One of the reasons I'm often right about stuff is that I take what I call a "Zen-influenced meta and macro approach" to data. What I try to avoid, except in a supplementary and confirmatory way, is a micro approach to data, as the devil is most often lost in the detail.
The benefits of this approach is emotional detachment and not having my mental bandwidth clogged with too much clutter, red herrings, counter narratives, etc. Anyone wanting their brains to operate at maximum efficiency should try to emulate my approach.
The benefits of this approach is emotional detachment and not having my mental bandwidth clogged with too much clutter, red herrings, counter narratives, etc. Anyone wanting their brains to operate at maximum efficiency should try to emulate my approach.
Now, having said that as a preface, what about this Andrew Tate figure?
To be frank, my first impression, which I always try to make consciously so as to make decisions on apportioning time and attention, was that he was a shallow manosphere caricature of zero intrinsic interest to someone of my high intellect. I therefore decided to ignore him as much as the internet would allow me. Nevertheless, I continued to run into occasional data points about him, and, without any intention on my part, started "noticing".
To be frank, my first impression, which I always try to make consciously so as to make decisions on apportioning time and attention, was that he was a shallow manosphere caricature of zero intrinsic interest to someone of my high intellect. I therefore decided to ignore him as much as the internet would allow me. Nevertheless, I continued to run into occasional data points about him, and, without any intention on my part, started "noticing".
So, what did I notice?
First of all, I noticed that Tate represented a completely pointless and doomed-to-failure approach that had a clearly limited shelf life (like WN 1.0, Stormertards, Flat Earthers, etc.).
Secondly, I noticed that that schtick nevertheless had an enormous, almost, cult-like, memetic appeal for a certain demographic -- mainly young, dumb, naïve males, often incels and insecure in the world.
Thirdly, I noticed that Tate seemed to talk a lot about his "enemies" using bot accounts to attack him, which instantly sounded like projection to be honest.
Fourthly, I noticed that the Andrew Anglin account, recently allowed back on Twitter, was operating more like a sock account run by FSB operatives, and was going out of its way to support and defend Tate, following his recent arrest in Romania.
And Fifthly, I started to notice the stylistic similarities of Tate to earlier on-line operations run by the Kremlin.
Let me elaborate on the fourth and fifth points here.
My view of Anglin, which I have expressed elsewhere is that he was part of a Russian psy-op aimed at turning the Alt-Right from a legitimate critique of the West into a disruptive online troll operation pushing conspiracy theories, fake news, and various kinds of polarisation.
Anglin has clearly been downgraded by the Kremlin's FSB to a minor meme brand, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he may even be physically dead by now. But in the Daily Stormer's heyday, it was a potent and efficient operation that had real purchase with a certain type of demographic that was effectively weaponised on the internet to cause disruption. The more keen-sighted will observe that a lot of that Anglin schtick is recycled in Andrew Tate. Let me be precise:
Anglin has clearly been downgraded by the Kremlin's FSB to a minor meme brand, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he may even be physically dead by now. But in the Daily Stormer's heyday, it was a potent and efficient operation that had real purchase with a certain type of demographic that was effectively weaponised on the internet to cause disruption. The more keen-sighted will observe that a lot of that Anglin schtick is recycled in Andrew Tate. Let me be precise:
1. Quasi-White, bald headed, "zero fucks given" protagonist thought of as cool by impressionable naïve idiots.
2. So "bad" he is constantly getting banned and forced to operate overseas in dubious parts of the World. Doesn't go away, plenty of online punch despite comparatively few people agreeing or even liking his ideas.
3. Muslim posturing (essentially ripping off ISIS, which is still a big thing in the FSB training colleges), see Anglin's White sharia crap and Tate's supposed conversion to Islam and keeping a "personal harem."
The only real difference between the two is that Tate is a visual livestreamer whereas Anglin was a wordy blogger, which also explains why Tate has to be taller and more physically impressive than Anglin (LOL, wouldn't be hard).
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Tate, Kadyrov. Russian meme game is pretty easy to spot tbh
The other reference points for Tate are:
1. The highly suspicious Bronze Age Pervert crap that has clearly been artificially boosted on the internet by shadowy hands well beyond its extremely limited natural appeal.
(Yes, notice here the efficiency of my Zen-influenced meta and macro approach. I don't need to actually engage with the micro side of BAP, namely his text, podcasts, and pseudo-intellectual trollish content -- a great time saver. It's simply enough to say that he is way more famous than he should be. This point will eventually sink in with his audience, after which the people who are artificially boosting him will drop him like a brick and move onto something else.)
2. The Chad Putin schtick that used to infest memes and online discourse for so long.
Based on all this, I think the question, "Is Andrew Tate a Russian Psy-op?" is a legitimate question and frame of reference for Andrew Tate. It may even explain the trouble being taken to shut him down.
Yes, the West's intelligence agencies may finally be catching up with the FSB, which was first to realise the full possibilities of the internet and social media to undermine rival nations. That Sputnik moment may now have passed, with the West overtaking Russia's crude but once effective "technology."
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Collin, I wish you would start up a new podcast.
ReplyDeleteIf you buy a hundred copies of my book and give them to the poor I'll consider it.
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