When this started, it was basically a way of mocking /r/atheism and /r/theredpill. The fedora was being abused by fat losers in order to make them seem superior, and it deserved the hate it got.

Then this stuff hit 4chan. IT became conflated with the term "neckbeard", which was originally a term of endearment on /tg/, and became even more of a stereotype. Bronies, Magic players, and the PC Master Race crowd joined this stereotype.

This is when it went downhill. I'm 150 pounds and don't have a neckbeard, but I got insulted anyway for wearing a trench coat since it was 15 degrees outside, or wearing fingerless gloves to both stay warm and continue using my phone. I can't bear talking about my hobbies anymore since this whole thing started.

And then this stuff invaded real life. Recently, a large comic/game store in my area was vandalized. The place was spraypainted with the text "autism central" and a poster of a fedora was nailed into the glass. It's been taken care of, but i can't go back to the place ever since this.

An old friend from childhood posted an image of a Magic card I gave him  some years ago on his Facebook along with the caption "Turns out my friend was a total autistic neckbeard". 

Look, being a douche to religious people like /r/atheism or a sexist like /r/theredpill is a problem. But insulting people for their hobbies, vandalising game stores, and using "autism" as a callous insult makes you look like a huge douche.Same with the whole "m'lady" thing. Maybe respecting women is a good thing you know?
user
The whole fedora
assistant
When this started, it was basically a way of mocking /r/atheism and /r/theredpill. The fedora was being abused by fat losers in order to make them seem superior, and it deserved the hate it got.

Then this stuff hit 4chan. IT became conflated with the term "neckbeard", which was originally a term of endearment on /tg/, and became even more of a stereotype. Bronies, Magic players, and the PC Master Race crowd joined this stereotype.

This is when it went downhill. I'm 150 pounds and don't have a neckbeard, but I got insulted anyway for wearing a trench coat since it was 15 degrees outside, or wearing fingerless gloves to both stay warm and continue using my phone. I can't bear talking about my hobbies anymore since this whole thing started.

And then this stuff invaded real life. Recently, a large comic/game store in my area was vandalized. The place was spraypainted with the text "autism central" and a poster of a fedora was nailed into the glass. It's been taken care of, but i can't go back to the place ever since this.

An old friend from childhood posted an image of a Magic card I gave him  some years ago on his Facebook along with the caption "Turns out my friend was a total autistic neckbeard". 

Look, being a douche to religious people like /r/atheism or a sexist like /r/theredpill is a problem. But insulting people for their hobbies, vandalising game stores, and using "autism" as a callous insult makes you look like a huge douche.Same with the whole "m'lady" thing. Maybe respecting women is a good thing you know?
user
"Yelling at neckbeards"
assistant