This is largely propelled forward by teenage boys and YouTubers and steamers who cater to teenage boys.

I remember being a young boy and getting enraged at Jack Thompson. It felt like he was going after me personally.

These youngsters perceive their primary identities—male, white, and gamer—as under siege. The mere hint of such challenges triggers a stress response, flooding their brains with cortisol. Consequently, when they retaliate by harassing developers, they experience a rush of dopamine. It completely turns off their higher thinking, they’re only interested in the next hit.