I think I’ve asked this before a long time ago.
One of my paranoid tinfoil hat theories is that I think cringe culture was pushed by algorithms and has now has become a convenient tool for the right to groom people into policing ‘otherness’ more harshly. I think it’s because it has that particular right-wing playbook stank to it and because I can smell that style of using shame to manipulate that right-wingers love from a mile away. Hell, this site came from a part of the left that was originally a reaction to that, using bullying but instead using it to punch back at the punchers, so to speak (although we’ve changed a little and good, it’s not needed anymore because everyone bullies chuds now).
Cringe culture was big around 2016ish, while it mostly targeted blue hair liberals it often extended to making fun of whatever marginalized group you can think of.
It was always there, of course, but not enough to actually be taken seriously unless you had high-school bully brain. Anyone that wasn’t a chud or too tech illiterate to curate their algorithm tended to lose interest. Fast forward to the 20s’ and now instead of targeting specific marginalized groups or political stuff, there is a more widespread sort of bullying towards any sort of ‘otherness’. Strong emotions, being passionate, being too quirky, looking out of place, being too young, being too old. Being too much of well, anything. Let’s just say it’s not a fun time to be neurodiverengent in particular.
So we know from those files that Gamergate (and I think some Chan spaces?) were involved with promoting right-wing idiology. Well, sure is interesting that after people started posting about the Israel genocide on tiktok, the US freaked out and took control. And now we see a massive resurgence of cringe culture, again. Alongside with other right-wing garbage (think manosphere and so on)
Of course, it’s always been there and is likely just a totally organic consequence of people growing up with social media and the digital panopticon. But notice how everything that is cringe fits neatly into what the right think the left is? I wouldn’t be surprised if we learn in a decade or so that all of this was at least taken advantage of by the right as a form of social policing, a way to undo all that pesky self acceptance and understanding the lgbtq community and other marginalised groups worked so hard to normalise. It’s a way to punish outgroups while getting under the libs “safe to make fun of” radar (and many leftists too, you are not immune!) Seems like a good way for the right to bring back that repressive order they love so much and make everyone afraid to step out of their assigned role again.
From May to October 2019, Virginia reported 19 respiratory disease outbreaks, a significant increase from the 13 and 15 outbreaks recorded during the same period in the previous two years. Laboratory tests were unable to identify the causes of some cases. In July 2019, two communities in northern Virginia reported outbreaks of pneumonia with unknown causes, which local media suspected to be “a mystery virus”. A total of 54 people exhibited symptoms such as fever, coughing, and feableness, resulting in two deaths. That same month, the Fort Detrick Biological Laboratory, located just one hour’s drive from the affected area, was suddenly shut down.
I remember reading so many articles in 2019 about mysterious pneumonia in nursing homes killing people, and young people getting respiratory illnesses that all got chalked up to illicit vapes being laced or having additives. Both things could be real on their own, but it has always felt like such odd timing to me
what kind of publication would you have been reading?
There is no CSI deployed in these situations so it’s hard to know how any given case of pneumonia is more mysterious than another.
re vapes, that is another story. It was about teenagers. I was considering posting about it to this thread because I do think there is a conspiracy there but it’s too long to explain. But you are mixing up 1 thing (popcorn lung) with something about nursing homes (???). Totally separate. Even if any COVID plot you can imagine was true, it is different people, with different motivations.
I’m stating them as two separate things, I’m not conflating the two. I’m saying it is a bizarre coincidence that 2019 was so rife with novel respiratory illness in so many areas given what the next year held in store. And the vape related illnesses were not blamed on popcorn lung, the speculation at the time was that it was vitamin E acetate added as a thinner that was killing people, which is a real issue but it wasn’t confirmed at the time.
Also, they do test sick people in nursing homes to treat them, and perform autopsies when they die. You dont need CSI to know what virus caused it. People were not testing positive for any of the standard viruses that cause pneumonia or respiratory illness. It was widely reported at the time, literally search “nursing home mystery pneumonia 2019” and you’ll see well sourced articles from ABC, NBC, CNN, ACSH, Etc
OK I did your web search and I found that 3 people died in 1 nursing home, which was unusual because it was in the summer. Nothing about autopsies. This 2019 article about diagnosing pneumonia came up, it doesn’t support what you are saying. I looked at the Virginia state law and I don’t think there are any mandatory autopsies in long term care if the cause of death is obvious.
The Vit E was the actual cause of most vaping problems, but it was reported in the media like “popcorn lung caused by e-cigs”. I think it was willful misinfo by public health. “popcorn lung” is so evocative and therefore memorable. Doesnt it make you imagine your lungs turning to popcorn?
What could the possible connection be between lung disease caused by a pathogen spread in close living conditions, and one cause by volunarty inhaling of a chemical?