Red Scare Canon — Cultural References from the Subreddit

Muhammad Atta (person) 1 — 9/11 hijacker who allegedly had an unpleasant customer service interaction at Home Depot over box knife returns.

Mank (film) 1 — Film about filmmaking questioned as potentially being the greatest of its kind in satirical awards season commentary.

Capitol Police (place) 1 — Law enforcement organization described as 'world-renowned' in satirical news coverage of January 6th events.

WSB (concept) 1 — WallStreetBets community referenced for their role in the saga against hedge funds that popularized retail investing.

One Hour Photo (film) 1 — A 2002 film discussed as an early depiction of modern parasocial relationships through the protagonist's pseudo-intimacy...

Para-social relationships (concept) 1 — A type of one-sided relationship where a person develops feelings of intimacy with someone they don't actually know, com...

The New Me (book) 1 — A novel by Halle Butler recommended as a recent book enjoyed by the poster.

Halle Butler (person) 1 — Author of The New Me, recommended as a contemporary novelist.

Home Fire (book) 1 — A novel by Kamila Shamsie recommended as a recent book enjoyed by the poster.

Kamila Shamsie (person) 1 — Author of Home Fire, recommended as a contemporary novelist.

Ling Ma (person) 1 — Author of Severance, recommended as a contemporary novelist.

Milkman (book) 1 — A novel by Anna Burns recommended as a recent book enjoyed by the poster.

Anna Burns (person) 1 — Author of Milkman, recommended as a contemporary novelist.

Arabic (concept) 1 — Language referenced as being spoken fluently by a gay white American as evidence of cultural engagement

Keffiyeh (concept) 1 — Traditional Middle Eastern headdress (shemagh) that became subject of cultural appropriation debate

Neo-colonialism (concept) 1 — Accusation leveled at white Americans studying traditional Indonesian music despite extensive cultural engagement

Gorillas (place) 1 — A food delivery service popular in Berlin that delivers groceries to customers' doors

Flink (place) 1 — A grocery delivery service operating in Berlin

getir (place) 1 — A grocery delivery service operating in Berlin

Sri Lankan protestors (concept) 1 — Protestors who seized the presidential palace in Sri Lanka, drawing comparisons to January 6th

Hephaestus (person) 1 — Greek god of fire and metalworking, referenced as a typical pretentious name given to children of artists

Yuri Averbakh (person) 1 — Chess historian who theorized about the origins of chess in ancient India and its Greek influences

Chaturanga (concept) 1 — Ancient Indian form of chess meaning '4-limbs' that evolved from games of chance and Greek influences to become modern c...

Shenandoah River (place) 1 — Virginia river cited as a favorite for its beauty and greatness among American rivers.

New River (place) 1 — Virginia river cited as a favorite alongside the Shenandoah for its beauty.

Apurimac River (place) 1 — Powerful river in the Andes that impressed a visitor with its force and natural beauty.

Andes (place) 1 — Mountain range in South America where the Apurimac River is located.

Mathson (Succession character) (person) 1 — A Swedish character in the TV show Succession whose significance became apparent in a recent episode.

WGA/SAG Strike (concept) 1 — A labor strike by the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild that exposed Hollywood's superficial commitment t...

It's A Small World (concept) 1 — A Disney theme park attraction referenced in a joke about someone living in the display.

Libby Schaff (person) 1 — Oakland Mayor who held a press conference in 2020 about ropes in a park that were assumed to be hate crime nooses but we...

Victor Sengbe (person) 1 — Oakland resident who confirmed that ropes investigated as nooses were actually his climbing ropes used by families and c...

John Everett Millais (person) 1 — Artist who painted Ophelia, mentioned in Huxley's The Doors of Perception.

Théodore Géricault (person) 1 — Artist whose works Raft of the Medusa and Horse frightened by Lightning are mentioned in The Doors of Perception.

Everything, Everywhere All At Once (film) 1 — Film described as the favorite movie of someone who tries too hard to be quirky and entertaining in every conversation.

Baby it's cold outside (album) 1 — Song criticized for having both an objectionable original version and a worse updated version with lyrics about consent.

Kevyn Aucoin (person) 1 — Makeup artist who created transformative celebrity portraits recreating iconic Hollywood looks.

Penis envy (concept) 1 — Freudian concept discussed by a user recalling having experienced it as a child and questioning its normality.

Gilgamesh (book) 1 — Ancient Mesopotamian epic poem mentioned as part of the region's literary tradition.

Bonnie Parker (person) 1 — Historical figure whose look was recreated on Gwyneth Paltrow by makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin.

Contemporary Christian Music (concept) 1 — Music genre criticized by a former evangelical as empty of creativity and progression, describing it as worse than any m...

PowerBook G3 (concept) 1 — An outdated Apple laptop model referenced nostalgically in discussion of how the early internet required more technical ...

Deinstitutionalization (concept) 1 — Policy of closing state mental health facilities discussed as needing reversal to properly care for mentally ill people ...

Plenary Indulgence (concept) 1 — Catholic theological concept of complete remission of sins offered to crusaders as spiritual reward for fighting.

National WWII Museum (place) 1 — Museum in New Orleans where a visitor had a pleasant interaction with a 95+ year old World War II veteran.

Marshall Tucker Band (album) 1 — A band that the author's father and his friend Scott would listen to during camping trips in the author's childhood.

Rings of Power (film) 1 — Amazon's Lord of the Rings series criticized for having a budget of $465 million for season 1 while looking like a stude...

Creflo Dollar (person) 1 — The biggest black televangelist in America who owns multiple Rolls Royces, a multi-million dollar home, and a private je...

MrBallen (person) 1 — A true crime YouTuber who tours theaters telling embellished stories about murders, mysteries, and supernatural happenin...

Masonic theater (place) 1 — An eerie, historic gothic theater in Detroit with chandeliers and faded yellow walls, now hosting YouTubers and content ...