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.
What a fun thread! I have quite a few, some of them are quite local. In general I think conspiracies thrive in the lower levels where small groups of people are always having disproportionate power. Millions of little oligarchies. But on the internet, we can only discuss those which are globally relevant.
Here is a global one: Vaccine development and distribution are intentionally slowed down and even blocked.
This is in direct opposition to the idea that antivaxers spread: "there are so many new vaccines". In fact there were several decades of almost zero new vaccines coming to market. Most vaccines you have had in your life are credited to one scientist (Maurice Hilleman). What are the odds that one person (or team) could make the majority of discoveries in any field? It is just not scientifically plausible.
Once vaccines had improved life for the elite, so that wealthy people's babies don't die of rubella and smallpox anymore, they put their foot on the breaks. Vaccines really are the most important technology (maybe) second to writing. They are tightly controlled by the elite nations to prevent the distribution of vaccines, and even the development of vaccines for conditions that only affect the colonized nations. We should have a malaria vaccine by now!!
Polio was on track for elimination about a decade ago, and we almost got there. It would have been the third disease ever eradicated by humans, after smallpox 1980 and rinderpest 2011 (look that up if you never heard of it). But then the CIA had to go stir up anti vax sentiment in 1 of the 2 remaining reservoirs of polio (in pakistan) in their quest to help obama get the osama bin laden corpse trophy. Seriously if not for that polio would be gooooone today. The CIA is very sorry about the whole thing. Which in itself suggests another level of op.
After polio, measles was supposed to follow close behind. By 2026 we should be running out of fingers to count the eradicated diseases.
If I ever wrote a book, it would be about this. There's way more.