In this late-night edition of Today in Breitbart Comments, let’s plunge into an ongoing debate between different factions of Breitbart’s alt-right fanbase.
In the comments to a post titled “Milo on CNBC: A World Run by the Alt-Right Would Be So Much Fun,” we find two distinct types of alt-rightist fighting it out.
On the one side, those who agree with Mr. Yiannopoulos that the alt-right is basically a bunch of lovable scamps, free-speech enthusiasts who don’t really mean it when they say “gas the kikes race war now.”
On the other side, well, those alt-rightists who do in fact mean it when they say “gas the kikes race war now.”
You can see representatives of each of these factions offering succinct summaries of their basic position in this lovely exchange:
Those in the second group tend not to be big fans of Mr. Y, who, as a gay man with a Jewish mother, does not exactly fit perfectly into the traditional Nazi demographic.
Still, there are many points of agreement between the two factions. For example, many of those who put themselves in the “lovable scamp” camp turn out to be gigantic freaking racists too. Oh, sure, the scamp campers insist that they’re not really hateful racists. They just have a rather, let’s say, broad definition of what isn’t hateful racism.
Yeah, you don’t think people of color have contributed anything to western civilization, you want to ban them from immigrating to the United States based on the color of their skin, and you wouldn’t let your daughter marry one. How could anyone even think you have anything in common with the Nazis?
NOTE TO EXTREMELY LITERAL-MINDED READERS: That last sentence was sarcastic.
REMINDER: This is the audience that Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s campaign CEO, cultivated for many years as the head cheese of Breitbart — and that Trump was presumably hoping to appeal to by hiring Bannon to run his campaign. These are the people that Trump is empowering and emboldening.
@Axecalibur: if watching archeology shows has taught me anything, they could even tell what part of the world you grew up in by analysing the isotopes in your bones:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope_analysis
Which i think is super cool!
Also a big thank you to both yourself and Handsome Jack for a very pair of thought provoking posts.
(I might not comment often, but i read the site pretty much every day.)
@Jack
🙂
🙂
All of you have managed to keep my faith in humanity now since GlooberGators started rearing their ugly head. I tip my hat to all of ya.
I feel like all of you are dear friends, and thank you for being here.
@David
Thanks for having created this space.
Sorry, but no. The “lizard brain” is the most primitive part of the human brain that controls bodily functions that we don’t have to think about such as digestion and breathing. It keeps us alive but has nothing to do with anything we think about. It facilitates instincts; however, humans aren’t born with too many instincts. It’s why humans are dependent so long on parents compared to all other species. Most of what we consider “instincts” are actually learned behavior.
@Scildfreja
Elaboration? On your own time of course…
Hey, all.
I was never a regular and haven’t posted a comment in well over a year (at least) but I’m a daily lurker who’s read back through pretty much every post & the subsequent comments.
You all mean the world to me.
I’m quite isolated and sometimes WHTM is my only respite from my “jerk brain” and persistent loneliness. From feeling like I’m losing touch with other people. From questioning my faith in humanity and the existence of kindness, curiosity, empathy, delight, and community.
You all do a lot to help people you’ll most likely never see or “meet”.
Thank you. I often wish I could do more to contribute. Now, perhaps I will.
And yes, my teary eyes are from allergies. Just allergies.
What’s happening? Was it something I said? I said a lot of thing. I need specifics.
Sorry!
Should have specified that my reply was in response to EJ (The Other One)’s comment.
I missed several comments while typing in my usual slow assed fashion.
Edited for clarity. Because it’s not always my strong suit >.<
@PirateJennie
If that’s about what I said, I meant it in response to Scildfreja. I’m sorry.
@Handsome “Punkle Stan” Jack
No, I understood. It just felt like I was cross-talking. And thread killing! And confusing!
Which is why I don’t post much.
Love the ever-evolving handle, btw!
@PirateJennie, you are as much one of us as any <3 No pressure to comment at all, but your voice is welcome here too. Jump in wherever you like!
I’ll reply once I am not on my phone, Jack and Axe. Nothing bad. Just, well. Brain stuff!
I’m not very good at making up my mind about things so, yeah. I’m pretty happy with “Punkle Stan” though, as if that was an insult. XD
That’s…good?
