Incels as a group are a growing threat on a number of domestic terrorism watchlists. Its pretty serious actually.

I don't want to understate them as a threat, but I don't want to overstate them as a threat either. Nonetheless, they are becoming more-and-more violent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incel#Mass_murders_and_violenc...

Its definitely one of those things we need to keep an eye on. If they get more violent and become a larger movement, it could be dangerous.

The grievances they air easily turn into mass shooting events. They're beginning to recognize each other as martyrs (ex: Nikolas Cruz memorialized Elliot Rodger). For some reason, they're able to find each other online and push each other into extremism and even violent acts.

Speaking of the incel movement like they are Al Qaeda is dumb. There is absolutely zero reason to be legitimately afraid of them. Sure, a couple virgins have actually killed people in real life out of sexual frustration, but that's 100% inevitable given that there are billions of people on the planet.

Don't let the threat of incels keep you up at night

I feel like I've pointed out their threat level appropriately.

Roughly on the same scale as other domestic terrorists: eco-terrorists, abortion bombers, and other mass shooters.

And it should be noted that unlike eco-terrorists or abortion bombers, an extreme violent incel wants to kill people as part of their grievances... and not just cause damage.

Even the threat of alqaeda Style terrorism is exaggerated. We should be way more concerned about driving or even or diets as death risks than Al-qaeda

Incels kill fewer people each year than lightning strikes, bees, or trampolines. I'm sure law enforcement agencies are bored and concerned about having their funding cut given the collapse of ISIL, but putting funding into better mental health care instead would probably be the best way to deal with this societal issue. That would at least have the positive side effect of reducing suicide rates, which are 3-4 orders of magnitude higher than incel killings.

If free mental health care was provisioned, would incels avail themselves of it? Because, last I heard, it's unmanly to talk about feelings. I agree that better (and available) mental health care is of critical importance... but how do you make a horse drink?

> Incels kill fewer people each year

You don't have any evidence at all for that, do you? You have no idea what the real number is.

> lightning strikes,

About 20 people each year in the US die by lightening strike. That's not many.

Per the documented incidents in the parent comment's linked Wikipedia article, incels kill well under 20 people per year on average. If you have a more comprehensive source, I'd be happy to reevaluate my position if needed.

That's exactly the sort of post that reinforces their bleak world view. Nobody talks about helping these people achieve some measure of happiness in their lives. When they voice their difficulties, people reply with things that amount to "just be better" and "just be attractive". In other threads responses ranged from straight up dismissing their desires to have relationships as unnecessary to suggesting "cuddle parties" as if that could replace real intimacy. It feels like nobody cares about their problems and they just want to placate incels so they don't turn violent.

The fact is there's massive inequality in dating. Just like inequalities in the economy, this leads to radicalization. Here's some articles that have been posted here on HN, they offered far more nuance than the typical media post:

https://www.overcomingbias.com/2018/06/comparing-income-sex-...

https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/08/31/radicalizing-the-roman...

I don't know what the solution is but writing these people off as terrorists just doesn't seem right to me.

> I don't know what the solutions is. Writing these people off as terrorists just doesn't seem right to me.

The minute a group starts pulling out the guns and shooting people, they are no longer just "sad people", they are now "sad people with guns and violent tendencies".

Look, Jesus said to love your neighbor and I get that. Unlike a lot of people, I don't wish death to ISIS or Al-Qaeda or Palestine or Hamas. I understand their perspective: they see America as a world power stomping on their culture and demonizing them. I don't wish death on any group of people.

That doesn't change the fact that they've declared themselves to be enemies and are actively trying to kill us. So an appropriate response is necessary. It also should be noted that individuals with violent tendencies tend to kill people who are closest to them. (Shootings, even "Mass Shootings", are rarely random. They're often at parties, or workplaces that are socially-connected to the individual). Trying to socialize with a violent person actively puts you in their crosshairs. So its necessary to understand the scope of the violent threat.

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Incels have similarly taken the step towards violent domestic terrorism. They've begun to organize and recognize each other as martyrs... those who "die" for the cause. It is what it is. At some point, you need to start actively defending yourself against a growing threat.

I don't know when that point is: a few more mass shootings perhaps? They've already accumulated a number of mass shootings under their banner: so its only a question of how many before our collective consciousness is tipped off. But its worth talking about at this point, but never appropriate to panic about it.

I don't think Incels as big of an overall threat as say... ISIS / Al-Qaeda. But unlike ISIS / Al-Qaeda (who operate in the Middle East), Incels do primarily operate inside the USA. So they're less dangerous, but they're closer.

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On the timescale of my memories, Al-Qaeda existed before I was born (as well as other various extremist groups of the Muslim world: Wahhabisim, Hamas, etc. etc.). On the other hand, Incels have gone from literally zero (non-existant) into... well... existing. That's a growing threat. Its not as big as others yet but anything that's growing, dangerous, and domestic deserves eyes.

We also live in a country where gun background checks are easily avoided. Violent philosophies quickly turn into actual violence, because there's an easy and legal means to purchase weapons. If our laws demand that we can't stop distribution of weapons, it is only natural to take a step back and start analyzing violent groups from their philosophy. We don't really have other means of control.