The United States of Juche.
Being an alternateen, the internet used to offer so much of an avenue for creativity and meeting your "tribe." People were glad to see another person who appreciated the same music, aesthetic, or sometimes to meet another non-straight alternative person. This offered kind of a third place.
The internet has changed. It's no longer coded to show posts in chronological order. Algorithms drive everything. Only content that goes 'viral' floats to the top. There are also more consequences because of this.
The United States is going through a complete Christian Nationalist takeover. I've never thought I'd see the day where the youth were also falling in line. "#CleanGirl #Cottagecore," "#LooksMaxing, #Mogging," like E-Aryan Youth. Conservatives own Twitter, META, now Tik-Tok. And they've brainrotted everyone with podcast bro/manosphere talking points, traditional values, calling anything that is whimsical or earnest "cringe." And they've rotted the brains of so many people with stupid slang/vernacular. Defend a woman from getting harassed online, you're a "simp." Express your sexuality in any way/shape/or form (even just liking fictional characters, which for a lot of queer youth is one of the first ways for coming to terms with understanding your sexuality), get called a "gooner." Feeling confident in your new alternative outfit and want to post a photo/video to show it off? You'll get called "cringe," or I've even seen "fatherless behavior" being thrown around.
We live in a time where it's cool to be a broccoli haired jock idiot who is arrogantly proud of being ignorant, brash, and perpetually afraid of anyone or anything that isn't the 'norm.' Or it's cool to be a pickme. A woman that centers men.
I knew from a very young age that religion was bullshit by watching how hypocritical the people of faith are, and how religion offers an excuse for cruelty. Religious figureheads wag their judgmental fingers at church, but then live like rockstars, end up harming kids, and engaging in other harmful behavior when no one is looking. Religion is psychosis, and because of the media takeover, people are taking part in it, because it's the new way to be cruel and morally superior. It's basically being the "woke" Right.
So in consequence for all of those underlying problems, it's hard to be a non-straight alternative person now. When considering posting a selfie/reel of myself, I get pangs of anxiety like "will this reach the wrong crowd?" And I have to question whether I have the energy to spend dealing with chucklefuck chuds for the next weeks to months. Online algorithms love when that happens. Conflict = engagement. Engagement = $$$ for companies. It's almost pointless to post creative works also, because the algorithm doesn't give a shit. If it's not loud & controversial, it will be lost in the online abyss.
I feel like the internet rewired everyone's brains to where people don't appreciate friendship or unity anymore. People view other alt people as competition (whether they size you up as challenging their 'level' of attractiveness, or they find themselves superior). Again, manosphere bullshit. And I have zero interest in what the fuck men think anyway.