Anti-Technology Extremism and the Pandemic: COVID-19 as a Force Multiplier of Online Narrative

This chapter explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the online anti-technology narratives of the insurrectionary anarchist and eco-radical milieus. Through an analysis of online discourse, it elucidates how the pandemic has served as a ‘force multiplier, ' reinforcing existing beliefs and narratives rather than fundamentally altering them. Both milieus view COVID-19 as a practical illustration of the dystopian future societies envisioned in their narratives, with insurrectionary anarchists highlighting increased surveillance and control measures and eco-radicals emphasising environmental degradation and health crises. Additionally, the pandemic is considered a symptom of the impending demise of civilisation. This has prompted a renewed call for direct action and expanded the list of legitimate targets, particularly among more extreme factions, to hasten such a fall. Yet these narratives align with pre-existing trends and patterns, suggesting that the pandemic has accelerated rather than revolutionised their worldview and modus operandi. Overall, the analysis provided in this chapter sheds valuable insight into the intersection of radical ideologies and current events, highlighting how external factors can shape and amplify extremist narratives and actions.