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6. A Dare Wrapped in a Joke Wrapped in a Void w/ Cy Canterel
I sit down with feral scholar and TikTok analyst Cy Canterel to explore one of the strangest and most opaque zones of contemporary politics: the swirling online subcultures where memes, irony, nihilism, and fragmented identity collide with rising fascism.
Cy brings a rare combination of systemic thinking, psychological insight, and lived experience as an autistic researcher who understands outsider culture from the inside. Together we trace how today’s meme-driven environments blur the lines between subculture and politics, and why attempts to “decode” online radicalization so often miss the mark. What looks like political ideology is often a shared subcultural language. What looks like a manifesto might actually be a dare, a joke, or an attempt to create meaning in the void.
We talk about the very ambiguous case of Tyler Robinson, alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, and why the bullet-casing engravings left behind point less toward a stable ideology and more toward the chaotic, dare-based dynamics of online subcultures. We also begin unpacking the emerging story of Graham Platner, and why he has become a Rorschach test for liberal and left anxieties.
Cy argues that online extremism is not distortion of human nature, but a predictable outcome of alienation, platform incentives, and a society that doesn’t give people — especially young men — stable roles, narratives, or futures. But she also insists the internet itself isn’t broken. The tools could be used for creativity, care, and community; they’ve simply been captured by the wrong incentives.
If you’re a parent, educator, caregiver, or anyone trying to understand what’s happening to young people online — and what can actually intervene in these dynamics — Cy’s insights are super helpful.
Cy's Website
Cy's Substack: Abstract Machines
• Subscribe on Patreon for Part 2 and full archive access:
https://www.patreon.com/antifascistadpodcast
• Preorder Antifascist Dad: Urgent Conversations with Young People in Chaotic Times (April 26, 2026)
• Follow me on Bluesky: @matthewremski.bsky.social
• Follow me on Instagram: @matthew_remski
• Follow on YouTube & TikTok: @antifascistdad
• Rate & Review — it helps this project reach more people!
• Share this episode with educators, caregivers, or anyone trying to understand online radicalization.
View all episodes
By Matthew RemskiI sit down with feral scholar and TikTok analyst Cy Canterel to explore one of the strangest and most opaque zones of contemporary politics: the swirling online subcultures where memes, irony, nihilism, and fragmented identity collide with rising fascism.
Cy brings a rare combination of systemic thinking, psychological insight, and lived experience as an autistic researcher who understands outsider culture from the inside. Together we trace how today’s meme-driven environments blur the lines between subculture and politics, and why attempts to “decode” online radicalization so often miss the mark. What looks like political ideology is often a shared subcultural language. What looks like a manifesto might actually be a dare, a joke, or an attempt to create meaning in the void.
We talk about the very ambiguous case of Tyler Robinson, alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, and why the bullet-casing engravings left behind point less toward a stable ideology and more toward the chaotic, dare-based dynamics of online subcultures. We also begin unpacking the emerging story of Graham Platner, and why he has become a Rorschach test for liberal and left anxieties.
Cy argues that online extremism is not distortion of human nature, but a predictable outcome of alienation, platform incentives, and a society that doesn’t give people — especially young men — stable roles, narratives, or futures. But she also insists the internet itself isn’t broken. The tools could be used for creativity, care, and community; they’ve simply been captured by the wrong incentives.
If you’re a parent, educator, caregiver, or anyone trying to understand what’s happening to young people online — and what can actually intervene in these dynamics — Cy’s insights are super helpful.
Cy's Website
Cy's Substack: Abstract Machines
• Subscribe on Patreon for Part 2 and full archive access:
https://www.patreon.com/antifascistadpodcast
• Preorder Antifascist Dad: Urgent Conversations with Young People in Chaotic Times (April 26, 2026)
• Follow me on Bluesky: @matthewremski.bsky.social
• Follow me on Instagram: @matthew_remski
• Follow on YouTube & TikTok: @antifascistdad
• Rate & Review — it helps this project reach more people!
• Share this episode with educators, caregivers, or anyone trying to understand online radicalization.