What's the true definition of "alt-right"?

[youngohioan216]

Is it neo-nazis? Is it people who have the same racist and anti-semetic beliefs as neo-nazis, but try to put a more intellectual, respectable image on it? Paleoconservatives? Republicans who want less free trade and immigration? Young conservatives who say politically incorrect, outrageous things for shock value? Online trolls who make frog memes on twitter? Anyone right of center who deviates from mainstream, Reaganite conservatism? Anyone who supports Trump? All of the above?  A lot of people who are considered to be alt-right would deny they're alt-right, and a lot of people who label themselves as alt-right would say others who are considered alt-right aren't really alt-right. The alt-right label has been placed on a lot of different things and people, but is there any kind of consensus on what it actually means?

[nicholas.slaydon]

Nazi's.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Whenever I hear people talking about the "alt right" usually they are just referring to generic assholes who don't knee-jerk  vote for Democrats.

[Seneca]

An internet subculture that has bled into the real-world. The alt-right is defined by its bigotry and its use of humor in an attempt to normalize that bigotry.

[ApatheticAustrian]

practically: neo-nazis.

even while they have convinced some other people who aren't nazis that they are "alt-right" too...the first start for every good political campaign.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

A specific breed of young far-right idiots who post on 4Chan. Some are Nazis. Others are libertarian-leaning potheads who like the far-right because they're "edgy". Others just like to shout "Triggered" a lot and laugh.

Long story short, it's not the most meaningful definition. The Nazis are a separate thing and existed long before anyone coined the term, though.

[Person Man]

Is it neo-nazis? Is it people who have the same racist and anti-semetic beliefs as neo-nazis, but try to put a more intellectual, respectable image on it? Paleoconservatives? Republicans who want less free trade and immigration? Young conservatives who say politically incorrect, outrageous things for shock value? Online trolls who make frog memes on twitter? Anyone right of center who deviates from mainstream, Reaganite conservatism? Anyone who supports Trump? All of the above?  A lot of people who are considered to be alt-right would deny they're alt-right, and a lot of people who label themselves as alt-right would say others who are considered alt-right aren't really alt-right. The alt-right label has been placed on a lot of different things and people, but is there any kind of consensus on what it actually means?

You can say a lot of similar things about the Religious Right and to a certain extent, Neoconservatives. Except, this "movement" has literal Hitler supporters in it. My take is that these movements range in size, depending on how they are defined, from a handful of Elite PoliSci/Econ Professors, Wealthy Televangelists, and a handful of internet trolls to in the most broad sense, about 30-40% of the voters in a typical national Republican campaign. It means everything from "a decade amongst friends" to a populist campaign that appeals to a "basket of Deplorables" where traditional R campaigns, such as the ones in 90,92,96,06,08, and 12 have fallen short.   

[The_Doctor]

If you ask me seriously, I probably have a more nuanced definition.

But really, I shorthand it all to "white nationalists who want to reimpose Nazi values in the United States."

[Person Man]

If you ask me seriously, I probably have a more nuanced definition.

But really, I shorthand it all to "white nationalists who want to reimpose Nazi values in the United States."

Can we just say "racists"?

[kyc0705]

Middlebrow neo-Nazis.

[The_Doctor]

If you ask me seriously, I probably have a more nuanced definition.

But really, I shorthand it all to "white nationalists who want to reimpose Nazi values in the United States."

Can we just say "racists"?

It's politically incorrect, so ... I do believe they are racist, though. I do tend to believe the vast majority of Trump voters in the primary are racists, and those who voted for him in the General election may be less racist or not racist but are willing to enable racism. The General election thing, by the way, is just a fact.

[Zioneer]

Internet Nazis. Occasionally also Internet Rapists like Roosh V.

[Person Man]

If you ask me seriously, I probably have a more nuanced definition.

But really, I shorthand it all to "white nationalists who want to reimpose Nazi values in the United States."

Can we just say "racists"?

It's politically incorrect, so ... I do believe they are racist, though. I do tend to believe the vast majority of Trump voters in the primary are racists, and those who voted for him in the General election may be less racist or not racist but are willing to enable racism. The General election thing, by the way, is just a fact.

I don't want to hear PC again.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

just a euphemism for neonazis

[Blue3]

They're no longer "alt / alternative" when they've had one of their own elected to POTUS.

They need a new name.

[Deblano]

racialist paleoconservatives who try to make memes.

[Lothal1]

Whatever the media wants to be or who make extremely weird memes.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Identity politics of the right as pursued by people who should in theory be 'woke' enough to know what that entails. I know or know of a couple of people who fit this description who I don't think are maliciously racist or crypto-fascist, but far more who absolutely are, including essentially all the main ideologues and tastemakers.

As a veteran of the late 2000s internet when parts of 4chan were still good, take it from me that the memes aren't really that weird.

[Person Man]

racialist paleoconservatives who try to make memes.

"Racialist".

[dead0man]

What's it called when a large group of people wants to make a very small group out to be a threat when they clearly are not?

[youngohioan216]

Is it neo-nazis? Is it people who have the same racist and anti-semetic beliefs as neo-nazis, but try to put a more intellectual, respectable image on it? Paleoconservatives? Republicans who want less free trade and immigration? Young conservatives who say politically incorrect, outrageous things for shock value? Online trolls who make frog memes on twitter? Anyone right of center who deviates from mainstream, Reaganite conservatism? Anyone who supports Trump? All of the above?  A lot of people who are considered to be alt-right would deny they're alt-right, and a lot of people who label themselves as alt-right would say others who are considered alt-right aren't really alt-right. The alt-right label has been placed on a lot of different things and people, but is there any kind of consensus on what it actually means?

You can say a lot of similar things about the Religious Right and to a certain extent, Neoconservatives. Except, this "movement" has literal Hitler supporters in it. My take is that these movements range in size, depending on how they are defined, from a handful of Elite PoliSci/Econ Professors, Wealthy Televangelists, and a handful of internet trolls to in the most broad sense, about 30-40% of the voters in a typical national Republican campaign. It means everything from "a decade amongst friends" to a populist campaign that appeals to a "basket of Deplorables" where traditional R campaigns, such as the ones in 90,92,96,06,08, and 12 have fallen short.   

Religious right and neoconservative are pretty clearly defined.

Religious Right: Mainly focused on issues like abortion, gay marriage, transgender bathroom laws, allowing business owners to discriminate based on their religious beliefs

Neoconservative: Believes in using America's military power to spread democracy around the globe; often relatively socially liberal for a conservative

Alt-Right is a new movement so it isn't as clearly defined as other factions on the right.  The media narrative has been that they are neo-nazis who used the Trump campaign as an opportunity to rebrand themselves.  While the man who invented the term alt-right does fit this definition, there are people considered to be alt-right who don't.