Systematic character attacks (via smears, comparisons to extremists, and moral outrage) can normalize or prelude physical mobilization against a target. Theuninck views such dynamics as a "prelude" because they erode empathy and justify escalation, drawing parallels to broader patterns in populist politics (when a government favors or directly encourages a campaign aimed at destroying the dignity and reputation of its adversaries, and the public accepts its allegations without question).