NPC internet meme
The NPC internet meme (derived from non-player character in video gaming), is a politically right-wing internet meme that represents people who do not think for themselves or do not make their own decisions. In other words, they have been indoctrinated.
The rise of the NPC internet meme
There has been a huge rise in the use of the NPC meme on the internet as can be seen by this Google Trends graph of worldwide searches for the term "NPC".
The main factors are:
1. Elon Musk taking over Twitter which gave a boost to the political right.
2. Right-wingers are getting more active in culture war issues such as anti-woke backlash.
3. The growing hunger for free speech and anti-cancel culture sentiments.
4. The rise of a few other right-wing friendly social media platforms (Rumble, Gab, etc.).
5. Right-wingers are aggressively building their own ecosystem.
6. A right-wing populist programme normally encompasses factors such as economic protectionism/problems and anti-imigration/anti-illegal immigration sentiments and these factors are rising in some countries.
7. European right-wing political figures (Marine Le Pen, Viktor Orbán, Andrej Duda, etc.) are using the European Union corruption scandal as a political weapon and inciting anti-EU sentiment ahead of the 2024 European Parliament elections which is giving a bounce to right-wingers.
See also
Essay: