Behind the Skull Mask: An Overview of Militant Accelerationism - Matthew Kriner, Erica Barbarossa, Isabela Bernardo

Berger’s definition of extremist ideology is “a collection of texts that describe who is part of the in-group, who is part of an out-group, and how the in-group should interact with the out-group”.10 On the basis of this understanding, a key feature of militant accelerationism is the preponderance of neofascist and white supremacist ideologies within the ideological spectrum of its constituent net. [...] The absence of key accelerationist indicators suggests that Gendron was not an explicit actor of accelerationism, but rather a consumer.30 In this specific case study, Gendron experienced and internalised just enough of the Saints Culture and accelerationist narratives and motifs to justify and launch an attack, demonstrating the concerningly pervasive nature of the Saints Culture. [...] The prioritisation of survival skills is to prepare for what comes after collapse, as actors such as the Wolves presume to be leaders in the next phase of society, in the belief that most of humanity will be reeling from the great shift in civilisation and will be wholly unprepared for post-modern humanity. [...] Examples include the use of GoPro cameras for live-streaming, the donning of combat gear, and discourse around the “kill count leaderboard” of terrorist attackers.46 The adoption of gaming rhetoric and visuals in mass attacks creates an intentional link between the online exhilaration of games and the seemingly excitable act of killing in the name of mobilising ideologies that motivated perpetrato. [...] Given the central role of social media and technology in contemporary life, including the community-building of militant accelerationism, vigilance around the digital presence and content of these extremist milieus is of paramount importance, not only to trust and safety, but to national security as well.