The particular neckbeardy, fedora wearing, Sam Harris listening trend of atheism was a pretty clear reaction to the evangelical psychosis of the Bush administration.
Other geriatrics here can attest that the character of Christianity at the time was way different than it is now. These days, the fascists are more "culturally Christian" and avoid overt bible apologism. But back in the day, these people were constantly on TV spewing young earth creationism and other shit, and they were largely taken seriously. It's hard to believe now how much time was spent "debating" evolution back then. The atheist backlash at least affected discourse aesthetically for some time, making these views laughable, which deplatformed a lot of evangelicals or made them hide their power levels on TV.
Some argue that this brand of atheism justifies imperialism. It does so really only in theory. There really is no material basis for atheists in the US to justify an invasion anywhere in the world. The truth is that Christianity is still a far more powerful force for imperialism. Bush said that God told him to invade Iraq. I don't see any president saying anytime soon that the US needs to secularize a country through force.
If fundamentalist and political religiosity were defeated, then belligerent atheism would dissolve, but the reverse is not true.
Overall, it really does seem like people over emphasize this group of internet no-lifers because of the cultural cringe they manifested.
I do remember the anti-islam justifying of why the US could beat Iraq (clearly a case of the secular West against the zealotry of the Middle East, in the internet atheist's eyes), the areas I was in definitely focused a lot more on Bush's religious right with the teaching of evolution stuff.
Looking back on it, it had a pretty huge undercurrent of right libertarianism that I'd put ahead of justifying the Iraq war or being explicitly anti-islam (though those were a part of the culture, and are also connected).
This was largely my experience, as well. Tbh, I don't remember things related to libertarianism being discussed at all. But I had my Fukuyama glasses on at the time, so I probably just didn't notice.
I don't remember libertarian stuff being discussed explicitly, but almost every explanation for some policy or other assumed libertarian assumptions. Trying to think of a good example. Probably something about the "dating marketplace" or moral hazards about welfare.
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Musk is very this thing
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In a just world, he'd only be posting on an obscure star wars BBS and none of us would know
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Don't call my 15 year old self out like this
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