Red Scare Canon — Cultural References from the Subreddit

Mariah Carey (person) 8 — Singer referenced as an example of a woman being bought by a rich man and straining against shackles in pursuit of creat...

Vine (concept) 8 — Short-form video platform remembered nostalgically for its genuine whimsy humor, contrasted with modern irony-laden inte...

Joker (film) 8 — Film referenced in a humorous post about a sequel titled 'Joker II: Attack of the Clones' and the character meeting a gi...

Mike Pence (person) 8 — Former US Vice President whose affect is used to describe wealthy Indian-American men as having a 'self-serious, anxious...

Amber (person) 8 — Chapo Trap House podcast host discussed as having disappeared from public presence while allegedly still collecting podc...

Bowen Yang (person) 8 — Actor who plays a character in Fire Island, portrayed as being controlled by Joel Kim Booster's character due to their s...

Chloe Sevigny (person) 8 — Actress who gave a stunning performance in Kids (1995) despite being an inexperienced actress at the time of shooting.

Fleetwood Mac (album) 8 — A rock band cited as an example of great music that was mainstream and accessible without needing to be sought out.

Jennifer Coolidge (person) 8 — Actress in White Lotus whose character offers to finance another character's business dreams unsolicited

Hiroshima (place) 8 — Japanese city used as a reference point for the destructive power of what modern military considers a 'small' nuclear we...

Mike White (person) 8 — Creator of White Lotus who incorporated references to intellectual concepts like memetic desire

Nico (person) 8 — A musician whose son Ari describes her death, his inheritance of royalties, subsequent heroin addiction, and traumatic e...

Master and Commander (film) 8 — Historical naval warfare film discussed in anticipation of a potential Hollywood reboot that would miss the point with C...

Weyes Blood (person) 8 — Musician (Natalie Mering) who performed at Pitchfork with Adam Curtis doing visuals, praised for transcendent vocals and...

Manic Pixie Dream Girl (concept) 8 — Film trope of quirky female characters who change male protagonists' lives, whose decline is theorized to have increased...

John Coltrane (person) 8 — Jazz musician mentioned as someone punks would discuss alongside obscure punk records, representing their wide-ranging c...

Mac Demarco (person) 8 — Canadian musician mentioned alongside Grimes as an artist who left Canada, with questions about who paid their bills and...

Harmony Korine (person) 8 — A filmmaker who was featured as a headliner at a Boiler Room event, which the poster found equally hilarious and regarde...

Lars von Trier (person) 8 — Danish filmmaker discussed as repeatedly siding with humanism over intellectualism in his films, particularly in Nymphom...

SZA (person) 8 — A musician whose new album and lyrics about relationships are discussed as confusing to a listener who cannot relate to ...

Critical Race Theory (concept) 8 — Academic framework that became a political flashpoint, with American liberals defending it despite lacking knowledge aft...

Sam Kriss (person) 8 — Writer and cultural critic who discusses children's literature, YA fiction, and the distinction between myth and psychol...

Luke Turner (person) 8 — Artist and associate of Shia LaBeouf being sued for defamation who has repeatedly attacked Red Scare and other artists

Nathan For You (film) 8 — Comedy television show criticized for its potentially exploitative treatment of participants who don't understand the sh...

Yves Tumor (person) 8 — Musical artist whose work is enjoyed by a poster asking if others are familiar with them.

Kafka (person) 8 — Writer referenced in a diary excerpt about creative dissatisfaction and inability to write from the root.

Liz Cheney (person) 7 — Politician referenced in Trump's comments about warhawks needing to experience combat themselves, which was mischaracter...

Theo Von (person) 7 — Comedian referenced as example of a unique comedic style that has no female equivalent.

Warhammer (concept) 7 — Tabletop miniature wargame mentioned as having cool models to paint but a poor game, with working within an IP described...

Tao Lin (person) 7 — Author referenced in context of affecting the poster's journaling style, making them write in excessive detail.

Kendrick Lamar (person) 7 — Contemporary rapper criticized for not taking a public stance on Gaza, contrasted unfavorably with Muhammad Ali's princi...

CPTSD (concept) 7 — Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, mentioned in context of a domestic violence victim being prevented from seeing h...

POTS (concept) 7 — Medical condition (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) commonly claimed by 'spoonies' on TikTok alongside other c...

H.P. Lovecraft (person) 7 — Horror writer from New England whose dark worldview was shaped by exposure to humanity's darkness in that region.

Uniqlo (place) 7 — A clothing retailer where the author purchased $100 worth of wardrobe updates in preparation for a first date.

Washington (place) 7 — A U.S. state whose residents are described as passive-aggressive, confrontational, and difficult in business dealings.

John Cassavetes (person) 7 — Filmmaker whose style of gritty black and white realism is referenced as reminiscent of Robert Kramer's Ice.

Magnus Carlsen (person) 7 — Chess world champion mentioned in context of Twitch/gaming culture's negative influence on professional chess, including...

BDSM (concept) 7 — A sexual practice that some people treat as a personality trait, with debates about whether it should be included in LGB...

Chris Pratt (person) 7 — Actor who Joe Rogan claimed is hated by the left because he is a Christian and a good person, contrasted with Dolly Part...

Bella Hadid (person) 7 — Model and member of the Hadid sisters, discussed as having allegedly gotten buccal fat removal surgery that made her fac...

Cynthia Erivo (person) 7 — Actress described in interviews as appearing like she escaped from a psychiatric hospital and became a reiki master

Pizzagate (concept) 7 — A 2016 conspiracy theory involving alleged connections between politicians, the Clintons, and suspicious social media po...

Media Literacy (concept) 7 — Buzzword criticized as a smug way for leftists to condescend about differing opinions on media, seen as ironic coming fr...

Coldplay (person) 7 — Band mentioned as an example of something currently uncool that might ironically become hip again, similar to how crocs ...

Infowars (concept) 7 — Alternative media platform run by Alex Jones that Dasha Nekrasova engaged with to make them look foolish on their own pl...

Chuck Schumer (person) 7 — Senate leader who first mentioned the 'No Kings' bill in 2024, criticized as focusing entirely on Trump's personality ra...

Hezbollah (concept) 7 — Lebanese militant organization described as "pretty jacked" and capable of doing damage in potential conflict with Israe...

World of Warcraft (concept) 7 — An online multiplayer game that the poster contrasts with their mother's exciting young adult life, noting they were pla...

t.A.T.u. (person) 7 — Russian pop duo whose song 'All The Things She Said' is played in a fictional escape room scenario about Dasha Nekrasova...