This week we talk to Cy Canterel, a scholar of media theory and systems theory in New Orleans and author of the Substack “Abstract Machines.” We discuss:
* The chilling subcultures breeding the next wave of violence. Why 4chan, Discord, and “black pill” nihilism are more dangerous than traditional political extremism.
* The Kirk assassination wasn’t about ideology. It was about spectacle. Tyler Robinson may have chosen Kirk not for his politics, but because killing him would be the ultimate “high score” in a gamified reality where violence is derealised.
* The invisible powder keg: armed, queer, and furious. Are there thousands of young white men crushed between MAGA’s rigid masculinity and the left’s indifference, ready to explode?
* Incels, Groypers, and the fascist femboy pipeline. How Greco-Roman fantasies and gender fluidity coexist with white supremacy in ways that confound traditional political analysis.
* Why this looks more like Columbine than JFK. Forget political assassination frameworks. This is about desensitization, isolation, and young men who’ve lost touch with themselves.
This episode is free to all listeners, but please consider becoming a paid Magic + Loss subscriber. Every dollar goes to the continued fight against fascism!
Magic + Loss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiaheffernan.substack.com/subscribe