The secret to Yang’s success is both remarkably simple and deeply
reflective of how the internet has democratized national politics. He
has built his campaign almost exclusively on the idea that America needs
a universal basic income
as more jobs are eliminated by automation and robotics. And people who
are thrilled with the prospect of getting a $1,000 monthly check from
the government—which Yang has dubbed the “Freedom Dividend”—have
responded by giving to his campaign and creating memes about Yang and
spreading them online.
[…]
Word and support of his candidacy has spread to some of the internet’s
more vile, yet influential, communities as well. Over the past few
weeks, Yang has been the topic of frequent positive 4Chan threads,
normally a stronghold for Donald Trump’s most racist supporters. Yang’s
UBI proposal has been especially appealing to 4Chan users who embrace
the shiftless “NEET” lifestyle (“Not in Education, Employment, or
Training”) and would rather play videogames all day than have jobs.
4Chan posters have admiringly started to call Yang’s Freedom Dividend
proposal “NEETbux.”
nick land is having a meltdown on twitter saying that this guy is the tip of the spear of fascism and lamenting that 4chan no longer supports the ron paul ethnostate
what the fuck is even going on anymore i don’t get it
4chan is apparently so reactionary that they swing from one position to the other like a goddamn pendulum
4chan racists overthrowing 6+ years of Nazi brainwashing for the prospect of $12,000 a year is the most 4chan thing I can imagine
