have even a peripheral awareness of the metacrisis (climate, ecology, politics, war, economics, rising fascism)

One other thing that stands out for me is that the Trump administration are probably more aware of this than we realise, and using it. Ditto Musk. Both the black pillers, and the need for belonging. Charlie Kirk’s whole thing was appearing reasonable while recruiting people to the conservative position and away from those evil lefties. He offered belonging.

Meanwhile, Brian Tamaki gave a speech on banning non-Christian religion at a free speech march in London this week. I didn’t realise he’s so shit at being charismatic, but here he’s been elevated from a fringe position in the New Zealand political landscape to being on a very large stage speaking to over 100,000 protestors against immigration and the left. The protest was led by white nationalist Tommy Robinson.

This is what follows the rally,

The authoritarians are organising, the thugs are on the streets, and the kids are saying fuck you all. Time for us on the left to talk strategy.