I think it is time to explain something here: the use of the V masks by Anonymous.
Here's the story:
The movie was perfect for what Anonymous-types wanted to be: a superhero that hid behind a mask with full anonymity that was fighting against an authoritarian figure using cool tricks and moves, and gaining wide public fame and support. Now that the group had a symbol and an ideal of what it wanted to be, it found an other place to raid.
Scientology had been bullying people (arguably) for years and with Tom Cruise's antics on display, Anonymous found an other "bully" it could bully. But, with a symbol (the mask from V) being available, people could actually go out in public as a group and be "anonymous"; so that is what Anonymous-types did: they took their internet into the real world.
If you actually observed Anonymous protests against Scientology, it played out exactly as a microcosm of 4Chan (mostly /b/) with people being "internet-retarded" (many of the things people do on the internet and when they don't think they can be identified are usually retarded when applied to real life).
They were "successful" on paper, with Scientology and their wackiness being broadcast on TV (even though the actual goals discussed on /b/ where more akin to crushing Scientology). Now, Anonymous had a "real" victory... and more newbie-virus returning to 4Chan with them.
The IRL protests attracted a new group of people to 4Chan, just as the raids on Habbo Hotel had done: liberal-minded, computer-savvy, middle-class, high school kids who had the time and parents money to go after larger bullies through the internet.
By then, W.T. Snacks had left, Moot was going to college... sort of... and most of the old had left or where driven to other places, few of us remain.
4Chan was, at one point, mostly college and upper-grade high school kids who came here because of anime. Now, it is mostly high school and younger kids who come here to troll and try to be the alpha-on-the-internet that they can't be IRL.
Glossary will soon follow:
IRL: in real life
W.T. Snacks: former admin on 4chan
moot: founder of 4chan
alpha: the tough guy
Here's the story:
The movie was perfect for what Anonymous-types wanted to be: a superhero that hid behind a mask with full anonymity that was fighting against an authoritarian figure using cool tricks and moves, and gaining wide public fame and support. Now that the group had a symbol and an ideal of what it wanted to be, it found an other place to raid.
Scientology had been bullying people (arguably) for years and with Tom Cruise's antics on display, Anonymous found an other "bully" it could bully. But, with a symbol (the mask from V) being available, people could actually go out in public as a group and be "anonymous"; so that is what Anonymous-types did: they took their internet into the real world.
If you actually observed Anonymous protests against Scientology, it played out exactly as a microcosm of 4Chan (mostly /b/) with people being "internet-retarded" (many of the things people do on the internet and when they don't think they can be identified are usually retarded when applied to real life).
They were "successful" on paper, with Scientology and their wackiness being broadcast on TV (even though the actual goals discussed on /b/ where more akin to crushing Scientology). Now, Anonymous had a "real" victory... and more newbie-virus returning to 4Chan with them.
The IRL protests attracted a new group of people to 4Chan, just as the raids on Habbo Hotel had done: liberal-minded, computer-savvy, middle-class, high school kids who had the time and parents money to go after larger bullies through the internet.
By then, W.T. Snacks had left, Moot was going to college... sort of... and most of the old had left or where driven to other places, few of us remain.
4Chan was, at one point, mostly college and upper-grade high school kids who came here because of anime. Now, it is mostly high school and younger kids who come here to troll and try to be the alpha-on-the-internet that they can't be IRL.
Glossary will soon follow:
IRL: in real life
W.T. Snacks: former admin on 4chan
moot: founder of 4chan
alpha: the tough guy
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