A lot of the worst guys online know each other—they’re friends, colleagues, or ex-colleagues, and they help each other out. A few months ago, I made a video tracing the origins of articles about X-Men going woke back to a semi-organized network of right-wing influencers and financial backers. This is a follow-up to that video.
In my previous video, I highlighted how major online voices whining about wokeness in cinema, gaming, or figures like Kathleen Kennedy are often interconnected. Many of them have ties to organizations like Glenn Beck’s The Blaze or Turning Point USA. For instance, John F. Trent, who pushed Eric July’s content, has also boosted other reactionary figures, showing a web of connections among these influencers.
The video received a good response, but some viewers felt it wasn’t new information. However, most people aren’t aware of the rabbit hole these connections represent. The goal was to show the interconnectedness of these voices and how they influence public discourse.
But let’s expand on this web. Besides influencers trying to profit from your attention and anger, there are other online dangers, like data privacy issues. This is where my video sponsor, Aura, comes in, helping protect your data from brokers and hackers.
Returning to the grift-verse, let’s talk about Lauren Chen, a Blaze contributor who has worked with Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA and PragerU. She’s also streamed with other reactionary figures. But the connections go deeper.
Alex Jones, for instance, has streamed with YouTube’s reactionary gang, and his influence extends through channels like Nerd Wars, which pushes anti-woke content. Nerd Wars often uses clips from these influencers, suggesting a substantial link to Jones’ network.
But let’s scale this up. The alt-right’s rise is largely attributed to figures like Steve Bannon and Milo Yiannopoulos. Bannon, a former Breitbart chairman and Trump’s Chief Strategist, believed in changing politics through culture. Breitbart’s “Establishment Conservatives Guide to the Alt-Right” was a pivotal moment, breaking down the alt-right into various categories and helping mainstream these ideas.
Bannon saw the potential in radical online spaces, mentoring Yiannopoulos through Gamergate and beyond. Breitbart’s tactics, like pre-release woke spotting and blaming figures like Kathleen Kennedy, have been adopted by today’s YouTube reactionaries. These influencers are the first generation to grow from the seeds Bannon and Breitbart planted.
The connections aren’t just conceptual. Bannon has praised Alex Jones, and Yiannopoulos has worked with figures like Gavin McInnes. Theodore Beale, another alt-right figure, has ties to John Delarose and Infowars-linked individuals. The line from the architects of the modern alt-right to today’s reactionary influencers is direct.
The point of this video isn’t to provide a comprehensive history of the alt-right but to situate these connections in their historical and political context. Understanding these shared goals and methodologies is crucial. If you’re interested in more, check out my podcast and consider supporting me on Patreon or with a YouTube membership. Your support helps keep these videos coming. Thanks for watching.