Mother's viral thread on white boys and alt-right propaganda is a must-read for parents

America is seeing a huge surge in right-wing terrorist acts perpetrated by young white males. Since 9/11, right-wing terrorists have killed more people in the United States than Jihadis.
So the new questions become, how do we stop breeding terrorists in America? How do we identify the warning signs of alt-right radicalization? And how do we prevent white teens from falling victim to a vast campaign of propaganda that aims to radicalize them?
Joanna Shroeder, a self-identified feminist mother, wife, and writer, whose work has appeared in outlets such as Redbook, Time.com, and AskMen, wrote a powerful viral tweet thread on how and why these young white teens become radicalized.
The thread also shows how parents can help prevent radicalization from happening in the first place.
Alt-right activist making the "OK" aka white power sign. via Mooch Cassidy / Flickr
Shroeder's take is important because it shows that radicalization doesn't happen in a bubble. It also points out that many teens lack the nuanced, critical thinking skills necessary to develop an inclusive worldview.
All the while, they are living in a time of great change in which society is working to level the playing field by elevating people of color, women, and religious minorities.
This, in turn, makes it much easier for these teens to be seduced by propaganda that affirms their whiteness. These days, YouTube, 4Chan, and gaming forums are rife with propaganda that preys on the vulnerability of white teens.
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Over the past decade, there's been a lot of talk about how older white men have been radicalized by Fox News, Schroeder makes a similar argument for white teenagers and social media.
Schroeder's empathetic view of these young men doesn't serve to forgive those who become radicalized, but it shows that it's more important than ever for parents to understand their perspectives.
We often talk about women and ethnic minorities as "falling through the cracks" in institutions that fail to support them. Schroeder's thread shows that, in changing times, new chasms have opened in the social fabric that have made it easier for white teens to be radicalized. It's time for them to be closed.
Do you have white teenage sons?
Listen up.
I've been watching my boys' online behavior & noticed that social media and vloggers are actively laying groundwork in white teens to turn them into alt-right/white supremacists.
Here's how:
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
It's a system I believe is purposefully created to disillusion white boys away from progressive/liberal perspectives.
First, the boys are inundated by memes featuring subtly racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-Semitic jokes.
Being kids, they don't see the nuance & repeat/share.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Then they're called out for these jokes/phrases/memes by parents, teachers, kids (mostly girls) at school & online.
The boys then feel shame & embarrassment - and shame is the force that, I believe, leads people to their worst decisions.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
The second step is the boys consuming media with the "people are too sensitive" and "you can't say anything anymore!" themes.
For these boys, this will ring true - they're getting in trouble for "nothing".
This narrative allows boys to shed the shame - replacing it w/anger.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
And who is their anger with?
Women, feminists, liberals, people of color, gay folks, etc etc. So-called snowflakes.
And nobody is there to dismantle the "snowflake" fallacy.
These boys are being set up - they're placed like baseballs on a tee and hit right out of the park.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
And NOBODY seems to notice this happening - except, it seems, moms of teenage girls who see the bizarre harassment their daughters endure.
And, of course, moms like me who stalk our sons' social media.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
These are often boys from progressive or moderate families - but their online behavior & viewing habits are often ignored.
Here's an early red flag: if your kid says "triggered" as a joke referring to people being sensitive, he's already being exposed & on his way.
Intervene!
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Look through his Instagram Explore screen with him. Explain what's underlying those memes. Explain why "triggered" isn't a joke, what a PTSD trigger is actually like. Evoke empathy without shaming him.
Remind him you know he's a good person, but explain how propaganda works.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Propaganda makes extreme points of view seem normal by small amounts of exposure over time - all for the purpose of converting people to more extremist points of view.
Use my baseball analogy, if you want. Tell your son that he doesn't have to be anybody's fool.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Teenagers have an innate drive toward independence, and once this system is exposed, they're likely to start questioning the memes & vloggers' intentions.
Tell them you are always there, not judging, to look at content & try to spot the lie - no judgment.
Then don't judge!
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
You can also watch political comedy shows with him, like Trevor Noah, John Oliver, Hasan Minhaj. Talk about what makes their jokes funny - who are the butt of the jokes? Do they "punch up" or down?
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Our boys want funny guys to relate to. Give them John Mulaney, Hannibal Burress, Hasan Minhaj, Neal Brennan, Dave Chappelle ... then TALK TO YOUR SONS about that funny shit. Break it down.
(Also give them women comics, obviously, but that's beside the point here).
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Show them that progressive comedy isn't about being "politically correct" or safe.
It's often about exposing oppressive systems - which is the furthest thing from "safe" or delicate as you can get.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Disprove this "snowflake" garbage once & for all.
Ask your son:
Who is more of a delicate "snowflake" - the person who gets offended by racism/sexism & actively wants to help end bigotry? Or the person who is offended by people saying happy holidays instead of merry Christmas?
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
Above all, we need to stay engaged & challenge our kids without shaming them.
I'm lucky, my kids are smart and have a smart, critical, progressive dad who isn't afraid to call bullshit when he sees it.
But I've seen SO MANY white boys falling prey to this system. So beware.
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
She also suggested some ways to learn more about this form of white radicalization.
Thanks to the commenter who shared this thread by journos doing the real work on this subject. @Max_Fisher you're a hero for this. https://t.co/teYUU8619a
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
And someone suggested this relevant interview with a former white supremacist on how he became radicalized. https://t.co/r9g1o6Aoiq
— joanna schroeder (@iproposethis) August 13, 2019
- Music remains instrumental in the US far-right radicalization ›
- Opinion | The New Radicalization of the Internet - The New York Times ›
- Former alt-right follower calls radicalization a health crisis - YouTube ›
- The Making of a YouTube Radical - The New York Times ›
- Man who was pulled into the far-right through YouTube explains ... ›
- The Online Radicalization We're Not Talking About ›
- YouTube's 'alternative influence network' breeds rightwing ... ›
- How YouTube Built a Radicalization Machine for the Far-Right ›
- What Happened After My 13-Year-Old Son Joined the Alt-Right ›
- Detecting Potential Warning Behaviors of Ideological Radicalization ... ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."