Red Scare Canon — Cultural References from the Subreddit

Tom Selleck (person) 1 — 70s actor with chest hair cited as example of ideal masculine aesthetic

Abby Martin (person) 1 — Pro-Palestine content creator whose work is appreciated by the poster's father partly because he finds her attractive

Chuck Liddell (person) 1 — Early UFC fighter who exemplified the raw, less technically polished era of mixed martial arts when fighters seemed like...

Coronation Street (film) 1 — British television show referenced in a failed pun joke by a British comedian performing stand-up

Borders Books (place) 1 — Defunct bookstore chain nostalgically remembered as part of pre-digital retail culture

Virgin Megastore (place) 1 — Defunct retail music and entertainment chain nostalgically remembered alongside Borders Books as part of pre-digital cul...

Rickys NYC (place) 1 — New York City costume and novelty shop nostalgically remembered as part of the city's former cultural landscape

Pepsi (concept) 1 — Soft drink brand used as analogy for Taylor Swift as a focus-tested, optimized corporate product rather than an artist

Dasani (concept) 1 — Bottled water brand used as analogy for Taylor Swift as a focus-tested commodity that doesn't warrant strong opinions

Viagra (concept) 1 — Erectile dysfunction medication discussed in context of a 28-year-old man's porn addiction-related ED affecting dating r...

The Edge (person) 1 — U2 guitarist referenced sarcastically in a rant about guitarists using too many pedals in a post-punk project.

Islamic Conquests (concept) 1 — Historical Middle Ages military expansions invoked as justification for modern Israeli territorial conquest in arguments...

Kay Flock (person) 1 — NYC Drill rapper whose music focuses on sex and murder rather than drug dealing, representing a shift in gangster rap th...

Kyle Richh (person) 1 — NYC Drill rapper whose music focuses on sex and murder rather than drug dealing themes.

Sam's Club (place) 1 — Retail warehouse with a food court whose dinginess evoked nostalgia for a pre-smartphone world.

Kelly Osbourne (person) 1 — Television personality whose controversial comments about immigrants cleaning toilets have become mainstream political t...

Caitlyn Jenner (person) 1 — Transgender woman and former Olympic athlete compared to Rachel Dolezal in discussions of identity transition

Beatrice Portinari (person) 1 — Dante's muse whose real personhood was erased by his idealized infatuation, used as symbol for women objectified by roma...

Stendhal (person) 1 — French writer whose 1822 book on love observes that people under strong emotions rarely notice the emotions of those cau...

De l'amour (book) 1 — Stendhal's 1822 book about love that comments on how infatuation prevents understanding of the beloved's actual feelings

Anne Boyer (person) 1 — Author of 'The One and Only' who writes about the experience of being idealized and objectified through infatuation

The One and Only (book) 1 — Anne Boyer's essay exploring the dynamics of infatuation, idealization, and how the beloved becomes objectified through ...

America (person) 1 — Folk rock band played during a bonding drinking session with father

r/hermancainaward (place) 1 — Reddit subreddit criticized for celebrating deaths of unvaccinated people

Wake in Fright (film) 1 — Film mentioned in context of Australian cultural mediocrity and conservatism

Robin Wright (person) 1 — Actress used as physical comparison by post author describing their appearance

Gold's Gym (place) 1 — Gym referenced in humorous description of extremely muscular men

Post-truth (concept) 1 — Philosophical concept about the collapse of objective truth, exemplified by the phrase 'speaking your truth'

Maus (book) 1 — Pulitzer Prize-winning Holocaust graphic novel banned by Tennessee school board over swear words and nudity

Helen Lovejoy (person) 1 — Simpsons character referenced sarcastically in context of school board's prudish censorship

Anthony Perkins (person) 1 — Actor who lived openly gay until his late 30s, underwent conversion therapy including electroshock treatment, married a ...

Berry Berenson (person) 1 — Woman who married Anthony Perkins after his conversion therapy and had two children with him.

Conversion Therapy (concept) 1 — Practice of attempting to change sexual orientation, discussed as arrogant and cruel in the context of Anthony Perkins' ...

Electroshock Therapy (concept) 1 — Medical treatment administered to Anthony Perkins during conversion therapy by a frustrated psychoanalyst.

Three Colors (film) 1 — Film trilogy by Krzysztof Kieślowski, mentioned in discussion of a girl being called basic by a European for naming it a...

13th Amendment (concept) 1 — The U.S. Constitutional amendment that abolished slavery, mentioned in the context of racist online discourse calling fo...

Berenstain Bears (concept) 1 — A children's book series frequently cited as an example of the Mandela Effect, with people misremembering the spelling a...

Joey Swoll (person) 1 — A fitness influencer associated with a new trend of accepting and positive gym culture that is viewed with suspicion as ...

Andrew Jackson Jihad (person) 1 — A band (later renamed to AJJ) known for having what was considered one of the hardest band names of all time

Nicholas Sparks (person) 1 — Author of romantic novels whose movies Ryan Gosling appeared in at the start of his career

India Love (person) 1 — Celebrity who underwent BBL surgery despite being naturally physically gifted, influenced by hip hop culture

BBL (concept) 1 — Brazilian Butt Lift surgery that has become mainstream in hip hop culture, criticized for creating obvious and cartoonis...

White guilt (concept) 1 — Liberal sentiment that has driven retroactive condemnation of colonialism but paradoxically coexists with support for on...

Schizoaffective disorder (concept) 1 — Psychiatric diagnosis received by someone who attributes their condition to heavy cannabis use that caused psychotic sym...

Trans Europa Express (album) 1 — Kraftwerk album described as perfect companion music for train rides that doesn't distract from scenery viewing.

The Man Machine (album) 1 — Kraftwerk album mentioned as potentially anxiety-inducing if listened to on an airplane.

Aimee Mann (person) 1 — Musician and bassist for 'Til Tuesday and The Both listed among famous female bassists.

D'arcy Wretzky (person) 1 — Bassist for Smashing Pumpkins included in list of famous female bassists.

Esperanza Spalding (person) 1 — Solo jazz bassist and artist mentioned in list of famous female bassists in music.

White Zombie (person) 1 — Band featuring Sean Yseult as bassist mentioned in list of famous female bassists.