Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Even in a 20th century paradigm, opportunity cost exists. Something gets more time or budget, something else gets less.


Social media has dramatically magnified these preexisting 'material contradictions' to America's sociolegal conception of free speech. The absurdities are becoming larger and larger and cracks are showing. Stochastic terrorist there. Fascist elected here. 500k anti-vaxxer deaths over there. What will come first, will the dam finally break in the form of society collapsing into conspiracy driven dictatorship, or will the ideologues realize that their constructs can't cope with the modern world?


What is a stochastic terrorist?


"Stochastic terrorism" is the concept that a media campaign with large enough reach that vilifies and dehumanizes a target group will cause a rise in attacks against them, without any central planning who is attacking whom when, but rather because it pushes random (hence "stochastic") at-risk people to commit random attacks.


A good and clear explanation. God Damn the Pusherman. Would you say that this is what happened on January 6th?


A perpetrator of stochastic terrorism. In this context, a lone wolf who is radicalized online.




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2027 batch! Applications are open till November 2.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: