The GameStop/Reddit story goes beyond 'us vs. them'

With the inauguration and Capitol riots weeks behind us, an upcoming impeachment trial, and coronavirus news turning overwhelmingly positive as vaccine distribution challenges turned to widespread success, an unlikely candidate filled the hole in the news cycle last week: the story of an obscure internet forum and a virtually obsolete retail stock.

For those not hiding under a rock, the story of wild action in the stock of GameStop and various social and technological forces dominated the news for a week, leaving even people who have never bought a stock in their lives to wonder, “What in the world is going on?”