Clowns, pills, & boogaloos: a data-driven study of far-right eschatology on 4chan /pol/

This paper investigates eschatological narratives within contemporary far-right subcultures. Based on the observation that far-right traditions share an assessment of contemporary times as eschatologically significant, we argue that ideological developments within far-right online communities are best understood through a theoretical prism focusing on eschatology, agency and ideological adaptation. Using a mixed-methods digital approach, we analyse eschatological trends on 4chan /pol, a platform known for its controversial political discussions. We identify three eschatological trends in our dataset from 2014-2023: Conflictual eschatologies, focusing on local events, loss of cultural/ethnic homogeneity, and violent transformation; Revelatory eschatologies, focusing on global dynamics, diminished agency, and transformation through revelation; and resignationist eschatologies, focusing on identity-political themes, metaphysical processes, and resignation. While ethnic/cultural hegemony remains central to /pol/, we observe a shift towards revelatory and resignationist frameworks, emphasizing knowledge dissemination and resignation over violent activism. We suggest that these shifts reflect ideological adaptations to the increasing complexity and scope of societal issues, as perceived by the community. Understanding these narratives is crucial to unpacking how far-right ideologies shape perceptions of political action. Our digital methodology offers a new, context-sensitive approach to eschatology, moving beyond traditional typologies and providing novel insights into far-right subcultures in the digital age.