I've nothing to add to the debate, I just wanted to say thanks to @Finnegan for some incredibly informative posts.
I feel crept up on. I knew of gamers but had an incredibly limited definition it seems. I knew generally of sub-cultures, of internet trolls and shitposting, even of 4chan and 8chan. What I didn't realise was the submerged depth (iceberg like) of the network, its inter-connectivity of various groups whose perhaps soul point in common was a desire to get a reaction through disruption. The referencing of shared memes and tropes just enhancing the sense of common aims. I feel I'm minimising or trivialising with those words, that's not my intention - it's fvcking frightening.
Finnegan's given me a 101, a primer. I can't grasp the enormity of it, nor (evidently!) even understand it, but I can see that it is there.