Black pill : how I witnessed the darkest corners of the internet come to life, poison society, and capture American politics / Elle Reeve.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Reeve, Elle, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States--Social conditions--21st century.

United States.

United States--Politics and government--1989-.

Social media and society--United States.

Social media and society.

Social media--Political aspects--United States.

Social media.

Right-wing extremists--United States.

Right-wing extremists.

Radicalization--United States.

Radicalization.

Polarization (Social sciences)--United States.

Polarization (Social sciences).

Genre:

Informational works.

Physical Description:

xiii, 283 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First Atria Books hardcover edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC, 2024.

Summary:

"A kaleidoscopic combination of deeply sourced, on-the-ground reporting and novelistic storytelling, detailing America at a crossroads as the battle between the right and left spills out from the dark corners of the internet into the real world"-- Provided by publisher.

"This tour de force of investigative journalism--in the vein of The Next Civil War and Why We're Polarized--depicts the United States of America as a country at a crossroads with the battle between the right and left spilling out from the darkest corners of the internet into the real world with often tragic consequences. Award-winning journalist and CNN correspondent Elle Reeve was not surprised by the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. With years of in-depth research and probing interviews under her belt, Reeve was aware of the preoccupations of the online far right and their journey from the computer to QAnon, militias, and racist groups. At the same time, Reeve saw a parallel growth of counterforces, with citizen vigilantes using new tools and tactics to take down the far right. This ongoing battle, long fought mainly on the internet, has spilled out into the real world with greater and greater frequency, culminating in the attempted coup on January 6th. Combining her years of on-the-ground reporting, Reeve clearly illustrates this shocking sweep of violence, where this cultural shift came from, and where it is going. She also introduces us to a shocking but powerful cast of characters, such as the creator of 8chan--an online hub for conspiracies and misogynistic rhetoric--and the white power leader who is still pulling the strings from a prison cell. Uncovering the hidden links between these events and how we can prevent further upheavals of this nature, Black Pill is a necessary read for any supporter of democracy"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Prologue: Surf the Kali Yuga

The wizard

No country for old racists

"According to federal court documents, I'm his best friend"

The Connie situation

Smart people

The useful idiot

The Free Speech Party

The great meme war

Right-wing women

"Well hello, sweetheart"

Charlottesville

Aftermath

"The initial period of absolute chaos"

Fantasizing about self-defense

For history.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 255-268) and index.

Local Notes:

Athenaeum copy: Miller Fund bookplate.

ISBN:

9781982198886

1982198885

9781982198893

1982198893

OCLC:

1417406748

Publisher Number:

99996706689