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"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: 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. 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. 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. 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.... These are often boys from progressive or moderate families - but their online behavior & viewing habits are often ignored.... [I]f your kid says 'triggered' as a joke referring to people being sensitive, he's already being exposed & on his way.... [W]e 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."

Tweets Joanna Schroeder, who's lucky, because her kids are smart. She suggests that mothers of white boys observe their interaction with media and intervene, explain what propaganda is, and "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?"

I agree. Don't just leave your white boys to the manipulations of right-wing media. I would add don't leave any of your kids — be they white boys or no — to the manipulations of media — right-wing or left. And it's not just about kids. Save yourself. If you're only seeing right-wing propaganda, you'd better put on your own oxygen mask before you expend your waning energy saving the children.

How will you know whether YOU are the propaganda?



ADDED: Titania McGrath satirizes the Joanna Schroeder thread!
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