@Skildfreja
First, my apologies. I’m limited to the phone so typing your full name is beyond my current capabilities.
Second, thank you! You’ve become one of my favorite regulars and definitely contribute to the welcoming atmosphere that makes this site so unique.
@Scildfreja
Editing window closed before I could correct misspelling your nym.
Again, apologies!
Hee hee, it’s okay. A lot of people mistype my name. It’s sort of a lexical roller-coaster.
My Mal gif above was just about, well. lizard brains. In humans. And, yes, it’s an actual term for a thing which exists, but, well, it’s way more complicated than just “There’s a lizard brain what regulates stuff and then a higher brain that is largely above instinct.” It’s true that the lower brain functions are largely autonomic (the pons and its friends are basically about keeping your heart beating and your lungs breathing), but, well, above that, it gets super messy.
I also want to contest the “There’s little that’s instinctual!” statement. I mean, it’s not wrong, I guess, but that gives the impression that there’s a lot going on in the mid and forebrain that is shaped by experience. They are affected by experience, yes, but their basic features are pretty regular. So I guess I’m saying that, well, it’s complicated? And that we can’t just draw a line that says “instincts go under here”. A lot of the unconscious, impulsive behaviour is very much midbrain and forebrain.
Definitions! That’s really all i’m babbling about. words are hard. I’ma sleep now.
The lizard brain is where superpowers come from.
Cookies to anyone who can tell me what bad sci-fi book taught me this. (I honestly don’t remember, I probably was 13)
I lurked for about a year before I posted. There were lots of people that I really admired, but especially Lea, PolicyofMadness and Falconer.
I remember that when I was still very new, Jack helped me to post my very first image. (It was of Théoden son of Thengel.) He’s been a consistently lovely and helpful forum member.
@PirateJennie and Crys T:
There are people who read the comments but very seldom comment (like Lanariel, Fruitloopsie or Penny Psmith) whom I always think of when I write stuff here, in the hope they enjoy what I’ve written. I shall add your names to this mental list. You are just as beloved a friend as Paradoxy or M or anyone else.
To the ten thousand: whomever you are, wherever you are, you matter to me. Your lives matter and your happiness matters. You are not friendless.
If I may, here’s an addendum : to alt-right lurkers and would-be trolls who never passed moderation, your lives do matter, but you’re no friend of mine.
No but seriously, hello again, unseen friends !
Please delurk someday and tell EJ how inspirational he is.
@Sinkable John
What kind of superpowers? If you recall that, I bet I can find you the book. (It’s not Wild Cards is it?)
@Dalillama
It’s not Wild Cards. I believe it was a kind of space-opera. At some point the main characters survive a sort of maze that is incredibly and gruesomely dangerous, and when they come out they mainly become stronger and faster, and other things that I don’t remember. Since they fight with swords (because for whatever reason humanity collectively decided to ditch all their guns and replace them with blaster-like things that can only fire once every two minutes lest they overheat) they suddenly become very good at it because superhuman reflexes and speed. And since all they seem to do is fight (I remember something about overthrowing an evil empress and in the aftermath of said revolution fighting against some ancient evil alien thingies, and also infighting because of the evil yoomans) you can basically sum up the books by “Good guy defeats bad guy with a new power he just found out about, then moves on to defeat another bad guy with yet another unknown power”.
I seem to remember that around 50% of the books is spent describing with annoying emphasis how they trade blows very quickly indeed and how you can’t even see the swords because it’s mainly metal fog at that point, and also lizard brain. Lizard brain lizard brain lizard brain. Pretty much everytime one of them discovers a new ability that the maze gave them, there’s a mention of “something deep in the lizard brain” suddenly awakening.
@EJ
You said it very well about the people who read but may or may not post. Thanks!
@Scildfreja
I learned in college that humans have only two instincts: (1) the ability to suck; and (2) the fear of falling.
Has the thinking changed since then? I’m just curious.
(I have a feeling that some smartypants commenters might say something about how some humans suck big-time.)
@Commenters who usually lurk
Welcome! It’s so nice to have you here.
@Sinkable John
Ooh, that’s a toughie; these old pulp space operas aren’t very well documented; I’ll let you know if I turn anything up.
@Dalillama
I found it ! As soon as I read your message, it dawned on me.
It’s Simon Green’s Deathstalker.