Internet Commenters Able to Detect Political Themes in Seemingly Random Events

It is a mistake to read too much into internet comments; then again, it is a mistake to read nothing into internet comments. They offer a view into the psyche of a large subset of the population—a view that cannot be found anywhere else outside of court records.

For the stereotypical American Internet Commenter, #content on the internet is less important for what it is than for its ability to serve as a canvas upon which to draw, in BRIGHT RED COLORS, a picture of said commenter’s view of the world. There are two primary rules for internet commenters:

1. Anything can be linked back to your personal pet themes or grievances, no matter how absurd the connection might appear to be. And,
   
2. Everything is evidence for your personal beliefs.
   

Here we have a Facebook video of an angry shirtless man running around downtown Denver, attacking various bystanders with a large stick. The random, uncontrollable acts of a mentally disturbed individual? Not for The American Internet Commenter, it’s not. You have to see what’s really going on. This is not a lone tragic incident. It is...

EVIDENCE FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT

EVIDENCE THAT ONE POLITICAL PARTY IS GOOD/ BAD

EVIDENCE THAT THE PEOPLE IN QUESTION ARE WEAKER, MORE COWARDLY, OR OTHERWISE INFERIOR TO YOU

EVIDENCE OF A GENERAL DECLINE IN QUALITY OF LIFE BROUGHT ABOUT BY PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENT FROM YOU, SOMEHOW

Video of a violent crime, video of a sports highlight, video of a famous person, same internet comments.

What does it all mean? (That we need guns.)