I don’t think it’s as benign as just trying to get a rise out of people.

It’s called “reconnaissance-in-force”. Basically you scout by starting a low-cost battle.

Him and Elon do it all the time, but in the political space. They say things as a “joke”, and then gauge the blowback. Then they decide if it’s a joke or not post hoc.

It’s always “a joke to own the libs” until it isn’t. You know those “jokes” about how if he gets elected, you’ll never have to vote again?

What nobody foresaw was that the internet allowed these benign isolated idiots to connect and form a super-cell, and begin coordinated recruitment.

Mr Bombastic