In the aftermath of the September 10, 2025, shooting at Evergreen High School, media coverage has fixated on 16-year-old Desmond Holly's "online radicalization." For teens drowning in anger they don't understand, extremist sites offer something invaluable: an explanation. For isolated teens convinced they're fundamentally different, finding others with similar darkness provides profound relief and a sense of belonging. For isolated teens convinced they're fundamentally different, finding others with similar darkness provides profound relief and a sense of belonging. Beyond the Digital ScapegoatBlaming online radicalization is comfortable because it suggests simple solutions: better content moderation, age verification, site shutdowns.