Red Scare Canon — Cultural References from the Subreddit

Catskills (place) 2 — Rural mountain region in New York with conservative demographics being transformed by modern NYC transplant establishmen...

St Petersburg (place) 2 — Historic Russian city mentioned as desirable tourist destination currently inaccessible due to geopolitical circumstance...

Trans-Siberian Railway (concept) 2 — Famous Russian railway route spanning the country, mentioned as dream travel experience currently inaccessible

Mars colonization (concept) 2 — Proposals to colonize Mars critiqued as amoral and anti-human for abandoning Earth rather than improving it, seen as dee...

Midtown Manhattan (place) 2 — Central Manhattan area where a poster has an internship, expressing anxiety about moving to NYC from someone who hates c...

Emo Phillips (person) 2 — Comedian known for a bit about therapy being more expensive than finding money on the street

Modern Vampires of the City (album) 2 — Vampire Weekend album referenced as a comparison point for their new release's sound and emotional resonance.

Thomas Huxley (person) 2 — A naturalist quoted on the importance of natural history education for appreciating the wonder of nature

Martha Summerhayes (person) 2 — A German emigrant who became a US Army Nurse and wrote memoirs of army life in the 19th century

Vanished Arizona: Recollections of the Army Life by a New England Woman (book) 2 — An 1911 memoir by Martha Summerhayes about her experiences as an Army nurse, featuring vivid descriptions of the America...

The chronicle of western costume (book) 2 — A book by John Peacock featuring historical costume illustrations shared on Pinterest

John Peacock (person) 2 — The author of 'The chronicle of western costume,' a book on historical fashion

Nandos (place) 2 — A restaurant chain mentioned as a symbol of disappointing date night options for exhausted parents

Dan Harmon (person) 2 — Creator criticized for contributing to self-aware meta-commentary that ruined blockbuster films

Community (film) 2 — TV show associated with self-aware meta-commentary that influenced blockbuster filmmaking negatively

Mary Sue (concept) 2 — A character type that is unrealistically perfect and lacks flaws, criticized in the context of representation in media.

B12 deficiency (concept) 2 — Nutritional deficiency caused by nitrous oxide use that can lead to permanent nerve damage in hands and feet.

Escapism (concept) 2 — The practice of seeking relief from mundane reality through immersive activities, which shouldn't ruin one's life

Dada (concept) 2 — An artistic movement referenced as a model for irrational and playful expression that could refresh contemporary discour...

Ozymandias (book) 2 — Poem by Percy Shelley that del Toro has the creature read in his Frankenstein adaptation, criticized as a silly choice c...

Chicago Blackhawks (place) 2 — NHL team involved in a sexual abuse scandal mentioned as part of hockey culture's rampant abuse problem from amateur lea...

Glenn Gould (person) 2 — Renowned classical pianist whose performances inspire feelings of inadequacy in an amateur pianist who wishes they were ...

Khartoum (place) 2 — The capital of Sudan, referenced as a comparison point for the prevalence of face coverings in Western cities.

Sia (person) 2 — Australian musician labeled as 'problematic' and ableist in a discussion about cancel culture.

Nikita Khrushchev (person) 2 — Soviet leader referenced in comparison to his amazement at American supermarkets, used as analogy for how previous gener...

JP Morgan (place) 2 — Top finance firm that recruits college sophomores for internships worth $200,000-$300,000 starting salaries

American Gods (book) 2 — Fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman criticized for having a nonsensical plot, shallow characters, and dry prose.

The English Patient (film) 2 — 1990s film that grossed 230 million dollars and was culturally significant enough to be featured in a Seinfeld episode, ...

Chris Nelson (person) 2 — Ex-partner and collaborator of Phoebe Bridgers who was accused of murder and is reportedly facing bankruptcy from a sett...

Split (film) 2 — Movie about mental illness that mental health professionals have criticized as a terrible representation, but which insp...

Lower Manhattan (place) 2 — Expensive New York City neighborhood used as comparison for complaints about Silicon Valley housing costs.

T14 (concept) 2 — The top 14 law schools in the United States, considered elite and gatekept by Gen X academics.

TPUSA (concept) 2 — Turning Point USA, conservative organization mentioned in context of African American conservative figures in MAGA world

r/relationships (place) 2 — Relationship advice subreddit whose posts prompt readers to imagine the people involved as more attractive than they lik...

LA (place) 2 — Expensive area mentioned alongside Brooklyn as home to high-achieving creative professionals.

Bing Crosby (person) 2 — Classic American singer referenced for his Christmas music, particularly 'Winter Wonderland'

21 Savage (person) 2 — Mainstream rapper who was a dominant artist in 2016 and remained a top figure through 2025 despite being past his prime

Paul Bettany (person) 2 — Actor whose scene in Margin Call is discussed as being misinterpreted as defending the financial industry

Friedrich Kunath (person) 2 — Contemporary artist whose melancholic and introspective works are shared on the subreddit.

Tomboy (film) 2 — Gender presentation discussed as formerly existing but heavily bullied, with people now nostalgic for what they didn't t...

Y tu Mamá También (film) 2 — Emotionally powerful Mexican film praised for its storytelling that becomes more affecting on repeat viewings.

Metro Boomin (person) 2 — Hip hop producer whose recent collaborative album with Future is cited as example of lack of musical progression in the ...

NYC Drill (concept) 2 — Contemporary rap movement characterized by focus on sex and murder rather than drug dealing, theorized to reflect black ...

Aphantasia (concept) 2 — Condition where people claim they cannot picture anything in their mind's eye, criticized as a fake disorder that many p...

Real ID (concept) 2 — A federal identification requirement criticized for infringing on constitutional rights, creating monetary barriers to g...

Okinawa (place) 2 — Japanese prefecture where AI-generated music about potatoes was heard playing at a farmers market, representing a dystop...

Daddy Yankee (person) 2 — Reggaeton artist whose music Latinos blast year-round regardless of season or time of day, representing their unwavering...

Woodstock 99 (concept) 2 — Music festival documentary that featured a NYT editor claiming white people singing along with DMX's lyrics was racist.

Norman Fucking Rockwell! (album) 2 — Lana Del Rey album referenced by user expressing desire for human connection beyond superficiality

Fyre Festival (concept) 2 — Infamous failed luxury music festival whose organizer is predicted to be considered a villain of this era.