Based Camp with Simone Malcolm Collins
@simoneandmalcolm·73.7K subscribers·1K videos
OG Atheist Youtube Split: Why Did the Right Thrive While the Left Failed?
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April 10, 2026
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59:29Now PlayingIn this episode, Malcolm and Simone Collins dive deep into a fascinating question from a viewer comment: Why did the early 2000s-2010s online atheist/skeptic community splinter, with many becoming the seed crystal for today's online right-wing culture—while those who shifted left (Atheism+, socialism, Democrat alignment) largely lost their audiences and relevance?
We explore the two major "seed crystals" of modern internet culture:
YouTube skeptic/debater/edge-lord style (truth-seeking, anti-woke evolution, Gamergate → new right)
4chan's shocking authenticity and owning-it energy
And on the left: Tumblr's vibe/aesthetic-driven culture (memes, cancel culture, performance over truth).
Why did right-leaning creators like Thunderf00t, Sargon of Akkad, The Amazing Atheist, and Armored Skeptic stay relevant, while figures like Laci Green and iDubbbz crashed out? What makes ShoeOnHead the notable exception who kept a right-leaning audience without fully adopting the politics? And how does ContraPoints prove the rule with her theater-kid, BreadTube style?
We also touch on:
Vibrant optimism vs. nihilistic pessimism
Truth-seeking vs. aesthetic vibes
Why conservatism now feels like "the new atheism"
Trump's unique "Christianity," religious evolution in the community, and more
If you lived through the New Atheist era, Gamergate, or the Tumblr-to-mainstream-left pipeline, this one's for you. Timestamps below.
👍 Like if you remember the old skeptic days
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#OnlineRight #SkepticCommunity #InternetCulture
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