[fake-name]

> if he believes the terrible things he's posting or is just ironically posting them.

The thing is, as I get older, I realize more and more that this is a distinction without a difference.

If you "ironically" stab someone, does it matter what your motivation?

The same is true for edgelord stuff. Whether you believe it internally is irrelevant, the active act of the posting is the only part that matters.

If you post fascist content to be "edgy", you're a fascist.

[pickledoyster]

“We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.” ― Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night

[Wowfunhappy]

> If you "ironically" stab someone, does it matter what your motivation?

...well, the legal system does take intent into account.

[dpe82]

"Intent" in this context means more more like: "did you intend to stab this person?" (battery/murder) vs. "did you recklessly swing a knife not knowing someone was about to walk by?" (reckless endangerment/manslaughter).

Harming someone "ironically" would be an intentional act of the first category.

[throwaway37153]

> Whether you believe it internally is irrelevant, the active act of the posting is the only part that matters.

> If you post fascist content to be "edgy", you're a fascist.

Is Trump a constitutionalist because he claims to love the constitution? Is Kim Jong Un a "democratic republican"?

[lcnPylGDnU4H9OF]

For this, English speakers have the phrase "actions speak louder than words". They do things that affect a large number of people and it's reasonable to say those things are more important than the words that come out of their mouth because the guy who punches you in the face 5 times and says sorry each time probably doesn't really mean it. I don't think you're convincing anyone that words aren't important just because liars lie.

[fake-name]

You missed where I said it's the act that matters.

So trump /says/ one thing, but his actions say something very different.

------

So, if you say nothing and do nothing, you cannot be defined.

If you say fascist things (even if you're "joking"), but do nothing, you are a fascist.

If you say non-fascist things but /do/ fascist things, the thing with the most active action defines you (i.e. the person doing the fascist things is a fascist).

Words mean little in the face of taking active actions.