> if you’re blaming the people in the thread for this, I think you’re directing your energy in the wrong direction

Much of the current environment is driven by the SF Bay Tech Elite/Culture.

Peter Thiel funded and enabled Curtis Yarvin, whose work was the backbone of the modern alt right, project 2025, etc. Plenty of tech VCs/elite are investing huge amounts in fighting effective government, pushing models of city states immune from regulation, policing the discourse, and more. Musk gets more press coverage than most but tons of folks who are either on HN, are connected to startups talked about here, etc. are primary forces driving what America has become.