Social Media User Targets Mrs. Nerdrotic and the Critical Drinker’s Family

Social

We all know “haters gonna hate,” but it still feels jarring when you see the extent to which some people will take that maxim. This past week saw the annual Friday Night Tights Las Vegas Meet-Up, and it looked like a great time was had by all. But that didn’t stop some social media malcontents from pissing and moaning online, which is par for the course. But this time, things got out of hand, with someone attacking Mrs. Nerdrotic, Gary’s wife, and bringing the Critical Drinker’s children into a post on X. This person, and I’m sure there are more than just him (assuming the pronoun), has no qualms about going after the families of people he hates, which is more deranged than just leveling bile at the content creators themselves. Eric July made a short video on the topic, which you can watch below and in which you can see the X posts:

Eric confirms that this sort of thing has happened before, to the extent that people have recommended  going after grave sites. It’s disgusting, and I don’t blame Eric for wondering how the dislike of a comic book, an online movie review, or any other easily avoidable commodity could spur someone to that. But here’s the rub: it’s not about those specific things; it’s about the culture. The term “culture war” is not an exaggeration; some people are desperate to control it and make sure it’s shaped in their image, and the popularity of people like Eric July and the Critical Drinker is a threat to that. Look at the Rippaverse’s success; it isn’t Eric July making money that bothers them most but that he’s illuminating an intense dislike for aspects of the culture these people thought they’d successfully captured — namely, the comic book industry. Beyond that, he’s giving the dissatisfied an alternative, one that many are taking. That’s why they’re going nuclear; they can’t abide the thought that people might go elsewhere for their entertainment.

Now, the Critical Drinker (who is not a failed writer, as the lunatic suggests, because he was able to publish a twelve-book series and is still getting novels published) is making a short film based on his books that could lead to more movies that the crowd this fellow represents wouldn’t approve of. The Drinker also acts as a voice for those who don’t like the current state of Hollywood, and his subscriber numbers suggest there are plenty of them. Again, it’s illuminating dissatisfaction and giving the disenfranchised an outlet. Making people feel like they’re alone is a powerful tactic for those seeking control, and the Drinker, Eric July, Nerdrotic, and others are a threat to that. To the diseased mind of a thug like this, that makes their families fair game. It’s vile, and I feel bad for anyone who has to deal with it, but in the end, it’s better to know your enemy and what he’s capable of.